Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Angelina Jolie’s directorial project,By the Sea,starring her and her then-husband, was a gamble for Universal. A gamble which did not work in their favor. The story revolved around a couple facing problems in their marriage and how they navigated through it. While many believed that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s names being attached to the film was enough to rake big bucks, it, unfortunately, did not happen.
So why did Universal backBy the Sea,when they knew they were taking a risky chance? Well, the studios might be going for the classic approach of ‘One for me, one for you.’ Something similar happened with Warner Bros. when they green-lit Sandra Bullock’sOur Brand Is Crisis.Both the studios were hoping to get the lead actresses to star in another film with them. However, things worked out in WB’s favor and not so much in Universal’s.
Also Read:Angelina Jolie Betrayed Studio After Disastrous $10000000 Loss With Brad Pitt Only to Refuse $342M Thriller Sequel With Chris Pratt: “It’s not that interesting to me”
Angelina Jolie Ditched Universal
Also Read:“I couldn’t get out of the bathtub”: Angelina Jolie Had a Hard Time Filming S-x Scenes With Ex-Husband Brad Pitt in $10M Movie During Their Actual Honeymoon
Made with a budget of $10 million,Angelina JolieandBrad Pitt’sBy the Seawas only able to make a little over $3 million at the box office, bringing a loss to Universal. Apart from that, the film received mixed to average reviews from fans as well as from critics.
According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, Universal took a gamble onBy the Seabecause they were hoping to get Jolie to star in eitherBride of FrankensteinorWanted 2as a favor. However, for whatever reason, neither of the films happened. As for Jolie, whoseWantedcharacter died in the film, she had already made up her mind. Should there be a sequel, she was not going to be a part of it.
Jolie told Coming Soon,
“Being dead makes it difficult. They were [trying to bring me back] but I kind of feel like if I die in a movie, I should die actually. I’m that way. And that character is not as complex as Salt. It would just be doing the exact same thing in a different movie, so it’s not that interesting to me.”
Well, looks like Universal’s plans ended up being no good. On the other hand, Warner Bros. took a win with their gamble onSandra Bullock’sOur Brand Is Crisis.
Also Read:Sweet Home Alabama? Angelina Jolie Was Stunned When Brother James Haven Kissed Her in Front of the Whole World: “I’m in shock”
WB Gamble with Sandra Bullock’sOur Brand Is Crisis
Directed by Gary Ross and produced byGeorge Clooney,Our Brand Is Crisiscost a total of $28 million to make. Unfortunately, making absolutely no profits, the movie ended its box office run with just $8.6 million in the bank. However, Bullock was able to bring the studio its lost money withOcean’s Eleven.
Clearly, both Universal and Warner Bros. decided to take a gamble onBy the SeaandOur Brand Is Crisis,respectively. The only difference is that Warner Bros.’s risk paid off eventually and on the other hand, Universal ended up getting the short end of the stick.
BothBy the SeaandOcean’s 8are available to rent/buy on Prime Video.
Source:The Hollywood Reporter
Mishkaat Khan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2258
A connoisseur of all things horror, fantasy, and the occasional chick flick, Mishkaat has been penning pieces for FandomWire since 2022. She started off as an intern and has worked her way up to a Senior Writer with over 2000 articles to her name.Outside of entertainment, she has also written well-researched medical content as a freelance writer and has experience in social media management.When not writing, you can find her relaxing with a romance novel and a tall glass of iced coffee in her hand or watching re-runs of ‘Supernatural’ and ‘The Office.’
