Benedict Cumberbatch’s latest film, The Roses, is facing a major box office disaster, and the weekend numbers are a clear warning of what’s ahead. Weekends are usually the lifeline for a movie, offering the biggest chance to pull in money and push its earnings, but for The Roses, that surge is nowhere to be seen.
The Roses Domestic Earnings Show a Steep Decline
So far, the movie has earned $41.6 million domestically, still needing roughly $34 million just to break even. Now, with the current trajectory, reaching that number seems almost impossible.
The international market has been more welcoming, but the domestic performance tells a different story. On Friday, The Roses brought in only $19,000, which was an 18% rise from Thursday’s $75,000. Even with that small increase, the numbers are far from what a film of Cumberbatch would hope for, especially with only 24 days since release. The situation worsened with a massive 73% drop in theatre count across North America, going from 1,305 to just 370 screens, per Box Office Mojo. With so few theatres showing the film, even approaching $50 million becomes an uphill battle.
Globally, several markets have already pulled the movie entirely from cinemas. Friday’s weak domestic earnings indicate the film won’t even reach the half-billion mark across the weekend. This trend highlights how the cinematic landscape has shifted. Star power alone no longer guarantees success. Audiences now respond more to the movie’s content than the names attached, and The Roses appears to have struggled to capture that interest.
The film’s struggles also emphasize the changing behavior of viewers. Even high-profile actors like Cumberbatch cannot save a movie that fails to connect with the audience. Every drop in theatre count and every weak day of earnings reinforces that the film is fighting an almost impossible battle. In the end, The Roses stands as a reminder that no matter how big the name, the movie itself must resonate to survive the modern box office.
