Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis movie: Highly unlikely further expansion
Sept. 4 update: Starring Robert Pattinson, David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis had a solid debut at three U.S. theaters two weekends ago. (The film was screened in Canada – and surprisingly flopped badly – last June.) Despite mixed reviews, Cosmopolis raked in $70,339, averaging $23,446 per site, the highest per-theater average on Box Office Mojo‘s weekend chart. (Image: Sarah Gadon, Robert Pattinson as Cosmopolis’ jaded billionaire Eric Packer.)
Last weekend, it was a whole different story. The eOne Films release’s per-theater average plummeted after it expanded to 63 locations. For although Cosmopolis more than doubled its box office take, earning $154,529 for the weekend, its average was down nearly 90 percent to a meager $2,453.
This weekend, Cosmopolis’ grim U.S. box office picture became clearer. At 65 locations (two more than last weekend), Cosmopolis’ grosses were down 42 percent, to $89,049, while the film’s per-theater average tumbled 44 percent, to $1,370. But what does that mean?
Well, “slow Labor Day weekend” or not, what that means is that Cosmopolis has in all likelihood already reached its peak at the American box office and no further expansion will be forthcoming. Those whose local theaters aren’t showing Cosmopolis now will likely be able to see the David Cronenberg-Robert Pattinson collaboration only on VOD / DVD. Note: Labor Day Weekend is considered “slow” because Labor Day Weekend releases are subpar. It’s as simple as that. [Note from the editor: This eOne Films’ Facebook page has updates on U.S. theaters screening Cosmopolis, including upcoming openings.]
Anyhow, here’s wondering if Cronenberg will have a tougher time getting $20 million from investors for his next personal – i.e., highly uncommercial – project. Needless to say, movies like the director’s recent A History of Violence, Eastern Promises, and A Dangerous Method stand apart, as they’re much more “accessible” ventures.
Cosmopolis: Uphill climb to reach $1 million in North America
What may have gone wrong is discussed in this Cosmopolis box office article. Including $196,000 earned in Canada, Cosmopolis’ current North American gross stands at $632,761. It’ll be a difficult uphill climb for the David Cronenberg / Robert Pattinson movie to reach $1 million in the U.S. and Canada, though that’s not an impossibility. However, at this stage, $2 million – a milestone easily achieved (adjusted for inflation) by several personal David Cronenberg efforts – seems all but impossible for Cosmopolis.
But why are we reporting this and not, say, that Mysskin’s Mugamoodi opened at 22 North American locations grossing a quite modest $55,501 and a paltry $2,523 per site? What have we got against Robert Pattinson?
Anti-Robert Pattinson bias?
The answer is simple: We write about a) what interests us b) what brings in visitors. Chiefly thanks to Robert Pattinson, Cosmopolis is both an interesting and a hot topic. That’s also why I’ve written several (highly popular) articles about The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, and 2016 Obama’s America‘s box office performances, but not about those of, say, The Magic of Belle Isle, You’ve Been Trumped, or Breathing.
And once again, as explained in my “Anti-Robert Pattinson bias?” piece, I’m reporting facts in this article. No one is attempting to create controversy to get more hits. Only the braindead would think so.
For if we were merely after hits, instead of box office reports we’d be revealing intimate details about the lives of Kristen Stewart and/or Robert Pattinson and/or Lindsay Lohan and/or you-name-it, quoting “sources” quoting other “sources” who are the stars’ “close friends.” And then we’d report that other “sources” yet assert that the previous “sources” had gotten it all wrong. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that that kind of stuff would get us infinitely more hits than an article about Cosmopolis’ third-weekend box office performance in the U.S.
Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis box office article led to vicious attacks
According to Alt Film Guide’s publisher, our previous David Cronenberg-Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis box office article (see further below) led to one of the four most vicious barrage of attacks – including calls for boycotts – this site has experienced since its inception in late 2004. (The other three “controversial” pieces are listed below.) [Image: Robert Pattinson as Cosmopolis’ billionaire Eric Packer.]
Before wrapping this up, I want to make sure readers don’t think I’m singling out Robert Pattinson as the “instigator of fan madness.” First of all, there were a number of comments by Robert Pattinson fans that were both courteous and thoughtful. Second, and most important, Robert Pattinson doesn’t have a monopoly when it comes to demented fans. I was called a “fucking faggot” at least a couple of times, once by a Harrison Ford fan (angry because I’d mentioned that Ford’s movies were flopping) and another time by a (generic) Twilight fan. And André Soares, for one, has had insults hurled at him by fans of movie stars that have been dead for decades.
Cosmopolis box office: One of Alt Film Guide’s most controversial articles ever
Note from the editor: Besides last weekend’s “Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis box-office” articles, our other three pieces generating the ugliest, nastiest, most psychotic responses were the following:
- A critique of an anti-Muslim short film made by a Dutch far-right politician (the article, along with hundreds of others, was deleted a couple of years ago, following a major site overhaul).
- A commentary on a forgotten woman screenwriter and other more successful names in 1920s Hollywood.
- Article on the petition to free Roman Polanski (and follow-up articles). Here, the rabid attacks were usually – though not always – directed at Polanski himself. (Those people apparently failed to realize that their rabid rants made Polanski seem like a model of sanity and ethical behavior.)
Regarding Cosmopolis’ box office performance, that’s disappointing but not exactly unexpected. As Zac Gille has pointed out in previous articles, David Cronenberg’s latest is a challenging, uncommercial effort that needed incredibly strong reviews and word-of-mouth to help it play beyond a handful of movie arthouses. That obviously didn’t happen.
But as I’ve said before – on this site and elsewhere – Pattinson, much like Kristen Stewart, is to be both commended and supported for having made offbeat career choices (Cosmopolis, Bel Ami, the projects The Rover, Mission: Blacklist, Queen of the Desert) when some high-concept Hollywood idiocy would have been the easier (and more profitable) route.
And finally, this is from a response I recently wrote to an “Anti-Robert Pattinson Bias?” commenter: “We don’t pretend to like something just to pander to a certain crowd. We don’t pretend to dislike something just to create controversy. We like what we like (and sometimes we don’t agree with one another). We dislike what we dislike (once again, our dislikes aren’t necessarily the same ones either). And we report facts as facts.”
In other words, we’re fully aware that we’ll continue to both please and piss people off no matter what we write. And we’re going to keep on writing.
Cosmopolis movie cast
In addition to Robert Pattinson as the jaded New York City billionaire Eric Packer, Cosmopolis features Juliette Binoche, Samantha Morton, Paul Giamatti, Mathieu Amalric, Sarah Gadon, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand, Emily Hampshire, and K’Naan. David Cronenberg himself wrote the screenplay based on Don DeLillo’s novel.
Robert Pattinson’s next movie
Robert Pattinson’s next release is Bill Condon’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, the final installment in the Twilight movie series. Pattinson will be back as the vampire Edward Cullen, playing opposite Kristen Stewart’s newborn vampire Bella Swan-Cullen and Taylor Lautner’s werewolf Jacob Black. Also in the Breaking Dawn – Part 2 cast are Twilight regulars Dakota Fanning, Michael Sheen, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Ashley Greene, Elizabeth Reaser, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Billy Burke, Booboo Stewart, and Julia Jones.
Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis image: Alfama Films.
Sarah Gadon, Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis picture: Alfama Films.
Robert Pattinson ‘Cosmopolis’ movie: Per-theater average plummets on second weekend
Aug. 27 update: A David Cronenberg / Robert Pattinson collaboration, Cosmopolis had a solid debut in the United States last weekend. (The film was screened – and surprisingly flopped – in Canada last June.) Despite mixed reviews, Cosmopolis scored a respectable $70,339 at only three U.S. locations, averaging a good $23,446 per site – the highest per-theater average on Box Office Mojo’s weekend chart.
This past weekend (Aug. 24–26), however, has been a whole different story. The eOne Films release went steeply downhill after expanding to 63 locations. True, Cosmopolis more than doubled its box office take, earning $154,529 – but at 20+ times more theaters than a week ago. In other words, a 2,000 percent increase in number of locations resulted in a relatively modest 120 percent increase in box office grosses. Thus, Cosmopolis’ per-theater average plummeted nearly 90 percent to a meager $2,453.
Cosmopolis: Uphill climb to reach $1 million in North America
What may have gone wrong is discussed in this Cosmopolis piece (see further below), which also features box office totals for a few other offbeat David Cronenberg movies. Including $196k earned in Canada, Cosmopolis’ current domestic gross stands at $448,349. It’ll be an uphill climb for the Cronenberg / Pattinson movie to reach $1 million, though that’s not an impossibility. At this stage, $2 million seems extremely unlikely.
Cosmopolis movie cast
In addition to Robert Pattinson as the billionaire Eric Packer, Cosmopolis features Juliette Binoche, Samantha Morton, Paul Giamatti, Mathieu Amalric, Sarah Gadon, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand, Emily Hampshire, and K’Naan. David Cronenberg himself wrote the screenplay based on Don DeLillo’s novel.
Robert Pattinson’s next release, which is bound to become one of the year’s biggest hits, is Bill Condon’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2, the final installment in the Twilight franchise. Pattinson returns as the vampire Edward Cullen, playing opposite Kristen Stewart’s Bella Swan-Cullen and Taylor Lautner’s Jacob Black. Also in the Breaking Dawn – Part 2 cast are regulars Dakota Fanning, Michael Sheen, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Ashley Greene, Elizabeth Reaser, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Billy Burke, Booboo Stewart, and Julia Jones.
Anti-Robert Pattinson bias?
Now, after reading our Sunday article on Cosmopolis’ relatively weak second-weekend box-office performance, some have contacted us via on-site comments, Twitter, and our “Contact Form,” to complain that both Alt Film Guide and myself are biased against Robert Pattinson.
Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis movie wallpaper / Pattinson as Eric Packer courtesy of dreamysim1.
Anti-Robert Pattinson bias?
The “anti-Robert Pattinson bias” accusation is so ridiculously absurd that I’m not going to take the trouble to explain why that isn’t so. Instead, I’ll merely suggest that The Accusers click on our various Robert Pattinson links (check out the tags and our “related posts” suggestions at the bottom of this article) to read what we’ve written about him. As for those accusing us of having a pro-Kristen Stewart bias, let me remind you that we’re not five-year-olds playing Twi-favorites.
And make sure to check out this Kristen Stewart-Welcome to the Rileys box office piece.
Now, some of those same people (and a few others) raised issues we at Alt Film Guide feel should be addressed in more detail. Here they are:
Cosmopolis was never intended to make money and Alt Film Guide shouldn’t be discussing its box office grosses
Wrong on both counts. Barring some sort of bizarre tax-deduction deal, Cosmopolis was certainly meant to at least earn back its cost. Else, David Cronenberg would in all likelihood have found it very difficult to raise $20 million to make this film. The casting of Robert Pattinson (as a replacement for Colin Farrell) was no coincidence, either. Stars help to sell a film to prospective investors.
And of course it’s our right to discuss whatever aspect of filmmaking we wish. That includes box office grosses.
Every movie was down this past weekend, so Cosmopolis had to be down, too!
Wrong. Although it was indeed a dismal weekend at the domestic box office – the worst this year so far – that’s not because of some “Fourth-Weekend-in-August Curse” found in the Mayan Calendar or because of a carefully planned filmgoer insurrection.
This past weekend, there were no major new releases (The Apparition, Premium Rush, and Hit and Run were anything but), relatively few people cared about Sylvester Stallone / Liam Hemsworth’s blow’em up fest The Expendables 2, while Tony Gilroy / Jeremy Renner’s costly The Bourne Legacy has been performing below expectations. That happens.
On the other hand, Dinesh D’Souza and John Sullivan’s right-wing documentary 2016 Obama’s America performed quite well, and so did several movies in limited release, including two newcomers: Ron Fricke’s Samsara ($76,222 at two screens) and Mike Birbiglia’s Sleepwalk with Me ($65,000 at one theater).
An even more appropriate comparison to Cosmopolis would be Jake Schreier / Frank Langella’s Robot & Frank, which also expanded this weekend. Probably as a result of solid reviews (86 percent approval rating and a 7.1/10 average among Rotten Tomatoes’ top critics), the Robot & Frank expansion was much more successful than that of Cosmopolis (46 percent approval rating): a 2,200 percent increase in number of theaters and a 719 percent increase in box office grosses.
Your site shouldn’t use only Rotten Tomatoes’ top critics’ percentages / averages
Well, if you would rather use Rotten Tomatoes’ overall percentages / averages for your own site or moviegoing decisions, that’s your call.
It’s our editorial policy to use only the Top Critics’ figures because whether or not we personally like / agree with them, Rotten Tomatoes’ “top critics” are usually those from more influential North American (and UK) print / online publications.
Chances are only MooMoo’s mother and favorite aunt will head to MooMoo’s MoovieMoovie Blog before they decide which moovie they want to watch. Most other English-speakers who a) can read b) check out film critics’ reviews will likely visit, say, The Guardian or the New York Times or the Los Angeles Times or Salon or Slate.
Those reviewers may have little to no influence on something like The Expendables 2 or Transformers: Dark of the Moon or Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 or The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. Yet, they – but not MooMoo – are crucial for the initial (and perhaps long-term) success of “small” movies, including Cosmopolis.
I hope this matter has been clarified.
Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis movie: Alfama Films
Aug. 26
Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis movie: disappointing second weekend in the US
Directed by the iconoclastic David Cronenberg and starring Robert Pattinson, Cosmopolis had a solid opening in the United States last weekend. Cronenberg’s bizarre white limo-set comedy-drama about a young Manhattan billionaire (Pattinson) anxious to get a haircut raked in a respectable $70,339 at only three locations, averaging a good $23,446 per site – the highest per-theater average on Box Office Mojo’s weekend chart.
This weekend, however, the eOne Films-distributed Cosmopolis went steeply downhill. True, if studio estimates are accurate, the David Cronenberg / Robert Pattinson collaboration more than doubled its box office take, earning $153,000 – but at 20+ times more theaters, 63 in all. In other words, a 2,000 percent increase in venues resulted in a mere 117 percent increase in revenues. Thus, Cosmopolis’ per-theater average plummeted to a paltry $2,429. What went wrong?
Cosmopolis expansion lacked major marketing push
Both David Cronenberg and Robert Pattinson were busy during the week prior to Cosmopolis’ American debut. Director and star attended the film’s premiere at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art, and Pattinson gave his first couple of interviews since the Kristen Stewart / Rupert Sanders “cheating scandal” in late July, appearing on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show and Good Morning America. As part of the Cosmopolis marketing blitz, Pattinson and Cronenberg even rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
The Stewart / Sanders scandal – Pattinson reportedly was his Twilight Saga co-star’s boyfriend – may have been detrimental to his personal life, but it undoubtedly increased awareness of Cosmopolis. After weeks keeping a low profile, Pattinson’s return to the spotlight to hawk Cosmopolis was widely reported. All that surely helped the film’s visibility. And more of that was needed this past week, prior to the expansion.
Without strong critical support – Cosmopolis has a mediocre 46 percent approval rating among Rotten Tomatoes‘ top critics – such an uncommercial movie needed all the marketing push it could get in a country where film exhibition is in the hands of the major Hollywood studios and multiplex conglomerates.
Just recently, the independently distributed 2016 Obama’s America managed to increase both its number of theaters and its per-theater average by way of savvy targeted marketing. Thanks to right-wing talk radio and Fox News, Rocky Mountain Pictures succeeded in reaching the people interested in watching a political documentary that has been ridiculed by the American mainstream media. Although Robert Pattinson isn’t running for president of the United States, eOne Films should have increased Cosmopolis’ media presence.
(Pattinson was on The Jimmy Kimmel Show last week. What else? Media morons tried to make a big deal out of his joke about being “homeless,” but that, somewhat surprisingly – considering the general media/media consumer idiocy level – hasn’t become a major story.)
Cosmopolis at the French box office
In France, a country with about 1/6th of the US population, Cosmopolis took in $2.27 million. In the US, the Cronenberg / Pattinson movie will be lucky if it reaches $2 million. In all likelihood, this weekend’s meager per-theater average means further expansions will have to be either scrapped or dramatically reduced. The film’s cume after ten days is an estimated $447,000.
Alfama Films / Prospero Pictures’ chances of recovering their not inconsiderable $20 million investment – of course, depending on pre-sale agreements – would lie on DVD and VOD sales both in the US and internationally.
Cosmopolis vs. other offbeat David Cronenberg movies
Below are comparisons to three other offbeat Cronenberg efforts of the last 16 years. (Hence, no A Dangerous Method, A History of Violence, or Eastern Promises.)
- Spider, featuring Ralph Fiennes, cumed at $1.64 million in 2002 (approx. $2.2 million today).
- Back in 1996, at a time when arthouse moviegoing was radically different than it is today, Crash, with James Spader and Holly Hunter, reached $2.03 million (approx. $3.5 million today).
- Featuring Jude Law, eXistenZ cumed at $2.85 million (approx. $4.51 million today) in 1999.
Cosmopolis movie cast
In addition to Robert Pattinson as the billionaire Eric Packer, Cosmopolis features Juliette Binoche, Samantha Morton, Paul Giamatti, Mathieu Amalric, Sarah Gadon, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand, Emily Hampshire, and K’Naan. David Cronenberg himself wrote the screenplay based on Don DeLillo’s novel.
Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis movie wallpaper courtesy of dreamysim1.
Sleepwalk with Me box office: 2012’s third-highest per-theater average in North America
Mike Birbiglia’s Sleepwalk with Me scored an outstanding (estimated) $65,000 at New York City’s IFC Center this weekend, August 24-26. According to the film’s press release, that is a house record and one of the IFC Center’s biggest weekends ever. The release also claims that Sleepwalk with Me boasted “the highest per-screen debut for an American nonanimated film from a first-time filmmaker.” (In case that means “the highest ever,” then inflation – combined with the fact that Sleepwalk with Me is screening at only one theater, i.e., $65,000 divided by one equals $65,000 – surely had a lot to do with that particular record-breaking feat.) [Photo: Mike Birbiglia Sleepwalk with Me.]
Anyhow, Sleepwalk with Me has had quite an impressive debut. It currently boasts 2012’s third biggest opening-weekend per-theater average, behind only Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom ($130,749 at four sites) and Woody Allen’s To Rome with Love ($72,272 at five sites). Another comparison: just last weekend, David Cronenberg / Robert Pattinson’s Cosmopolis opened with $70,339 at three locations, averaging $23,446 per site.
Sleepwalk with Me plot
Based on Mike Birbiglia’s one-man show, Sleepwalk with Me is a sort of cinematic one-man show as well. Birbiglia not only directed the film, but also co-wrote and stars in it. The autobiographical plot follows “a burgeoning stand-up comedian’s struggles with the stress of a stalled career, a stale relationship, and the wild spurts of severe sleepwalking he is desperate to ignore.”
Co-written by This American Life‘s Ira Glass (who also co-produced), Seth Barrish (who also co-directed), and Joe Birbiglia, Sleepwalk with Me premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, where the film won the Audience Award in the Best of Next! Section. It also screened at the SXSW Film Festival and was the opening night movie at the BAMcinemaFest.
Helping out in recent weeks was a Twitter shout-out by The Avengers’ director Joss Whedon, who jokingly asked for a Sleepwalk with Me boycott.
Sleepwalk with Me expands to the U.S.’ top 20 markets next weekend. The movie has a 73 percent approval rating and 7.6/10 average among Rotten Tomatoes‘ top critics. Also in the Sleepwalk with Me cast are Lauren Ambrose, Alex Karpovsky, Mark Maron, Emily Meade, and veteran Carol Kane.
Mike Barbiglia Sleepwalk with Me photo: IFC Films.
Aug. 21
Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis movie: highest per-theater average last weekend in North America
Directed by David Cronenberg and starring Robert Pattinson, Cosmopolis had a solid, though not exactly outstanding, opening in the United States. Whether because of the recent Kristen Stewart & Rupert Sanders “cheating scandal” or because of several key positive reviews, or a combination of both, Cosmopolis brought in a respectable $70,339 – slightly lower than the initially estimated $72,300 – at three locations this past weekend, Aug. 17-19, according to box office actuals found at Box Office Mojo.
Cosmopolis’ per-theater average was the highest on Box Office Mojo’s weekend chart: $23,446. Next in line was Jake Schreier / Frank Langella’s Robot & Frank with $17,770 at two theaters. Remember, all things being equal, the lower the number of theaters, the higher the per-theater average should be.
Of course, Cosmopolis’ per-theater average is well below those of other prestigious platform releases such as Tom Hooper / Colin Firth’s The King’s Speech ($355,450 at four theaters), Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom ($130,749 at four theaters), or Lisa Cholodenko / Annette Bening / Julianne Moore’s The Kids Are All Right ($70,282 at seven theaters). But such comparisons would be absurd. Unlike David Cronenberg’s off-the-wall effort, those movies are highly accessible crowd pleasers. Even Cronenberg’s own A Dangerous Method ($41,988 at four locations last year), which stars Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley, and Viggo Mortensen, was a much more accessible film.
Cosmopolis vs. other offbeat David Cronenberg efforts
So, here are a handful of comparisons to Cronenberg’s other offbeat efforts: Spider, featuring Ralph Fiennes, averaged only $5,575 (approximately $7,700 today) at one location in 2002. Back in 1996, at a time when arthouse moviegoing was radically different than it is today, Crash, starring James Spader and Holly Hunter, averaged a remarkable $17,579 (approx. $31,900) at 42 theaters. Featuring Jude Law, eXistenZ opened at 256 theaters in April 1999, averaging $3,165 (approx. $5,000 today) per site. Once again: a lower per-theater average is to be expected for a movie opening at a much larger number of venues.
Cosmopolis movie cast
In addition to Robert Pattinson, Cosmopolis features Juliette Binoche, Samantha Morton, Paul Giamatti, Mathieu Amalric, Sarah Gadon, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand, Emily Hampshire, and K’Naan. David Cronenberg wrote the screenplay based on Don DeLillo’s novel.
Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis movie picture: Alfama Films
Cosmopolis movie Oscar chances?
As a movie making few (no?) concessions to its audience, David Cronenberg / Robert Pattinson’s Cosmopolis needed all the box office buzz it could get.
Following the widely publicized Kristen Stewart & Rupert Sanders “cheating scandal,” Pattinson spent several weeks away from the media glare – reportedly at his Water for Elephants co-star Reese Witherspoon’s Ojai ranch (northwest of Los Angeles). But Pattinson returned to the spotlight in full force early last week, attending the Museum of Modern Art Cosmopolis premiere, guesting on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show and Good Morning America, and even ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Probably as a result of all that, Cosmopolis had a solid opening in the United States this past weekend.
Now, what about awards-season buzz? Despite a mediocre 55 percent approval rating and 6/10 average among Rotten Tomatoes’ top critics, awards-buzz (and the resulting Oscar buzz) for the David Cronenberg / Robert Pattinson collaboration is not an impossibility. On the other hand, it’s not something likely to happen, either.
As a non-American production shot in Canada, chances of Cosmopolis getting shortlisted by the U.S.-indie-oriented Spirit Awards and Gotham Awards are slim – though stranger things have happened. And there’s always the “foreign film” category.
Yet, if Cosmopolis is to be remembered at all during awards season, that buzz will likely have to start with the various critics’ groups. What’s unclear is if the film has enough supporters to ensure its appearance among the critics’ year-end award winners – as those tend to be chosen by consensus, oftentimes with the lowest common denominator coming out on top.
Robert Pattinson, David Cronenberg: awards season buzz likely?
Although Robert Pattinson is Cosmopolis – and received mostly strong reviews for his performance as New York billionaire Eric Packer – Paul Giamatti is the one cast member with the best chances of being singled out. Why? Even without taking into account critical disdain for anything associated with the Twilight movies, there’s stiff competition in the Best Actor race, while Giamatti’s supporting turn in Cosmopolis has often been praised as one of the film’s highlights. We’ll see.
As for director / screenwriter David Cronenberg, his last major “awards” success with U.S. critics was the much more accessible 2005 thriller A History of Violence, which earned him several Best Director citations. Prior to that, Cronenberg’s biggest awards-season hit south of the border – he’s quite popular with the Canadian Academy of Film – was more than two decades ago: Naked Lunch back in 1991.
Cosmopolis movie cast
Besides Robert Pattinson and Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man), Cosmopolis also features Oscar winner Juliette Binoche (The English Patient), Oscar nominee Samantha Morton (Sweet and Lowdown, In America), and Cannes Film Festival Best Director winner Mathieu Amalric (On Tour). Plus Sarah Gadon, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand, Emily Hampshire, and K’Naan. David Cronenberg wrote the screenplay based on Don DeLillo’s novel.
Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis movie picture: Alfama Films
Aug. 19
Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis movie off to solid start
Directed by David Cronenberg and starring Robert Pattinson, Cosmopolis opened to solid box office numbers in the United States. Whether because of the recent Kristen Stewart & Rupert Sanders “cheating scandal” – Pattinson, as Stewart’s reported boyfriend, became enmeshed in the media sewer – or because of several key positive reviews, or a combination of both, Cosmopolis took in a respectable $72,300 at three locations this weekend, Aug. 17-19, according to studio estimates found at Box Office Mojo.
As a result, Cosmopolis’ per-theater average was the highest on Box Office Mojo’s (incomplete) weekend chart: $24,100. That’s quite remarkable for a film that panders neither to its audience nor to its critics. The distributor is eOne Films, a subsidiary of the Canadian-based conglomerate Entertainment One.
Now, to compare Cosmopolis’ per-theater average to those of fare such as The King’s Speech ($355,450 at four theaters), Moonrise Kingdom ($130,749 at four theaters), or The Kids Are All Right ($70,282 at seven theaters) would be ludicrous. Unlike David Cronenberg’s effort, those movies – distributed by well-established US-based companies (Focus Features, The Weinstein Company) – are highly accessible crowd pleasers. Cosmopolis, on the other hand, is anything but. Even Cronenberg’s own A Dangerous Method ($41,988 at four locations last year) was a much more accessible film.
Cosmopolis movie: ‘Uncommercial’ narrative
In Cosmopolis, Robert Pattinson plays a young New York City billionaire riding around town in a gigantic white limousine while on his way to getting what turns out to be a fateful haircut. The film, I should add, is set mostly inside the limo, where just about everything happens, from social protests to a revealing prostate exam.
Screened at the Cannes Film Festival last spring, Cosmopolis was greeted by mostly positive reviews while Robert Pattinson, best known as the Twilight movies’ vampire Edward Cullen, earned his best personal notices to date. Admittedly, some critics did complain that both Cosmopolis and Eric Packer came across as too cold and distant to elicit any sort of audience empathy.
As an audience-“unfriendly” effort, Cosmopolis needed all the box office buzz it could get. After spending several weeks “in hiding” from the media in the aftermath of the Kristen Stewart / Rupert Sanders scandal, Pattinson returned to the spotlight in full force earlier this week, showing up at the Museum of Modern Art Cosmopolis premiere, and guesting on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show and Good Morning America.
As part of the Cosmopolis promotional blitz, the film’s star and director even rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange last Tuesday. It remains to be seen whether the David Cronenberg / Robert Pattinson collaboration will also generate awards-season buzz in the coming weeks. Despite a mediocre 55 percent approval rating and 6/10 average among Rotten Tomatoes’ top critics, that’s not an impossibility.
Cosmopolis’ North American cume currently stands at $268,900. Last June, the film opened in Canada, where it bombed. Among the countries listed on the Box Office Mojo Cosmopolis movie chart, the Pattinson / Cronenberg movie was best received in France, where it grossed a respectable $2.27 million (around the time of the Cannes festival), followed by Italy, with a passable $1 million, and the United Kingdom with a disappointing $524,000.
Cosmopolis movie cast
Besides Robert Pattinson, Cosmopolis also features Oscar winner Juliette Binoche (The English Patient), Oscar nominees Samantha Morton (Sweet and Lowdown, In America) and Paul Giamatti (Cinderella Man), and Cannes Film Festival Best Director winner Mathieu Amalric (On Tour). In addition to Sarah Gadon, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand, Emily Hampshire, and K’Naan. David Cronenberg wrote the screenplay (reportedly in six days), based on Don DeLillo’s novel.
Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis movie pics: Alfama Films
Aug. 14
Robert Pattinson and David Cronenberg at NYSE
Cosmopolis director David Cronenberg and star Robert Pattinson rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange earlier today. In Cosmopolis, which opens in New York City and Los Angeles on Friday, Pattinson stars as young Manhattanite billionaire and powerbroker Eric Packer, whose life is turned upside down after he decides to get a haircut across town.
The Cosmopolis premiere was held yesterday at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art. Along with Pattinson’s interview on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show, the MoMA premiere marked the actor’s first official public appearance since the Kristen Stewart & Rupert Sanders “cheating scandal” in late July.
Cosmopolis reviews
Screened at the Cannes Film Festival last May, Cosmopolis received mostly positive reviews while Robert Pattinson earned his best personal notices to date. Admittedly, some critics did carp that both Cosmopolis and Eric Packer came across as too cold and distant.
If Canadian-based distributor eOne Films does a good job pushing Cosmopolis in the United States, the film may have a chance at both commercial success (within the parameters of an “arthouse” movie, of course) and awards-season consideration later this year.
Cosmopolis cast
Besides Robert Pattinson, Cosmopolis also features Oscar winner Juliette Binoche (The English Patient), Oscar nominees Samantha Morton and Paul Giamatti, and Cannes Film Festival Best Director winner Mathieu Amalric (On Tour). In addition to Sarah Gadon, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand, Emily Hampshire, and K’Naan. David Cronenberg wrote the screenplay (reportedly in six days), from Don DeLillo’s novel.
Robert Pattinson 2012 films
Earlier this year, Robert Pattinson was seen in Nick Ormerod and Declan Donnellan’s period drama Bel Ami, which received mostly scathing reviews from North American critics and grossed a meager $120,000 in the U.S. and Canada. On the other hand, Bel Ami did surprisingly good business in several countries, most notably in Russia. (Note: Bel Ami was first released on VOD before opening in U.S. theaters.)
Next in line for Pattinson is the final installment in the Twilight Saga movie series: Bill Condon’s Breaking Dawn – Part 2. Pattinson stars as Edward Cullen, along with Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan-Cullen and Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black. Breaking Dawn – Part 2, which opens on Nov. 16, also features Peter Facinelli, Michael Sheen, Dakota Fanning, Elizabeth Reaser, Nikki Reed, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Kellan Lutz, Mackenzie Foy, and Maggie Grace.
Aug. 13
Robert Pattinson 2012: Cosmopolis premiere at MoMA
Earlier today, Robert Pattinson (photo) made his first couple of official public appearances since the Kristen Stewart & Rupert Sanders “cheating scandal” in late July. Pattinson was interviewed on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show, and later headed to New York City’s Museum of Modern Art to attend the U.S. premiere of David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis, in which he stars as a young billionaire whose life is about to be turned upside down.
Screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May, Cosmopolis received mostly positive reviews while Robert Pattinson received his best personal notices to date. Some critics, however, complained that the film and its lead character felt too cold and detached.
Cosmopolis was a major box office disappointment in Cronenberg’s native Canada and underperformed in the United Kingdom. On the other hand, the film did decent business in Italy and particularly in France. If eOne Films does an effective job promoting Cosmopolis south of the border, the film may have a chance at some commercial success in the American market. If so, that will likely lead to the Cronenberg / Pattinson collaboration being remembered next awards season. We’ll see.
In addition to Robert Pattinson, Cosmopolis features Juliette Binoche, Sarah Gadon, Jay Baruchel, Paul Giamatti, Samantha Morton, Kevin Durand, Mathieu Amalric, Emily Hampshire, and K’Naan. David Cronenberg wrote the screenplay (reportedly in six days), from Don DeLillo’s novel. Cosmopolis opens next Friday in New York City and Los Angeles.
Robert Pattinson 2012 movies
Earlier this year, Robert Pattinson was seen in Nick Ormerod and Declan Donnellan’s Bel Ami, which was poorly received by North American critics and grossed a paltry $120,000 in the U.S. and Canada. On the other hand, Bel Ami did surprisingly good business in several countries, most notably in Russia. (Note: Bel Ami was first released on VOD before hitting U.S. theaters, which surely affected the film’s eventual take at the domestic box office.)
Next in line for Pattinson is the final installment in the Twilight Saga movie series: Bill Condon’s Breaking Dawn – Part 2, co-starring Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, and featuring Twi-regulars Peter Facinelli, Michael Sheen, Dakota Fanning, Elizabeth Reaser, Nikki Reed, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, and Kellan Lutz. Breaking Dawn – Part 2 opens on Nov. 16.
Robert Pattinson Cosmopolis premiere photo: Getty Images.
Aug. 9
Robert Pattinson life continues: pragmatically. In Entertainment Weekly‘s fall movie preview issue, there are a couple of good Robert Pattinson quotes at the end of the Breaking Dawn – Part 2 segment. Those relate to his Twilight character, the centenarian vampire Edward Cullen, and to Pattinson’s own life.
While at “a roundtable interview,” Pattinson remarked on Edward’s seemingly boundless capacity to remain rational no matter the circumstances. One such “circumstance” that comes to mind is the infamous tent scene in Eclipse, when, during a snow storm, the hot-bodied Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) – quite literally – gets into the sack with the freezing-to-death Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) while the frigid-bodied Edward helplessly watches (and mopes).
“It’s strange,” Pattinson added. “All through the series it’s like, ‘Hey, this guy is trying to be sensible! Let’s think this thing out.’ And everyone is like ‘Fuck you.'”
After Kristen Stewart asked him about what he had learned from Edward, Pattinson replied: “Don’t be pragmatic. Be an emotional idiot.”
Robert Pattinson pragmatist
Robert Pattinson apparently won’t be following his own advice. According to reports, next Monday, Aug. 13, he will attend the New York premiere of his generally well-received collaboration with David Cronenberg, Cosmopolis. That same day, Pattinson will be interviewed by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show – his first such appearance since the Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart and Rupert Sanders and Liberty Ross tabloid smorgasbord.
And that’s pragmatism. Cosmopolis, a potential awards-season contender but a “difficult” uncommercial effort, needs all the buzz it can get. It should be noted that for his performance as the billionaire Eric Packer, Robert Pattinson has earned the best reviews of his (admittedly, not that long) career.
Perhaps we could expect more pragmatic behavior once we get closer to the Breaking Dawn – Part 2 release date in mid-November. Directed by Bill Condon, and co-starring Stewart and Lautner, the last installment in the Twilight Saga movie franchise opens in a few dozen countries in Europe, the Americas, and the Pacific Region between Nov. 14-16.
As for those reports claiming that Kristen Stewart has been “banned” from attending the Cosmopolis premiere, well, believe them if you wish. Then go get yourself a brain transplant.
Robert Pattinson picture: WireImage.
128 comments
Mr. Pattinson is a very nice fellow. Having met him a few times I can attest to this. He is also a very talented fellow. Please don’t hold a genre against him.
@Gaiana
Yeah, you’re not a big Pattinson fan. Sure. Only you make a point of highlighting his acting, saying he “again” proved he could act. Your post is really about Pattinson, isn’t it?
And it’s not what people didn’t get, it’s what people didn’t LIKE. People didn’t LIKE it, okay? My God, you’re all acting if one needs to be Einstein to ‘get’ this movie. As if it’s THE most brilliant and intelligent movie EVAAAAAAAAAAA!! It’s not NOT, it’s just boring and pretentious as hell to some people. Get it into your heads!!!!
I am not a huge Robert Pattinson fan but I went to see Cosmopolis because I really liked the trailer. And imho, it’s a masterpiece. I saw it again yesterday. I am shocked it’s not getting rave reviews. I actually bought the novel yesterday and can’t wait to read it. I’ve not been familiar with DeLilo’s work until this movie came out. What exactly didn’t people get? It’s absolutely hilarious and extremely thought-provoking. And it actually proved, once again, that Robert Pattinson actually can act very well. To hold his own with Giomatti and to hold my interest throughout the entire film, I mean, he’s in every single shot, I haven’t even noticed how the movie went by. It’s absolutely brilliant.
@Kelly
There’s a difference between dialogue just for the sake of dialogue, and actual good, meaningful dialogue. I find it hilarious how all the apologists for this movie’s failure, are unable to recognize that some people just DIDN’T LIKE THE MOVIE. No, they didn’t not understand it, they just didn’t like it, because they thought it was VACUOUS, PRETENTIOUS HOGWASH. Get it?
@MA
Maybe part of the problem is that Pattinson fans have been spreading the word that Cosmopolis only obtained financing once Pattinson, mega star that he is, had signed on. Obviously that means the financiers expected a bit of a return on their investment. (Although the Pattinson fans would have us believe that no one cares about that, since “Rob” got good reviews. The movie was a success because “Rob” got good reviews. So the investors will be just dandy with this financial loss. That’s The World According To Pattinson Fans for you.)
So the bottom line is that Pattinson fans have celebrated the fact that their idol’s attachment got the movie made. But now it’s flopped miserably. Perhaps a reaction is to be expected?
The Pattinson fans are just hilarious! Some of these comments…LMAO!!
love the movie. it takes a lifetime to build your wealth or reputation, it only takes a few seconds or minutes to ruin it. I actually learned something valuable from this movie. Rob is doing extemely well in this movie. He is going to be great in the coming movies.
my husband and I drove over an hour to see this movie. I love it. the best movie of the year, if you have financial background, itnhelps to understand the movie easier. this movie so true to real life. Rob is excellent in this movie. keep up the good work.
well you can just always go back to writing articles about how amazing kristen stewart is. her fans will give you the hits. i mean you had a three part article about how amazing she is. well you found your target audience.
The distributor went wrong. All of the hype happened the week Cronenberg and Pattinson went to promote it in NY. With a film with such an offbeat subject about a guy in a limo, the distributor should have opened it in as many theaters as possible across the country. With a film like this, there will not be a lot of ongoing promotion of it because of the budget.
Just like what happened with Kristen’s ‘The Runaways’ when that film was screwed by the independent distributor, the distributor failed this film as well. Rolling it out in bits and pieces around the world instead of just releasing it at once particularly after the premiere in Berlin, it’s just been a mess.
Once it was promoted in NY that week, it just should have been released then or all together the next week across the country. These independent films with their 3 theaters here and there, can become a turn off for people especially when you have to drive 20 miles or more to a theater to see it. It’s ridiculous.
Robert Pattinson is just a good man just trying to have a decent career and a private life. I wish people would quit insulting him and let him have some peace. He doesn’t talk badly about other people and seems to be very down to earth for how popular he has become. He is a good actor and seems to be dedicated to his work. How many other actors are out constantly promoting a movie? Finally, he is not bad on the eyes, either!
“Go get yourself a brain transplant.” LMAO That was seriously funny! Thumbs up!
@ MA You said it! The movie is like “f**k you” in terms of commercialism. Cronenberg has always had his inner freedom, and it looks like he shared it with Mr. Pattinson who obviously is happy to be anyone but a heartthrob.
Pattinson’s die-hard fans are like die-hard sports fans, though perhaps not as nuts but nuts nonetheless. They can be very overly invested, but at least the most “trouble” his fans have caused is probably just be annoying or a nuisance to fans of other celebrities.
Cosmopolis is a lot less accessible than A Dangerous Method, or Eastern Promises or A History of Violence so it’s no surprise the divisive reactions it’s getting. I’ve seen all four and liked them, though DM probably the least. I’ll watch any movie with Viggo Mortensen in it, but one with both him and Robert Pattinson together is something I will definitely look forward to.
How about an articulation of why this film is so different from others by Cronenberg? Its a dialogue piece. Many theater goers today can’t sit through that. It doesn’t reflect poorly on Cronenberg or Pattinson- they made a great film- what it shows is why mindless dribble like Paranormal Activity open at #1. Audiences have ADD and need constant stimulation. Theater goers don’t want to think. Many readers would rather hear about your impressions of US film goers vs. your constant need to write Rob Pattinson’s name as many times as you can. Cosmopolis only had one thing to do for Rob Pattinson and that was to prove he can act. It was a success in that regard. He received high praise and a well deserved spot at Cannes. Its a shame that you feel the need to constantly defend your previous articles. Had you been a clever writer and chosen a more intelligent avenue of assessing this film I’m sure you would have seen a different caliber of comments. Instead you chose to maximize your exposure by featuring articles on a man who is in the headlines not because of what he did, but because of what was done to him.
I’m sure this comment will get deleted. This author can’t seem to take any form of constructive criticism. I mean, why bother when you have a delete button? Shame. Accountability just isn’t what it used to be.
Thank you for your responsible and informative report. It’s refreshing to see someone can intelligently report facts without referring back to old news and gossip. Thank you so much for that. It is because of your report that I will now, go see this movie. The thought of actually seeing a movie that is not so mindnumbingly brain dead makes me excited. I love movies that make you think, open intelligent conversations with friends and have you walking away asking yourself if you really understood what you just watched. Unlike so many movies today, this one sounds like it excercises your brain and hightens your senses, physically and emotionally. I am normally a lover of romantic comedies, but you don’t seem to get many of those these days that don’t insult your intelligence. Most of them say, “They fall in love, end of story” without a true concept of why they fall in love or get a true sense that they are falling in love. This movie isn’t about love in that respect. It seems to be about a whole new animal of “LOVE” that I find very alluring. The love of greed, self love and loathing, the love of the financial game and fight to survive it all. I haven’t seen it yet, but now I intend to, especially, reading all the comments and previous articles. You have done your job well. You should be commended. Too bad there are so many brain dead idiots out there that are emotionally handicapped by their infatuations. If they were not, they would see that your comments in your report were based on facts and calculated observations. A true reporter does not gossip, spread what the audience wants just to be loved by the audience or the movie makers. You are a true reporter that stated the trend of this movie and gave a reasonable, believable explanatiion as to why these trends are occurring. Well done. I have tweeted your articles and hope that you continue to not “give in” to the idiots that can’t handle the truth.
Your bias against Robert Pattinson is obvious, yet it’s amusing that you try to defend it over and over again.
While you write entire articles about how amazing and unbelievable Kristen Stewart is an an actress, when it comes to Rob, you’re “JUST THE BOX OFFICE, NOTHING BUT THE BOX OFFICE”. The fact that you refuse to even acknowledge that–while the reviews of the film have been mixed–the review’s of Robert Pattinson’s performance have been decidedly un-mixed. In fact, they have been, with few exceptions, extremely, extremely positive.
I am guessing that you haven’t even seen the film.
I look forward to your really, really, really fair look at Kristen Stewart’s independent box office clout very soon. It’s coming, right? I can hardly wait to see you twist yourself into a pretzel trying to say how awesome the box office was for The Yellow Handkerchief, The Runaways and Welcome to the Rileys. If you need some help I suggest you visit The Numbers and check out their list of the worst films as a return on investment in the last ten years. Hint: Welcome to the Rileys is on it.
@Jessica
Have come across your other posts and you seem to hate the movie and Pattinson, yet you also seem to be just as invested as his die-hard fans on getting your voice heard, albeit on a subject you claim not to like. Odd I think, but can understand your fascination.
A lot of “fans” really only see movies of their “idols” when they look a certain way or act a certain way in them, for instance, they’ll watch his movie when he’s a heartthrob in it, acting sexy and all, but not his other work. Now here you have a movie that is rated-R and extremely art-house (“aggressively unlovable” as one critic called it)…so what hope is there in the box office?
What I find funny is that, because Pattinson is in this movie, there is this strange energy around it — an expectation somewhat by people (fans, critics, media…) of it becoming a box office hit, yet at the same time a sense of almost satisfaction by some that it turned out not to be. Thing is even Cronenberg and Pattinson, as well as the other cast members, have said that this is a very difficult and weird film. Sure they all hope people will see it and appreciate it, but they are aware that it is challengingly different (Cronenberg even warned Pattinson about the movie being possibly booed at Cannes). Fact is, there is no built-in audience for this, not even with Pattinson in the lead. The movie very much falls under the category of “whether it’s one’s cup of tea or not”. I just happen to like weird.
@editor
Thanks for the explanation. I love your site because of your fair writing and the insight info about the movie industry.
Cosmopolis is showing in a few theaters in SoCal, but when I asked my CA friends (I live in MA) if they’ve seen the movie, all of them said they haven’t even heard of it. When I said it’s an art-house film, all of them commented that they probably only know or are interested in mainstream ones.
Then there’s this — Delillo is a challenging read. Cronenberg makes uncomproming films. So regardless who is cast, Cosmopolis is a difficult sell.
What Pattinson did by being cast in the movie is reach a wider audience made aware of the works of both Delillo and Cronenberg. And that really isn’t a bad thing.
It took a 2 hours drive to see Cosmopolis in Toronto. It was worth every minute. The Movie needs your full attention , it was facsinating , exiting and all the actors did a fine Job. The last 2o Min with Paul and Rob are brilliant. Mr. Pattinson is a great actor
I like how the Robsessed are calling this a lie when in the past they have been so tough on Kristen Stewart’s indie box office. A David Cronenberg endeavor starring someone who is supposedly a top star in Hollywood not being able to even make 1 million in the US and Canada COMBINED is a story worth writing about. I only wish more media outlets were on the case. Maybe, just maybe this year is a touch of karma to Robert Pattinson fans who have been so ugly about other actors while putting him up on a pedestal. But hey there’s always Edward Cullen to fall back on. How about the Robsessed quit crying about Altfg being unfair and go see the movie.
I do disagree about 1 thing mentioned in the write up-A Dangerous Method was not a mainstream David Cronenberg effort or easy sale. It was a grand departure from his usual mix of contemporary sex and violence. Still it managed to make over 27 million worldwide aka at least 5 times more than Cosmopolis will ever do.
Your Krisbian is showing. Congrats you’re offically kstew’s fans hero.
“Cosmopolis” is a difficult film, as David Cronenberg himself said, an “art” film. I saw it Labor Day and most of the audience was middle-aged and older, not Rob’s supposed fan base. It’s hard to understand; Rob has this devoted group of fans – but where were they? Maybe it was just too far to drive to a theater that was showing it. That’s a shame, because Rob as Eric was amazing. Nothing about that character resembled any other role Rob has played, and I found it subtle and affecting. It’s too bad so few bothered to see it. Paul Giamatti nailed Benno. There was a lot of humor, and I loved the riff on rats as money. This film will be another of Cronenberg’s classics, studied in film classes and the subject of graduate theses.
I still claim that you have become pro-Kristen Stewart site. What we have lately? She’s refreshing and offbeat despite her ugly misbehavior, she’s in the stellar company of other famous cheaters, she’s insulted by Rob Pattinson being pragmatic by just fullfiling his obligations (and looking like a werewolf, by the way – ???), SWATH is a major hit despite modest box office and bad reviews. You are not objective, you slammed Cosmopolis and Pattinson for not making money and set their fan base on fire.
@Freya,
That’s a misreading of Zac Gille’s article. There’s no slamming of either Robert Pattinson or Cosmopolis. (And we’ve never published anything about Pattinson insulting Stewart.)
The (absurd) “werewolf” remark was from a commenter, not from us. We poked fun at it. That was the whole point.
And if “On the Road” is a hit at the North American box office, we’ll report it as such. If not, we’ll report it as a disappointment. Those are facts. Whether those irk or please people is beyond our control.
I was able to view “Cosmopolis” this past weekend on a trip to Boston. I also enjoy watching Robert Pattinson on film. He had taken some very interesting parts and this was one of them. This film was certainly not a “blockbuster” but I’m not very fond of big box office hits. The art of acting without all of the extras is what holds my attention. I want human emotion, lack of emotion and scenes that take my breath away. As far as Mr. Pattinson goes, did you see him in “little ashes”? Wonderful. I want to feel emotion at a film, not be blown out of my seat!
Rob fans need to get a freaking grip! They are the scariest bunch I’ve seen in a while. The doesn’t need these crazies protecting him from the big bad world.
Film could fail because of poor story, bad script, unsuccessful implementation and dull game actors. And worthless ideas of the film.
Most likely, that is exactly what happened. A film fans just completed the rout.
You’re on a roll. Stop with the misinformation to suit your agenda. Cosmopolis expanding into theaters this weekend:
robpattinson.blogspot.com/2012/08/cosmopolis-theater-list.html
ETA: Theaters opening on 9/7
09/07/2012 Sundance Cinemas 8, Houston, TX
09/07/2012 Railroad Square Cinema 3, Waterville, ME
09/07/2012 Manor 4, Pittsburgh, PA
09/07/2012 Fleur Cinema, Des Moines, IA
09/07/2012 Dundee (Art), Omaha, NE
09/07/2012 Main Art Theatre, Royal Oak, MI
09/07/2012 Celebration Cinema Rivertown, Grandville, MI
09/07/2012 Celebration Cinema 19, Lansing, MI
09/07/2012 Moxie Cinema 2, Springfield, MO
09/07/2012 Ragtag Cinema, Columbia, MO
09/07/2012 Tivoli Theatre, University City, MO
09/07/2012 Cine Theatre, Athens, GA
09/07/2012 Downtown West Cinema 8, Knoxville, TN
09/07/2012 De Vargas Mall 6, Santa Fe, NM
09/07/2012 Beach Boulevard 18, Jacksonville, FL
09/07/2012 Gainesville Cinema 14, Gainesville, FL
09/07/2012 Ridgeway 4, Memphis, TN
09/07/2012 Theatres at Canal Place, New Orleans, LA
09/07/2012 Circle Cinema, Tulsa, OK
09/07/2012 Lyric Cinema Café 2, Fort Collins, CO
09/07/2012 Chinese 6, Hollywood, CA
09/07/2012 The Palm Theatre, San Luis Obispo, CA
09/07/2012 Kahala Theatres 8, Honolulu, HI
09/07/2012 Valley River Center Stadium 15, Eugene, OR
09/07/2012 Opera Plaza Cinemas 4, San Francisco, CA
@Chrissie,
Zac Gille isn’t around to reply to your absurd accusation, but just stop and think for a moment:
“Cosmopolis” opened at about 30 different theaters on August 31. Yet, the total number of theaters showing “Cosmopolis” in the United States increased by only two. Why?
Because it opened at (+/-) 30 locations but had its run cut short at 28 other locations. That’s NOT an expansion.
An expansion, as the term clearly implies, takes place when a movie goes from 60 to 100 to 200 to 500 to … In other words, the movie is so successful that it continues playing at its current locations while opening at other locations as well. That has not been the case with “Cosmopolis.” And the film’s limited release pattern will surely come to a halt in the near future. However unfortunate, that’s bound to happen considering its box-office performance to date.
If there’s an “anti-Cosmopolis agenda,” it’s by those who have opted not to see the film. Not by those reporting its box-office figures.
I like Robert Pattinson, and I still like the way you all write about him & his films. Just the facts. And other facts: Box office doesn’t mean squat when it comes to worthy films. And: Films don’t have to have a $upernatural plot or comic book character$ or R-rated comedian$ to be interesting. Thank you.
The scary thing about Cosmopolis’ box office, is the fact that it’s doing less than stellar despite the Pattinson fans going to see it over and over and over. They mention this all over the net:”I’m going again tomorrow”, “I’m going for my 4th time tonight”, “I hope my husband will go with me again”. Some even bought tickets for the opening weekend, even though they were far away and couldn’t attend. Just to help the box office!
Of course this also means the producers were right by going for the box office draw that is Pattinson. It’s doubtful that other actors’ fans would have displayed the same “dedication” to the movie’s box office. LOL!
AFG isn’t biased against Robert Pattinson, never was. The article is just stating facts. But the uproar is a good example for the real problem: Robert Pattinson has a group of very active, overly invested followers who create a HUGE amount of buzz on the internet and show up for all his events, all his carpets, defend him against anything, leverage him over everyone. But they create an UN-reality. It’s not millions of Twilight fans who support Robert Pattinson 24/7, see all his movies, it is just a group of a few thousands. They create overinflated expectations, which later come back and bite Pattinson in the ass. Remember Me, Bel Ami, always the same story, fans creating expectations. His fans voted day and night for a whole week for Cosmopolis to beat TDNR at the MTV movie brawl. This are the same fans who know come and attack when someone just comments on box office facts. When do this fans realize that they are a liability.
I’m late to the party and I don’t get what’s really going on here. Is AFG accused of being anti Rob?
I discovered this site in 2010 during promo for Remember me and it was one of the few sites who defended the movie and Robert Pattinson. Since then I’ve never noticed an anti bias against Rob. AFG even loved his performance in Bel ami.
I don’t know about Cosmopolis, where is your review of it? Missed it.
Cosmopolis doesn’t do that well in BO numbers. The reason? Several I guess: lack of good promo in Europe, release date in june with European Football cup, exams of students. Limited releases so that fans have to travel (some by plane!!) to see it.
But I think the most important reason is that it’s an unaccessible movie, not comparable with other indie movies like De rouille et d’os, On the Road, Moonrise Kingdom, Lawless. They’re much more watchable, likable.
Cosmopolis is a difficult watch just as the novel which is a difficult read. Cronenberg said it’s a movie you haven’t seen before and he’s right.
I’m disappointed in the movieviewing audiences. They don’t like this kind of movie, they don’t like to be challenged, to see something they don’t get immediately, something they need to think about.
Maybe Cronenberg has put the barr too high this time, maybe he has overestimated the audience.
In my idea Cosmopolis is a masterpiece and I would find it sad that it wouldn’t get more recognition. The themes are so actual, in Europe and elsewhere.
Many fans of Rob have read the book, they know the work of Cronenberg and they knew this film wasn’t gonna make big numbers. But I had hoped it would do better so that more movies like that would find funding in the future.
It isn’t Rob’s fault: he got raving reviews for his part from like 80% of the critics and right so as his perfomance is brilliant. Believe me, after having read the book 4 times, I know Eric Packer a bit: such a fascinating character and so few want to meet him :)
there is hardly any actor who can guaratee a movie sucsess, look at Colin Ferell, George Clooney , Brad Pitt and so many more, who exactly brings in the big bucks. Pattinson is a big draw . Even a Gosling didn’t draw a big audiance in his Movies, so whats your point
@Jessica
“Trying to be intelligent” can go either way, don’t you think – is it the movie or is it…?
To your claim that they cast Pattinson so the movie makes money – I’m sure they hoped, I’d give you that, but art-house, experimental movies are always risky business. Why do you think big studios stay away from these and why they’re difficult to finance?
Actually it is a known fact that another actor was initially slated to play the lead, but he backed out due to scheduling conflicts. So maybe, just maybe, it is fate…that this is meant to be Pattinson’s vehicle for acting credo as many hope/believe.
Regardless of the cast, Cronenberg movies have always been divisive so what makes you think this is any different?
@Jessica
I can understand Pattinson die-hards expressing their support for their idol, but for someone who said she hated the movie and who obviously is not a big Pattinson fan, you sure are wasting ink and grey matter posting your “passions” on the subject. Maybe the movie did manage to ingrain itself on you somehow (as with a lot of other viewers) but you just hate to admit it. Sorry just sayin…
There is a serious issue that needs to be addressed – Robert Pattinsen’s future earnings are in danger.
Because of poor reviews such as the ones found on this site, directors will eventually realise that a piece of 4 by 2 with an expression drawn in marker pen is just as effective and Rob will start losing roles to his most cost effective counterpart.
That’s why it’s imperative that we spam comments to his critics with how amazing he is and how his hair makes him the best actor in Hollywood, and why we need to make false positive reviews on sites such as Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic.
Act now and save Rob’s career while you can!
@Mel
There’s intelligent and TRYING to be intelligent. I stand by that. I also have to laugh at your contention below (in an earlier post) that the movie’s real success is that it was made in the first place. Are you kidding me? Trust me, the people behind the money are NOT looking at it that way. But this attitude doesn’t surprise me. I’ve been reading all over the internet how the box office doesn’t matter, because “Rob” got good reviews. Some have even stated that the movie has served its purpose to give ‘Rob” cred as a serious actor, and that’s all that matters. You guys seriously think the movie was made for the benefit of “Rob’s” career? Again – LOL!
You Twi-tards crack me up! Delusional.
@editor
Sorry, but, for whatever reason, it was a pretty awful box office weekend and was acknowledged as such by other major publications. The only films that showed anything significant were limited releases showing in one and two theaters. As I said, the original article was OK, this response, which is a bit unprofessional and childish, is the issue. By the way, I will restate that you and others have given a bye (a pass) to stars/films in wide releases this weekend that should have, based on the genre playing directly into their fanbase and/or decent promo, performed significantly better. As an aside, RT is a pretty simplistic source for you to utilize in your analysis especially with its ‘movies for dummies’ fresh and rotten generalizations. Use Metacritic or MRQE which are less hit or miss when including existing major critical reviews and have a much more statistically valid means of assigning an overall score/rating.
@Geri
Again, that’s not true. See Zac Gille’s mention of “2016 Obama’s America” and “Robot & Frank.” The reason the domestic box office was down this past weekend was that people, for whatever reason, didn’t care about the movies at their local theater/cineplex — or perhaps they simply hadn’t heard of them.
Note that we use not only Rotten Tomatoes’ “approval” (fresh/rotten) percentage, but also the critics’ averages (xy/10), which are a better indication of how a movie fared. Your comment re: Metacritic is appreciated, and we’ve actually been considering using them as our “critics’ consensus” source.
I think that Robert Pattinson is here to stay, his performance in Cosmopolis was brilliant and only a strong actor could pull off such a character. His showdown with Paul was raw and exitig. No backing down…good Job Mr. Pattinson
to Jackie! Its quiet sad to see that one particular Joke was made the most important aspect of you obsevation. you are not aware it was put into brackets and has no meaning , only a personal preference. It has NOTHING to do with Rob’s character. I like his Hair, so what. You like Bieber, Fassbender or Clooney maybe Shia or Tantum for something what attracts you, but if there is a strong personality behind the looks , that is what makes it stick. But that is personal for the individual, right. To be a fan means that this person was able to get your attention through performance, just like I love Senna or Dali( by the way I loved his moustache) whoopdido
@editor.
When I used the word ‘bye’ I meant a pass. Basically stating it is OK for some to have what would be deemed poor box office while others are scrutinized or overly scrutinized. This past weekend was horrible all the way around. Why is the criticism and scrutiny so narrowly focused? Based on what I am seeing here, I think I get it now, website hits are all that is valid for this site. It is too bad, because the original article’s was OK but its validity was diminished by this so-called ‘response’ article and the author’s lack of professionalism at some points.
@Geri
Actually, you’re wrong. This past weekend was NOT “horrible all the way around,” as clearly explained in Zac Gille’s article.
Now, of course “website hits” are crucial to our site. They’re crucial to ANY site. Are you kidding?
Ask anyone, from the most modest bloggers to the biggest world-class sites. They ALL want visits. We’re no different and we don’t pretend to be.
Does that mean this article was written/edited so as to create “controversy” and get hits? Please. If we wanted that sort of stuff, we’d have gone the way of vicious gossip sites that are *infinitely* more popular than we are.
We publish articles that interest us and that we hope will interest our readers. That’s it.
The comments here are hilarious, particularly the one about Robert Pattinson has the best hair in Hollywood! Of course, that should be a large factor in discussing his talents (or lack thereof) in film.
How many cinematic failures will it take for these deluded people to realise that their idol is simply talentless? It must be so nice to have such low expectations when you go to the movies.
@L I disagree that Kristen Stewart is more respected that Rob Pattinson. While yes she has more experience, she isn’t a phenomenal actress. She definitely isn’t getting the respect and critical praise Jennifer Lawrence or Emma Stone are getting. Her reviews for Snow White were really bad and she received mixed reviews for On The Road. I would think both her and Rob are on the same level in terms of talent.
Jessica,
Calm down, no need for all caps. Sounds to me you just insulted not only the movie and those that appreciated it, but one of the most notable American authors as well. It’s unfortunate that movies that try something different, shockingly out-of-the-box are marked pretentious. So on behalf of the movie, please accept our sincerest apologies for dulling your senses to no end. We realize Einstein is in the house.
LOL at the Robert Pattinson fans trying to rationalize the movie’s failure. Tons of indie movies do very well. Tons of indie movies with LOTS of dialogue do very well. The problem is not that the movie is oh so intelligent. It’s the fact that it’s so PRETENTIOUS. The book tries so hard to be clever, and thus so does the movie. It’s awfully boring, awfully pretentious, and awfully pseudo-intellectual. I’ve seen Wall Street protest posters with more insightful and clever commentary.
And the movie was not supposed to make money? Gimme a break. That’s why they picked Pattinson for the role, isn’t it? For his starpower? Well it didn’t work, Pattinson fans, live with it!
I read at least one Cannes review that actually recommended giving the Palm d’Or to Cosmopolis. It did not happen, but it was a very encouraging thing to say about a very difficult movie. I think Giamatti is long overdue for an Acadamy Award so more power to him. As for Pattinson, awesome if he gets the recognition, but more than likely Hollywood will say he cannot have it all.
Saw this movie last Sunday with about 10-15 people of diverse age groups and everyone stayed until the lights came back on. Would love to see this movie again, but the closest one to me is a good hour’s drive away in perfect traffic conditions.
This movie was not well received by many. There were reports that viewers actually walked out during the show so it’s no wonder the BO is very poor.
Nh,
Unfortunately, they wont be. I live in south florida, and it was a storm ridden weekend, as you all know from the news. so yesterday, I took it upon myself to make it a theater day. I saw both Killer Joe and Cosmopolis. both which were fantastic and both which were empty rooms…everything else was filled to the last seat. I don’t know what needs to be done to open people’s eyes anymore to great films or even things that aren’t just no brainer multiplex fillers. I wish I knew the answer, because I would then do something to contribute as well. My take, is that these big chain theaters have spent way too long showing films that are filler that it’s become a standard. When something special comes along that makes people feel, think, or even exert a little bit of effort in understanding? It’s considered pretentious, artsy, hipster, etc…whatever groovy word you want to put in place of that. The 70’s was a powerhouse of cinema for the US. I’m only 30, and I wish i couldve been around at the time of people like Schlesinger, Bogdonovich, Scorsese, Friedkin, Coppola, Rafleson etc…coming out of the woodworks and creating films about whatever they wanted, with whatever rating they wanted. I’m still shaking my head as to why Killer Joe was rated NC-17…which is a huge killer for films in the US…all theater chains consider that to be a scarlet letter tantamount to porn. Whatever…
And after checking imdb today, several of Robs fans are discussing this article. Just thought you would want a heads up because I would assume your traffic and comments section may explode. Often some of the posters there waffle between Rob is the exception to the rule and he will always be better than everyone else (when things go favorably for him) to Rob isn’t a miracle worker and he just wants to do good films with good people regardless of the outcome (when things don’t work out to their fantasy/expectations). Btw, the “good films with good people” has been the Kristen S fan mantra and Robs fans dismissed it. A prime example of how the Rob fans think is bel ami. His fans were certain this was a film that would take over the indie world, go wide and get lots of critical recognition because everyone adores Rob and he is the ONLY actor from twilight with a future career, even though it was a small film with relatively new directors. When that didn’t happen, they blamed the directors, the distributors, the critics who “had it out for Rob”, everyone was at fault but Rob. Remember Me was another example, the BO predictions from his fans was out of control and oddly enough, the domestic BO for RM was similar to adventureland but Robs fans consider adventureland a failure, while RM made bck it’s budget in the US. Actually both films made back their budget.
Thank you, excellent article. This part was spot on…
‘Chances are only MooMoo’s mother and favorite aunt will head to MooMoo’s MoovieMoovie Blog before they decide which moovie they want to watch. Most other English-speakers who a) can read b) check out film critics’ reviews will likely visit, say, The Guardian or the New York Times or the Los Angeles Times or Salon or Slate.’
As someone who actually enjoyed the movie, I had hoped for better box office returns for last weekend, not only for this particular movie’s sake but for the potential of seeing more like it in the future. Let’s hope there will be directors/producers/actors who will always be up for a challenge.
Pattinson was 22 when he did Bel Ami, what I actually enjoyed even after they cut this Film to pieces , so if you didn’t read the Book it was hard to understand. the few scenes where Georges explains his dilemma to have grown up poor and why his change of heart after he saw Charles had climbed the ladder of success . Cosmopolis is in 1 Theatre in Toronto and it took me 2 hours to get there. There is no big adverting regarding that Movie…but I tell you , I was pleased to see Pattinson accelerate to the point of an A Actor
Just saw cosmopolis yesterday. To be honest? It’s not a film for the american regular theater going public. I was surrounded by nothing but people 50+, probably more Cronenberg fans (Like me) than Pattinson fans. As a previous poster stated, yes, there isnt much advertising for this. That’s a major factor. I live in a major city with over 50 movie theaters and only 2 were carrying it here. As for the film itself? As I said, it’s a very understated/less is more type of film. It’s message is clear, but the cadence style vernacular between all the characters, can prove to be a bit much for people. Like a Dangerous Method was, it’s a dialogue heavy drama and Pattinson was definitely taking a risk doing (A great risk, in my opinion, because his performance was a surprise knockout!). Anyway, Cronenberg isn’t typically an immediate success type of filmmaker. His films take time to digest, even years sometimes! In conclusion, it’s another solid outing by a director that has yet to make a bad film.
by the way, I had to travel 2 hours to a Theatre to see Cosmopolis and thanks good I felt very entertained and glued to the screen, not only because of Pattinson who played deLillos character to perfection but also, because it felt like I’m watching a Play where every scene build up to the finale with Benno
really , what exactly are you trying to defend here. Its not that important what you think, to me at least. I read your stuff and shake my head for a second and know that I’ll let nobody dictate me , what I should like or not. I read most of the critics view because its entertaining. One thing that sticks out , there isn’t another actor who’s scrutinized and analyzed than Robert Pattinson. No other actor is ever personally attacked , from his smile to twitching of his mouth in a certain scene, from his Hair( may I add he has the most amazing hair in whole hollywood), to the way he walks. When a Tatum gets away with a spaced out , whats going on here, look , Pattinson is being ridiculed . Journalists are bias but it doesn’t matter. Mr. Pattinson has a special aura around him , the sweet personality of a true good man. I think he is a great intense actor who shows emotions and understands Movies. So, whatever , you guys write to get paid , Pattinson acts so he gets paid. Cronenberg and Herzog are talented established Directors and I trust them more than some small-town so called film-critic
Actually, forget those. What analysis has been performed on this week’s wide releases that have failed to impress? Other than a line here and there, I haven’t seen it. JGL, Bradley Cooper get a bye? Or, does an abnormally slow box office weekend only serve as a bye for certain stars?
@Geri
I can’t understand how anyone would see the “Cosmopolis” piece as a “bye” to “a certain star.” Nowhere in his article does Zac Gille imply that we should say “bye” to Robert Pattinson. If that’s what you came up with, that’s not our fault.
Also, Zac Gille is not an octopus. He has two hands. He chose three movies for this weekend’s box-office report. “Cosmopolis” was one of them. Why? It’s both a movie “of interest” and a popular subject. Else, he might have picked, say, “Ek Tha Tiger” or “Teddy Bear.”
@Andre Thank you for replying but I was genuinely curious, not finding fault, In fact, bias is a synonym for preference, and doesn’t necessarily imply distortion at all. I only used the particular term because it was in your title. I assumed you cover TDK and other films because they are blockbusters that did well at the boxoffice, but hadn’t seen as much about, say, Christian Bale or Stallone in general, so was interested if it were because Pattinson and Stewart are particular favorites, or if you were responding to the interests of those visiting your site. From your response, it is both, and apparently dependent on the contributor. I, too, am a Deneuve and Sarandon fan, so have no quibbles with any predilections.
@Avi
Thank you.
Off topic slightly – could I just ask why your photo of Robert Pattinson at the top of this article is reversed? So many websites and magazines do this, and even film trailers and I’ve never seen a satisfactory explanation. Is it a question of copyright?
The problem with the whole Rob/Kristen debate is that for the past few years some Rob fans have mocked Kristen S for her indie BO. I remember reading at his imdb board as recently as this past year how Kristens indies were failures, regardless of their critical success. Many Rob fans had high hopes for BA amd cosmopolis, that they would surpass Kristens indie BO and critical appeal. Unfortunately, they didnt and this is why Rob fans are now scrambling with the excuses like “hard subject matter” and “true indies dont make money”. These fans who were so critical of Kristen and her films are now having to eat their words. Hopefully they have learned their lesson.
In this article you failed to note that there as been very little advertising for this film. Yes it was at Cannes, but what average Joe keeps up with that. Yes, Rob and David did the press tour, again who really keeps up with that. There have been no posters or advertising in the larger theaters. The new theaters tend to be smaller, more artsy. The critics ARE biased against Robert Pattinson. Also, this film is not normal, mainstream high action which is all the rage. It takes somebody with an unbiased open mind to get this film and seeing it more than once to “get it”.
Please stop being the naysayer. Robert has talent and he is making a huge effort to learn and evolve in each role he takes. David Cronenberg is an awesome director but because non of his movies have been box office blasts his talent is minimized as well.
Lets get this straight. This is an INDEPENDANT film. There is not a huge budget to make or promote it. If that was changed I think a lot more people would be selling the fantastic actors, director and adapted screenplay. Its really sad that most people wont get to enjoy it, in part to the negative comments of critics and Rob haters.
@Lisa,
Please: Before you criticize us for being “naysayers,” read our other articles. In the previous one, “Cosmopolis” marketing or lack thereof is discussed. And when “Cosmopolis” opened strongly in the US that was duly reported. My own views on “Bel Ami” — which I find a *highly* underrated film (and Robert Pattinson is excellent in it) — have been widely disseminated on Twitter.
No one is “naysaying” anything or anyone here. We’re just reporting facts. That’s it.
And as the author of this post has mentioned elsewhere, chances are “Cosmopolis” will earn much more $$ via DVD / VOD sales, much like the vast majority of independent films.
Robert Pattinson has been in 11 wide or limited release feature films (not counting his TV roles or short films), starring in all but 1 of them (unusual for such a short career). At least 7 of them have made a profit (results for the remaining 4 are unknown or incomplete). 5 of the 7 (The Twilight films and Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire) have made mega-profits, and the other 2 (Remember Me and Water for Elephants) have made close to 4 x their production budgets, a very respectable measure of profit. He has received favourable critical reviews for 6 of his films (winning Best Actor at the Strasbourg Film Festival for How to Be and rave reviews for Cosmopolis).
His 12th film (the last Twilight film) shortly to be released will no doubt make mega-profits.
He has now been cast in leading roles in a further 3 films, all independent, with high quality directors, and Cronenberg wants to work with him again. Who knows if these will be profitable but this isn’t a bad track record compared to some at 26 years old wouldn’t you say?
For the record, I am a mature, adult, objective and interested film fan who has no time for over-invested gossip nonsense.
Was there this type of coverage of the performances of recent independant releases by Channing Tatum (Late last year) or J.Hutcherson (released in the midst of THG hysteria)?
I have never gone by what the critics say. Ever since the critics panned STAR WARS back in the 70’s-80’s I’ve never trusted another movie critic again and I’ve always been right. Most wouldn’t know a good movie if it smacked them in the face.
Title to the contrary, I’m curious why the blog appears to have a pro-Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart bias. It seems to have more coverage of these two actors on a regular basis than any almost any others, and as the choice of films/actors is highly selective, I’m wondering if the blog is purposefully catering to Twilight fans, or is one of the contributors a particular fan of the Saga?
@Avi
If you look at my own articles on, say, Norma Talmadge or Tyrone Power or Susan Sarandon or Catherine Deneuve or Jeanne Crain or, gasp, Kristen Stewart or Robert Pattinson … you’ll see that I have my personal preferences. We all do. That’s not bias. Facts aren’t distorted. Instead, I (and other contributors) provide opinions, whether we’re discussing an actor or a film. When *facts* are involved, we describe them as they are to the best of our abilities. That’s the case with this particular article and the two previous ones on the box-office performance of David Cronenberg / Robert Pattinson’s “Cosmopolis.”
Now, I find it curious that for a couple of weeks in late July/early August we had daily articles — sometimes more than one — on “The Dark Knight Rises.” NO ONE ever remarked on that. No one wondered if we were “purposefully catering to Batman fans.” Same thing with “The Avengers” and “Avatar.” Lots of articles — for obvious reasons — but not a single instance of someone wondering whether we were catering to those movies’ fans. It’s very interesting.
And of course, we have published and will continue to publish articles on topics that will bring in more visitors. That’s logical from a business sense — especially considering that we have only a handful of contributors — and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
We don’t pretend to like something just to pander to a certain crowd. We don’t pretend to dislike something just to create controversy. We like what we like (and sometimes we don’t agree with one another). We dislike what we dislike (once again, our dislikes aren’t necessarily the same ones either). And we report facts as facts.
Bel Ami and Cosmopolis are both (R) rated not (PG -13) “True Art House Films” which are in “limited release.” Your BO numbers are factual. Many of his fans travel great distances to reach many of the “selective” theaters. Economically for most this is not a viable option. But the (R) films are giving RP a chance to build a”mainstream” audience. Cosmopolis is a very provocative cerebral non- conventional film. Therefore Cosmopolis becoming a breakout box office hit was and is highly unlikely. RT rating 64% for Cosmopolis which includes “all” the critics is modest but note-worthy for RP and DC. There are movies with much lower % that were still nominated for awards.
As to the reference and definition of bomb after bomb “meh”.. Every actor has them… RP’s impressive BO stats currently still runs circles around some of the best of them in Hollywood. He’s only 26 yrs old and has chosen the path less traveled by most his age in the movie industry. God-Speed Robert Pattinson. Btw Cosmopolis is awesome.
The Cosmopolis producers might have cast Robert as a box office draw, but for Cronenberg it was just an opportunity to eventually make the movie. I can’t believe DC hoped for a box office success even for a second. Have you seen the movie – it’s raw absurdism, not a movie actually, but a cinematograhic experiment.
I love your site, keep up the good work.
Robert got bad reviews for his acting, but that’s not new he always does. His films hardly ever make money except for Twilight, and that’s not because of him, but rather because of the built in fan base.
Don’t worry about the boycott. You’ll get fans to your site that will read because of content. I’ve personally seen this site praise Robert Pattinson for Bel Ami and say it was criminally underrated, which I agree with. So, just stating box office truth is not anything to boycott a site about.
The twi-hards are insane but unfortunately have become a virulent presence on the web. Better to just ignore them. I read several film blogs, and it’s fairly obvious that many of the fans go on and post the same thing over and over again on different websites…it’s even word for word, in some cases. The film performed poorly, and anyone with common sense can see that…even with all the supposed public sympathy he has garnered…What I am interested in is how this may affect his career. Bomb after bomb after bomb, with little critical success. How is he still getting cast in films with directors like Michod or Herzog? He’s not bringing in the box office money and he really isn’t considering by most of the critics to be a very good actor. Hell, even Kristen Stewart tends to get more respect from the critics (not withstanding Snow White).
May I suggest, if you are going to use top critics and ratings from any major site, you use Metacritic? It provides a much more valid rating based on the numerical scores the top critics provide rather than a straight positive/negative slant which can be misleading. The top critics list at Metacritic is also often more comprehensive than that used by RT which for some reason seems to omit some critics reviews without rhyme or reason. I am not saying anything occurred with regard to the film being discussed, but, perhaps RT’s fairly recent acquisition by, I believe, Warner Bros, should cause a fair and unbiased site who wishes to report responsibly, to more thoroughly examine the shallow data provided by RT.
One thing about Cosmopolis is that there is no other movie out there that is quite like it. It is somewhat shocking to the senses, especially if one is not familiar with Don Delillo’s novel, from which the dialogue was lifted verbatim. Other non-mainstream indies are by far more accessible in comparison. Box office numbers depend on how easy it is for viewers to “get” a movie. Cosmopolis is difficult in many aspects, most definitely not for mass consumption. The movie has the 3 things most viewers cannot stand – a lot of dialogue, too quiet, slow pace. But for those who “get” it, it is a thing of beauty to behold. Bold, daring and uncompromising, yet honest. Refreshingly unique. I can actually hear myself think.
Wow. Get over yourself what a defensive hostile waste of font.
No font was wasted, I can assure you. We’re very careful about protecting the environment.
As for “defensive hostile” — man (or woman), you need a serious reality check. And a good mirror.
This is not unexpected, but thanks for reporting it just as you did last weekend’s “highest per-theater average”. More L.A. press & talk shows would have helped the box office – but just like Stewart’s best (indie) films, the box office is just not going to deliver. Might as well get it to VOD & DVD as quickly as possible. Looking forward to seeing it.
But it may be a long dry spell upcoming for Mr. Pattinson – except for the hoopla surrounding the “Breaking Dawn 2” release. The BD2 film will pale in comparison to the off-screen Twi-drama of watching him & the fans react to the (possible) presence of Miss Stewart while doing press & red carpets. Afterwards, decent supporting roles in 2 films w/quality actors (Naomi Watts, Guy Pearce), but not sure if his “Mission: Blacklist” will get people in the theaters -(shaving his head might not be enough to convince the public that he’s an Army interrogator) – watching old news clips & reading the book might be the public’s better route to take on that one.
there is one Theatre in Toronto showing it. There were 10 people on a scorching hot day at the 4:20 show. I loved it because every scene looked like a building block for the final dialog with Benno. Its a Cronenberg after all. He doesn’t make mainstream Movies. The film followed the book so closely. If you would read the book while watching you can almost turn the page if you missed a sentence or so , to find out what was said
I’m very confus with the direction of your articles in regards to Cosmo. First the Werewolf comparison titled or mistitled bc you kept posting wrong link. Then theirs one. I’m not saying your own personal slant for Cosmo is in this but if feels like both share a biased opinion of the movie. Which is fine but passive aggressive. (I say this only bc you didn’t dedicate a wknd BO last wknd or share the 47% crit comments neg/positive that accompanied the movie. Nor, did you mention this movie was. Ever meant to be 75-85% RT fav, bc DC movies hardly ever do that, their mainly devisive. So this one shares that 50% crit review on par. And who says RT is the bible. Just sayin!)
Yes, I hear you only use top crit %s, and you didn’t compare your no’s for the month or wknd downslide totals either which are typically down but down overall the wknd as written by several BO posts. As for the marketing, Eone was always lame and they should habe been pumping commercials, radio and banner campaigns in those new mkts but relied only on Jimmy Kimmel interview. Which was for me a fail bc everyone was just hoping Pattinson made it out alive. The entire campaign for this movie was an uphill battle after 7/24 bc the focus was on his personal life not the movie. It probably received a small bump but had that not taken place we could have more focus on move not affair, the affair took up 75% of his on air time. So again, the mktg issue you speak of seems right on but there are several issues that make this a problem, least of which are a result of RT top critic reviews which I guess you think are the only reviews that bring audiences to the box office. That would be a proven NO.
One reason the movie didn’t pull in more money is because of the few and far between theaters where it is being shown. I had to drive four hours (one way) to see it because the only theater in Georgia was around Atlanta. The distributors pretty much ignored the southeast– having theaters available in north Georgia and southern Florida with nothing in between. Many of my friends wanted to see it, but couldn’t make the trek.
Any way you slice it COSMOPOLIS has not performed well. It was hailed as the return to natural David Cronenberg after his foray into more serious matter such as A DANGEROUS METHOD, yet won’t get anywhere near that film’s final box office. The $447K figure includes Canadian box office receipts, which means COSMOPOLIS is likely to finish with less than $1 million in North America. If COSMOPOLIS had been made on a budget of $5 million or less it would have a chance at recouping costs but estimates put it at $19-20 million. Reviews have been mixed by top critics and word of mouth is abysmal as you can tell from the huge drop upon expansion. Robert Pattinson hasn’t had a good year at the cinema. BEL AMI failed to do well but it’s foreign cume was higher than COSMOPOLIS and it cost less. BEL AMI had the benefit of video on demand too. In terms of EOne, it can’t have been a smart move to forgo TIFF and release COSMOPOLIS in the doldrums of summer. David Cronenberg is already feeling the fallout as his EASTERN PROMISES sequel has been cancelled. A quick look at Robert Pattinson’s IMDB page shows that his next few parts are in the supporting category. He has not proven himself as leading man material and it is good that his career is adjusting accordingly. Lucky for him he has a blockbuster awaiting in the last TWILIGHT. On the other hand, it could be a long time before David Cronenberg gets back to movie making.
Not sure what you guys are seeing, it’s 64% overall, 61% top critics (11 fresh, 7 rotten) and 47% audience. Maybe that’s because I’m in the UK and our top critics don’t count, which is ridiculous if true. I don’t understand why you only use top critics, they have the same agendas as any other critic, more in some cases. What makes them a ‘top critic’, the publication that they write for? Why is their opinion more valid to you than, quite often. a better writer with a more detailed critique?
I saw it this weekend and agree that Paul Giamatti has a better chance of getting nominations, but Pattinson carried the film on his shoulders. He’s in every scene and he’s mesmerizing, you can’t take your eyes off of him. He’s a good actor and he has star quality. He’s been choosing odd indies, flexing his muscles in various directions, but I think that’s a good thing. He isn’t playing it safe, and he seems to have discovered a great mentor in Cronenberg. He’ll get an Oscar nom sooner or later, he’s going to continue to work with great directors.
@Debra,
It’s not true that ALL movies were low this weekend. The movie called Sleep Walk With Me (IFC Films) made 65,000 from only one theater. It had the 3rd largest per screen average of any Independent film this year. Next the film called Samsara (Oscilloscope Laboratories) playing at only two theaters made $75K with a Per Screen Average of $37,500 which is higher than Cosmopolis made last week. This analysis article is fair and balanced. Yes the RT score is 46% by Top Critics which is what this site usually goes by.
Mr. Pattinson’s movie benefitted from the scandal publicity but it had poor word of mouth so it didn’t do so well in week two. More publicity might help but only so much. If you check twitter many watched this film in almost empty theaters or with some walking out. It’s not a bad movie just not appealing to a wide crowd. The other off beat David Cronenberg movies too didn’t do so well over the years.
@Matt,
It’s your call if you’d rather use the “overall” Rotten Tomatoes score. At Alt Film Guide, we ONLY use RT’s top critics’ score — even then with reservations.
TV spots are quite expensive. I’m assuming that’s why they aren’t doing them. Most indies don’t get TV spots — but eOne Films could (I assume) have gotten Robert Pattinson on more TV shows. After all, “Cosmopolis” is a “small” movie with a BIG star.
The problem if “Cosmopolis” underperforms — and that also depends on ancillary revenues and other box-office markets; the film still has a long route ahead — is that David Cronenberg might have a tougher time getting financing of that magnitude (approx. $20m) for his future personal projects. It’s so much easier to get financing when your most recent movie was a hit.
As for “all the films were down this weekend” … that isn’t true. Several films performed quite well (within their distribution constraints), including the right-wing documentary “2016 Obama’s America” (mentioned in this piece) and “Robot & Frank,” which, like “Cosmopolis,” expanded this weekend — but, probably as a result of solid reviews, was much more successful in its expansion (about 2,200% increase in theaters, 719% increase in revenues). Note: “Robot & Frank” has an 86% approval rating and a 7.1/10 average among Rotten Tomatoes’ top critics.
The overall RT score is around 65 percent, and that’s Fresh. The problem is that after the promo tour in NY and a couple of TV appearances, there is no advertising for Cosmopolis. They aren’t running TV spots or doing any other kind of advertising that I’m aware of.
It was also never meant to be a mainstream film, and even for an indie, it’s out there. The real success is that it got the financing to even be made, and if the top critics disagree, at least the majority of critics liked it. And all the films were down this weekend, it wasn’t a good weekend for movies.
The only reason it made any money was because of the scandal. Prior to that a lot of folks were walking out of showings. He should send a thank you card to Ms. Stewart. Because of the interest surrounding her this film was able to make any money.
Your figure is wrong for Rotten Tomatoes. It has a 64% rating from the critics. The 47% is the viewers liking the film. I suppose mainly because Twilight fans went to see it and it was over their heads. This is an art house movie not a teen flic. Pattinson himself stated he really didn’t understand the movie so why would the viewing public? Sometimes no matter how much we like a particular actor we have to go into the viewing of their films with an open mind and not a boy meets girl wins girl kind of mind. Life is never that simple and if it was it would be a bore.
@Kathy,
The Rotten Tomatoes percentage (46%) is correct. As stated in the article, that refers to RT’s Top Critics. We ONLY use RT’s Top Critics as reference, for obvious reasons.
Cosmopolis is doing well considering it is a very non-mainstream film, a very difficult film to digest especially for american audiences that is so used to special effects/fantasy/super hero ridden films that allows only a fraction of your brain to function to appreciate a film.
It has a 64% fresh rating in RT and it is one film that probably has one of the best reviews you can find out there where the critics probably took hours to pen their thoughts just to articulate their personal views either positive or negative on this very difficult yet stunningly intelligent film.
I hope when you write an article about a film as diverse as Cosmopolis, try to be more objective and original in your thoughts on how this kind of film is performing. Have you ever thought that Cosmopolis is probably one of the most inaccessible film by Cronenberg yet when you truly get/digest the film it is but an amazing experience that is like experiencing an artistic nirvana.
This film was from the onset not meant for a box office success but I would rather surmise that this is like a gift to us by the great Cronenberg for us to experience once again a film that is abundant in intelligent thoughts and will somewhat free us even for a very brief time form the senselessness that is prevailing in the movie industry today.
I find it irritating when people assume that if you don’t like Cosmopolis it’s because you don’t understand it. Sorry, but there are intelligent people in the U.S. and it could be that we just don’t like the movie. It doesn’t mean that we’re stupid or that heaven forbid we don’t like Pattinson. The movie is just not everyone’s cup of tea.
Why is this article citing other movie’s total cums and comparing them to only second weekend numbers? Thats not apples to oranges at all. Kind of misleading peeps….
@DGH167
In the preceding segment (before the comparisons to other David Cronenberg movies), the author states:
“In the US, the Cronenberg / Pattinson movie will be lucky if it reaches $2m.”
Only someone who didn’t bother reading the article would think — and complain — that the author is comparing “Crash” and “eXistenZ’s” box-office totals to “Cosmopolis'” second-weekend grosses.
From what I’m seeing, the Box Office this weekend was low for all movies.
The comments on Twitter and other locations show that the majority of those that went to see Cosmopolis liked it. It’s a thinking person movie and unfortunately in the US that doesn’t usually mean major Box Office results. I suspect it will continue to build an audience and will become a cult classic like so many of Cronenberg’s films.
As for the scandal, while that may have made some take notice I don’t believe that had as much impact as some think. Many of Pattinson’s and Cronenberg’s fans had been waiting for this. I know many who traveled from around the country to NYC to see the movie.
Cosmopolis was a smart, savvy, compelling movie. Unfortunately, US theater crowds prefer to be numb and mindlessly entertained vs having to actually think during a movie.
Pattinson’s performance was his best yet and this certainly made many stand up and take notice. This film, like most of Cronenberg’s, was never expecting big BO numbers. How about we just applaud the performances and not worry about BO chatter that will have little impact on Pattinson and Cronenberg’s futures. Not to mention, the foreign BO numbers haven’t been updated in a while for this film.
Je suis tout à fait d’accord avec vous.
Major marketing push was LESCANDAL which generated world wide morbid interest to watch Robert Pattinson promotion – how he’ll manage it. He was classy, people symphatized with him and first week was successful. But obviously interest evaporated after first week, freshness is gone. So, basically say thank you to Kristen Stewart that at least one week was OK from BO point of view.
I saw Cosmopolis at Cannes, and I’m sorry to say it was a huge disappointment, though no doubt a difficult film to do with most of it shot in a limo. Poor Robert Pattinson looked lost in the role, although he seemed to be trying to give it his best. However, he looked like he thought the script was extremely corny (which it was, in my opinion), and I suppose in the Twilight series as well (though I’ve only seen him in Water for Elephants and Bel Ami). He was actually quite good in Waters and in Bel Ami but in the latter, again suffered from some rather “groan worthy” lines. From what I’ve seen and heard about this young actor, he has integrity and seems insightful whenever he is interviewed, although rather cryptic. It appears he is quite shy. Perhaps he will one day turn to directing or writing, or perhaps he will be lucky enough to find a script that suits him and is worthy of getting over his embarrassment about the lines he must say.
When is this movie coming to New York ? I dont se it in movies coming soon? :(
hm, I thought this article would be interesting until the first words I read were Kristen, Rupert, cheating and tabloid rumors.
Next time, please concentrate on the actual topic. People might just read it then.
That information is there because it’s part of the “actual topic.” I’m assuming you’ve heard of the word “context.”
Also, the article’s first paragraph consists of: “As a movie making few (no?) concessions to its audience, David Cronenberg / Robert Pattinson’s Cosmopolis needed all the box-office buzz it could get.”
So, if you read the mention of the “cheating” first, blame yourself, not us.
Blame yourself as well for missing out on some good information…
I saw the movie while in new York, I really liked it. Finally a real movie with good actor all around actually acting. The cenimatograpy and the dialogue was great. . The movie made you want to see it again. This type of film making is a thing of the past. CRONENBERG was at his best, filming the unfilmable in such a unique setting. I was really impress by Mr. Pattinson, who spokesd his lines in a charismatic way, which in turn made me wanted to see more and more of his interaction with his different co-star.
The problem with Hollywood is they are afraid to recognized anything beyond the big Hollywood production.
Paul’s scene with Pattinson was good, but I have to say Pattinson held his own. when Paul took over the scene, I have to say pattinson took it back and when he did it was hard to tell who was the more known of the two.
Any way bravo to Cronenberg and cast. Excellent performance.
Loved the movie…will go see again this weekend.
Small-budget movies such as Cosmpolis usually don’t get all high-visibility promo that his has received such as Today Show, GMA, ringing of the bell, museum premiere, etc. Interesting.
You might want to correct an inaccuracy in this article. The critics reviews at Rotten Tomatoes website have have had this movie at over 60% for quite some time now. It has been as high as 66% but is currently holding at 64%.
The article refers to Rotten Tomatoes’ top critics. Approval rating: 55%.
Rob is being an ass to Kristin and was riding high on the scandal publicity.. Yes Kristin had wronged him but she had been punished enough!! He should at least let her know if he had moved on with or without her instead of leave her hanging as now…. He is being a coward for not facing the her nor making his decision on their relatinship…. Parental n friends pressures on Rob for to break it off with Kristin is just disgusting…. He is obviously to his own man yet… Kristin , cast off the scalet letter… It’s time for forgiveness and move on… Rob is not worth throwing your career nor your life away for ….. Hold your head up high as you had been honest, punished for your error and most important you took responsibility for it!!!! Kristin.. All these t- shirt n stuff n pain… Will come to past….. Right now clear his popularity is from the scandal….
I haven’t seen the film yet because it didn’t come out in my state so I will probably have to wait for it to come out on DVD, but from the previews i’ve seen I think Rob has done a great job playing this character. The book was very strange & eccentric and kind of scrambles the mind a little so I can only imaging how hard it was for Rob to portray this part. It is something completely different than he has ever done. I must say though that I believe Kristen has had a huge, huge part in making Rob into the star he is becoming & I am praying that Rob will make a go of working things out with Kristen because they are so good together and bring out the best talent & personality in each other.
I’m hoping for a great acting future for Rob either way.
Cosmopolis may be less accessible than A Dangerous Method (although that is arguable given that Method was a period piece which can be hit and miss with audiences and it challenged as well because it wasn’t a typical Cronenberg movie), it got a huge promotional push that few Cronenberg movies receive. So it is fair to compare as the promotional push balances accessibility.
I’m glad to see him appearing in more risque films. It’s obvious he cares about the film making process then his own ego.
I’m not going to hate on him because of the Twilight movies, because they made him a lot of money and also gave him a fan base too. I can’t blame the guy for wanting to do those roles.
there is general consensus among pragmatists that philosophy should take the methods and insights of modern science into account.
Sad that you mix Twatlight, not working relationship with two Twilight actors , into an article what should concentrating on a Movie , called “Cosmopolis”. Should Not in any way compared with Twatlight..enough of the comparing, its pathetic because Cosmopolis is a true Art Movie with the Brilliance performance of the main actors, it deserves to stand on its own. here a little advise, concentrate on your job and stop trolling through Twatlight gossip, its bad for your intelligence, same said about fifty trashy brain tumours
Cosmopolis was exiting, the characters were unique and played to perfection. Reading the Book again shows me what Genius Cronenberg is, because the Book is messed up and surprisingly weak, compared to the brilliance of Davids interpretation in this different Film. Paul and Pattinson’s last 20 minutes are a well played chess game with 2 lost souls trying to find out why the other one is in this state of mind. We never know exactly if Paul or Rob wins..:0
( hope I didn’t spoil)
Sounds to me like Pattinson has his head on pretty straight. Can’t say the same for the ones involved in that mess that has been on magazine covers, but he is wise to move forward. He has nothing to hide for, or from. Based on what I hear from my chick friends, I’m guessing there will be plenty of other women ready to pick up the slack with this guy when he is ready to get back out there.
Very excited to see this movie! Love Cronenberg and have heard terrific things about the film and Pattison’s performance. Hats off to the man for getting out there and taking care of business when the tabloids are intent on harrassing him. Best of luck with an interesting career.
Cosmopolis is a great but a difficult film. Not the kind of movie that Americans might like , Pattinson is just great in the movie, I was pleasantly surprised by his performance. The final scene between him and Giamatti is just so brilliant and strange …
I think the break up with KScrew will be good for him, she’s also a little more of all this bullshit Twicrap he will leave behind, facing a new phase in his life. I hope everything will go well for him in the future.
he sounds proud of this movie, so good for him to not let this bs get him down. i am a huge fan of cronenberg, so i will be checking this out.
Seriously having your heart broken is a terrible thing, but I don’t think this young cutie will find it hard to get a replacement. I have teenage daughters , way to young for him, but since every friend they have is fawning over this guy, I think he’s going to be just fine without her.