Emily Rudd’s 106-Minute First Theatrical Release Officially Bombs at Box-Office

Emily Rudd’s move from streaming hits to the big screen has hit troubled waters. The One Piece and Fear Street actress appears in Whalefall. It is an aquatic thriller whose unusual premise and mostly positive reviews couldn’t prevent a disappointing opening weekend. Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin lead the cast. Rudd plays a supporting role as the protagonist’s sister.

The movie is an adaptation of Daniel Kraus’ novel of the same name. It mainly follows Jay Gardiner, played by Abrams. He dives into the ocean searching for his late father’s remains. Instead, he gets swallowed by a sperm whale. The confined space leaves him with limited oxygen and an extraordinarily unpleasant escape route to figure out. Brolin plays the role of his father.

Whalefall Opens to Just $17.5 Million Against a $60 Million Budget

Whalefall collected an estimated $8 million domestically in its opening weekend. Its an underwhelming result for a release with such substantial availability. Overseas earnings brought the worldwide opening to $17.5 million. The figures are according to Box Office Mojo. 

The numbers are dismal because the movie reportedly has a sizeable production budget of $60 million net production budget (via TheWrap). That production figure is also not the complete picture. It likely excludes marketing and promotion expenses. And also, the distributors receive only a portion of ticket revenue. Matching the budget in worldwide grosses would therefore fall short of establishing profitability.

The contrast is especially frustrating for a film built around such an unusual cinematic ordeal. A diver attempting to escape a whale sounds like a great that could sell itself through sheer curiosity. The opening figures suggest that curiosity didn’t turn into enough ticket purchases.

Of course, they are opening-weekend figures, and the theatrical run is still underway. Nevertheless, the film needs quite a substantial recovery to overcome this start.

Competition appears to have been a significant obstacle. Street Fighter brought an established gaming franchise into theaters, while the documentary You Can See Everything emerged as a breakout attraction (the latter also has a near-perfect 99% Tomatometer score, as of October 19). 

It is not as though Whalefall had bad reviews. As of October 19, Whalefall holds a respectable 70% Tomatometer score from 154 reviews. But those figures haven’t translated into a strong opening.

Whalefall certainly has its admirers. In FandomWire’s review of Whalefall, Cole Groth awarded the film 7/10. He praised Austin Abrams’ physically demanding performance and the claustrophobic practical sets.

Emily Rudd Faces First Career Setback After Streaming Success

Emily Rudd in One Piece | Credits: Netflix

Emily Rudd found her breakthrough on streaming before making the leap to theaters. While she had credits before them, it was Netflix’s Fear Street Part Two: 1978 and Fear Street Part Three: 1666 that ushered her rise to fame. She also essayed Nami in the platform’s live-action adaptation of One Piece. It gave her an enduring franchise role.

Whalefall marks a disappointing turn in that trajectory. This is her return to darker material after her pirate adventures. The film’s weak opening puts a box-office setback on her résumé just as she is expanding her theatrical career. Her streaming recognition has yet to be matched by success on the big screen.

Does Whalefall deserve a better box-office run for its quality? Share your thoughts in the comments below