The Producers
Rate Movie[Total: 4 Average: 2.3]
- Directed By: Susan Stroman
- Written By: Mel Brooks, Thomas Meehan
- Release Date: December 16, 2005
- Domestic Distributor: Universal
- Cast: Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman
Box Office Info:
| Budget: $45 million | Financed by: Universal; Sony |
|---|---|
| Domestic Box Office: $19,398,532 | Overseas Box Office: $18,659,803 |
Universal and Sony bankrolled The Producers for $45 million and this botched adaptation of the hit Broadway show based on the 1968 Mel Brooks film, was considered money-in-the-bank and a strong Oscar contender. Universal took domestic rights and Sony handled international distribution. Mel Brooks even added a song that was tacked onto the end credits called “There’s Nothing Like A Show On Broadway” in hopes for an Oscar nom. Universal dated The Producers as an “event” picture over the Christmas frame and gave the movie a six screen limited bow the weekend before the holiday.
Weak reviews and small buzz cooled off this hot property and it disappointed in its limited bow (considering the amount of advertising and exposure the film had) with $154,590 and a mediocre $25,765 per screen average. The Producers expanded the following weekend over the christmas frame to 975 theaters and pulled in a poor $1,616,791 with a $1,658 per screen average — placing #14 for the weekend led by King Kong (also Universal) and it even came in far behind Universal’s new opener Munich which played at only 532 locations. The third weekend (New Year’s frame) saw a box office increase to $4,014,930 but the film continued to struggle with low numbers and closed with a terrible $19,398,532. Universal would see back about $10.6 million after theaters take their percentage of the gross, far below their P&A costs and exposure to the budget.
Sony released The Producers overseas where it pulled in poor numbers in almost every market. Japan posted the highest gross at $7.9 million and the overseas cume was $18,659,803.