Despite an interesting and original premise, a unique marketing plan and positive first reactions, The Creator seems destined to go down as a box office flop.
Even more startling is the fact that the movie appeared to be a shoo-in to at least break even due to its low production costs of just $86 million.
To promote the movie, a few lifelike robots were positioned among the spectators during a Los Angeles Chargers game in September 2023. The robots interacted with fellow spectators and even cheered on the squad.
Fans had conflicting reactions to the marketing ploy. While some thought the robots were impressive, others thought they were eerie or even scary. Still, there's no denying that the tactic worked to create awareness for the movie.
The strategy, however, did not translate into box office cash.
The Creator currently sits at $100 million worldwide and when marketing expenditures and 50/50 revenue splits with cinemas are considered, the film needs to gross several tens of millions more to break even.
Now, it seems 20th Century Studios is looking to recoup its production costs as quickly as possible as the film is set to hit digital streaming next week, on November 14, approximately 6 weeks after release. Physical 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD copies will hit the home video market on December 22.
Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Godzilla) directed the film and co-wrote the script alongside Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story). Legendary award-winning composer Hans Zimmer (The Dark Knight, Man of Steel, Dunkirk) is handling the score.
The cast includes John David Washington as Joshua, Gemma Chan as Maya, Ken Watanabe as Harun, Sturgill Simpson as Shipley, Madeleine Yuna Voyles as Alfie, and Allison Janney as Howell.
The Creator Official Synopsis: Amidst a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence, Joshua (John David Washington), a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife (Gemma Chan), is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war — and humankind. Joshua and his team of elite operatives journey across enemy lines into the dark heart of AI-occupied territory, only to discover the world-ending weapon he’s been instructed to destroy is an AI in the form of a young child.