Austin Butler returned to the big screen with Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing, but the movie has not managed to gain much ground in its first 10 days. Despite Butler’s rising star power, the film has not earned even $15 million in its domestic run, while the worldwide figure stands at a little under $25 million.
The film, with a reported budget of $40 million, is far from safe, and even international markets may not be enough to give it the boost it needs.
Caught Stealing’s Weekend Numbers Show Weak Growth
This past weekend, the movie added a little over $3 million to its box office haul, bringing its domestic total to $12.8 million, per Box Office Mojo. For a studio-backed, star-led project in the mid-budget range, Caught Stealing is the kind of movie many say has become rare. Looking at its performance, there may be a reason why studios no longer lean on such titles.
Strong reviews have not made much difference either. Critics have praised Butler and called the movie a playful gearshift for Aronofsky, with Rotten Tomatoes showing an 85% score, but audiences have been selective with what they are willing to pay for.
Austin Butler’s Rising Career
Austin Butler’s rise began with his Oscar-nominated performance in Elvis, which went on to earn more than $288 million globally. Since then, he has appeared in Masters of the Air on Apple TV+, Ari Aster’s Eddington, and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two. Caught Stealing was expected to add to his streak, but so far it has struggled to find momentum.
Aronofsky, meanwhile, last delivered The Whale, a $3 million drama that made nearly $60 million worldwide and brought Brendan Fraser his Academy Award for Best Actor.
Caught Stealing, with a cast that includes Regina King, Zoë Kravitz, Liev Schreiber, and Matt Smith, was meant to be a throwback mid-budget studio project driven by stars. For now, the movie remains in theaters, but the climb toward breaking even looks steep.
