The Fall Guy’s Sluggish Box Office Doesn’t Reflect Its On-Screen Mojo

On Friday night, my wife and I spent a few hours at the movie theater, watching a movie I was sure would disappoint. Yes, I had been inundated with Universal's steady stream of promotions for the past six months, and I was still skeptical.

So there I am, ready to watch Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling fall apart on screen, and to my surprise, the opposite happens, as people, including myself, laughed out loud at a wide variety of memorable comedic moments carefully woven into an action film meant to be funny. Unlike many big-budget Hollywood movies, 'The Fall Guy' seamlessly blends humor, even slapstick humor, with action in a plot that actually works. This unique blend makes 'The Fall Guy' a must-see in the theatre' movie experience.

There I said it: a must-see movie experience in the theatre. Gosling delivers another memorable performance that will ultimately make you smile when you walk out of the theatre. I'm not saying this is an Academy Award-worthy movie, but if your goal is to eat some popcorn with extra butter and be entertained, then The Fall Guy pulls off a nearly perfect stunt.

From a box office perspective, while it was the number one movie over the weekend, its $28.5 million weekend was the worst start to Hollywood’s summer season since 1995. It also experienced a 52 percent drop from last year's “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”  To be fair, that was a sequel to one of Marvel's most successful movie franchises of all time.

The Fall Guy did rack up another $37 million overseas, giving it a worldwide box office north of $65 million in its first weekend, which puts the $200 million move squarely into the disappointment category. You can expect the movie to come close to breaking even, but that certainly wasn’t what Universal was looking for in the new Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling vehicle, who was the main ‘Ken’ in last summer's blockbuster Barbie.   

Now, sprinkle in the knowledge that Universal spared no expense in promoting 'The Fall Guy,' launching a six-month marketing campaign that included the release of trailers that garnered a staggering 400 million views. The film's presence was further amplified through strategic ad placements during televised sporting events, including the Super Bowl, leaving no doubt Universal was all-in on The Fall Guy.

The film is directed by David Leitch, who is known for his work as Brad Pitt's stuntman and stunt coordinator. His credits include John Wick, Atomic Blonde, and Bullet Train. Leitch is skilled at crafting impressive stunts that elevate films and actively promotes the recognition of stunt performers.  

From a cinematic experience perspective, the movie is, in fact, significantly better than a film that may struggle to break even. While most critics have given the movie a favorable review, the question is now: Will good old-fashioned word of mouth turn The Fall Guys' box office fortune around?