Deception
Rate Movie[Total: 4 Average: 2]
- Directed By: Marcel Langenegger
- Written By: Mark Bomback
- Release Date: April 25, 2008
- Domestic Distributor: FOX
- Cast: Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams
Box Office Info:
| Budget: $25 million | Financed by: Media Rights Capital |
|---|---|
| Domestic Gross: $4,598,506 | Overseas Gross: $13,142,792 |
Deception was originally in development at FOX, but the studio put this Hugh Jackman and Ewan McGregor starring turkey into turnaround. This schlocky B-movie became Hugh Jackman’s passion project for some reason and the agency that represented him Endeavor, had their financing division Media Rights Capital fund the project for $25 million. Summit handled foreign sales, which kicked off at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.
The movie was in need of a domestic distributor and the studio that put it into turnaround was asked to distribute, but FOX originally agreed to distribute only in Australia. Jackman, who had numerous projects at the studio, including the Baz Luhrmann pic Australia (for release in November 2008) and a Wolverine spin-off, used his leverage to get the studio to distribute in the US. FOX reportedly committed a modest $10 million to market and distribute Deception for Jackman.
Deception was dated for April 25, 2008 and was tracking very poorly going into release with a $5M opening expected. It bowed against Baby Mama and Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. Reviews were awful and it opened below its already low expectations with a disastrous $2,312,146 in 2,001 theaters — which at the time of release was the 6th worst opening for a film playing in over 2,000 theaters. Deception placed #10 for the weekend led by Baby Mama. Audiences gave the movie a toxic C- cinemascore and Deception sank 61.8% in its second frame to $883,417 and was then pulled out of all but 126 theaters. The domestic run closed with only $4,598,506. FOX would see back about $2.4 million after theaters take their percentage of the gross.
The film posted poor numbers overseas to $13.1 million across numerous distributors and it went straight to video in Germany. FOX distributed in Jackman’s home country Australia to a terrible $1.4 million and Spain posted the strongest numbers with $2.6 million.