Hollywood Homicide
Rate Movie[Total: 10 Average: 2.2]
- Directed By: Ron Shelton
- Written By: Robert Souza, Ron Shelton
- Release Date: June 13, 2003
- Domestic Distributor: Sony
- Cast: Harrison Ford, Josh Hartnett, Lena Olin
Box Office Info:
| Budget: $84.7 million | Financed by: Revolution Studios; Sony |
|---|---|
| Domestic Gross: $30,940,691 | Overseas Gross: $20,201,968 |
Revolution Studios financed Hollywood Homicide and the budget was reported at $75 million during release, but after Revolution shuttered and their library went for sale, the actual cost was listed as $84.7 million. Revolution had a financing slate deal with Sony, which would contribute 42.5% of the budget and 100% of the marketing costs. Joe Roth had landed one of the greatest studio deals ever with Sony, who had more to lose on each project than Roth’s Revolution — and he had originally envisioned his company making filmmaker friendly fare with A-listers and then squandered Revolution’s reserves on mostly bullshit movies, like Hollywood Homicide. This hack project also wasted the gifts of writer/director Ron Shelton (Bull Durham, White Men Can’t Jump), who would not direct another picture until the pathetic geezer comedy Just Getting Started (2017).
Revolution Studios had a disastrous 2003 and by the end of summer Revolution head Joe Roth told the Wall Street Journal the huge failures of Gigli, Hollywood Homicide and Tears of the Sun were “humiliating.” More expensive flops continued in 2003 for Revolution with The Missing and Peter Pan. Hollywood Homicide ended as a loss near $70 million and Gigli, Tears of the Sun and Peter Pan also joined its ranks as one of the biggest money losers on record.
Hollywood Homicide underwent heavy reshoots and surgery after poor test screenings. Sony initially set the release date for August 8, but moved it forward to June 13. The studio set nationwide sneak previews to spread word of mouth in 766 locations the weekend before its release on Saturday and reported 70% capacity. This turkey was Harrison Ford’s follow up project to the box office disaster K-19: The Widowmaker and after its failure he remained off screen until the flop Firewall (2006).
Reviews were mixed to poor and Hollywood Homicide was tracking for a high teens opening. It bowed against Rugrats Go Wild and Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd and came in below expectations with just $11,112,632 — placing #5 for the weekend led by the holdover Finding Nemo. Hollywood Homicide declined 46.6% in its second frame to $5,930,260 and fell 48.4% in its third session to $3,061,550 and then promptly lost most of its theater count. The domestic run closed with $30,940,691.
The film was dud overseas, grossing just $20,201,968. The worldwide total was $51.1M. Sony would see returned about $28.1M after theaters take their percentage of the gross, which would not even cover P&A expenses or any of the budget.