Billy Eichner Blames Straight People For Bros’ Low Box Office Collections
Image: Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane in Bros.
Bros, touted as the first mainstream Hollywood studio-backed gay rom-com, has opened to a less than enthusiastic response at the US Box office.
Variety reported that Bros debuted at number four and had grossed $4.8 million in its opening weekend – half the collections projected by the studio. Universal had expected a $8 to $10 million opening for the Judd Apatow-produced film directed by Nicholas Stoller and starring Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane.
Before the movie was released, homophobes had review bombed the movie with low ratings. Many middle eastern countries had banned the movie which featured out gay men.
The movie released in US theatres last week and is scheduled to release in theatres in the UK and Australia later this month. Critics gave the film a resounding thumbs-up and the movie enjoys a 91 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences too gave the film an enviable A Cinemascore. However, that wasn’t enough to keep the cash registers ringing at the box office.
Straight People Didn’t Show Up
Eichner took to social media to blame one key demographic for the disappointing box office collections.
“That’s just the world we live in, unfortunately. Even with glowing reviews, great Rotten Tomatoes scores, an A CinemaScore etc, straight people, especially in certain parts of the country, just didn’t show up for Bros. And that’s disappointing but it is what it is,” Eichner tweeted.
The actor cited a Rolling Stone report that Bros was one of the “best comedies of the 21st century.” Eichner claimed that a theatre chain had called Universal and threated the pull the trailer of the movie over its gay content. ” (Uni convinced them not to). America, fuck yeah, etc etc,” he said.
https://twitter.com/billyeichner/status/1576686311829749761
‘I Am Proud Of This Movie’
Eichner claimed that he had snuck in and sat at the back of a sold out theatre in Los Angeles that was playing Bros. “The audience howled with laughter start to finish, burst into applause at the end, and some were wiping away tears as they walked out. It was truly magical. Really. I am VERY proud of this movie,” said Eichner.
https://twitter.com/billyeichner/status/1576685324209569796
He had a message for audiences: “Everyone who ISN’T a homophobic weirdo should go see BROS tonight! You will have a blast! And it *is* special and uniquely powerful to see this particular story on a big screen, esp for queer folks who don’t get this opportunity often. I love this movie so much. GO BROS!!!”
Bros releases in theatres in Australia on October 27, 2022.
