This weekend, the box office saw a strong performance for “Predator: Badlands,” but “Christy,” the new boxing film starring Sydney Sweeney, struggled to attract audiences.
Despite showing in over 2,000 theaters, “Christy” earned only $1.3 million, averaging just $649 per theater. This disappointing figure puts it among the top 10 worst openings for films on such a wide release. Notably, several films that opened poorly were released during the pandemic.
Sweeney stars as Christy Martin, a pioneering figure in women’s boxing who became famous in the ’90s. She was the first female boxer to headline a pay-per-view event. After surviving a near-fatal attack from her husband, she now advocates for domestic violence survivors.
This is Black Bear Pictures’ first film distributed in the U.S. The studio, known for hits like “The Imitation Game,” is expanding its role in film distribution as it handled the U.K. releases of movies like “Dumb Money.”
While critics have given “Christy” a moderate score of 66% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie seems to lack the buzz that often drives ticket sales, even with Sweeney’s fame from popular projects like “Anyone But You.”
Interestingly, Sweeney’s press tour focused more on her controversial jeans ad for American Eagle than the film itself. The ad featured the tagline, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” which sparked debates on TikTok, with some accusing it of having a pro-eugenics message. Adding to the controversy, the White House defended her on social media, which Sweeney described as “surreal.” In a recent GQ interview, she mentioned that she was too busy filming “Euphoria” to pay attention to the media furor at the time.
Sweeney commented, “I did a jean ad. The reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans. I wear them every day.” This statement generated more online chatter than her insights about “Christy.”
Similar patterns show up in the media’s attention span. For example, Adam Driver recently drew buzz for a rejected “Star Wars” pitch rather than his latest film. This highlights how intricate media narratives can overshadow more significant works.
With the lack of strong studio backing and public interest, “Christy” seems to be overshadowed in a competitive box office landscape. Looking ahead, Sweeney may find more success with the upcoming thriller “The Housemaid,” set to release this December, and a sequel to “The Devil Wears Prada” planned for next May.
In recent reports, the film industry faces shifting audience preferences, particularly among younger viewers who favor streaming over theater experiences. According to a recent survey by Statista, 70% of moviegoers aged 18-29 prefer watching films at home. This trend undoubtedly affects the performance of theatrical releases. Black Bear Pictures and similar studios will need to adapt to these changes to remain relevant.
As the year draws to a close, many are curious if Sweeney’s upcoming projects can reclaim the excitement that “Christy” failed to generate.
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