Whereas Barbie took more than $US1.4 billion and four other movies grossed more than $US700 million last year, Dune: Part Two has been the biggest hit this year with $US712 million.
Variety has reported that the American box office is down 24 per cent on this time last year and more than 40 per cent down on what it was before the pandemic.
After opening on top of the American box office on its first weekend, Furiosa was second to The Garfield Movie last weekend.
Originally to be an anime … Anya Taylor-Joy in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.Credit: Warner Bros
In this country, Furiosa was also second to Garfield last weekend, taking its total to $6.6 million. At the same point of Fury Road’s release, it had taken $10.3 million.
Hollywood pundits have advanced all sorts of theories about why Furiosa has struggled.
Deadline Hollywood said it “was always a limited fan property” compared with the wide appeal of a Marvel superhero movie, and that prequels traditionally did worse than sequels.
While a studio insider reportedly said Furiosa suffered for not having Theron return in the iconic action-heroine role, it was arguably more important for audiences that Max only appears in a fleeting cameo.
The Hollywood Reporter said hopes had diminished that Miller would get to make Mad Max: The Wasteland, which was also scripted during the development of Fury Road. It would follow Max Rockatansky, played by Tom Hardy, in a story that involved a young mother.
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“I’ll definitely wait to see how [Furiosa] goes before we even think about [The Wasteland],” Miller told journalists in Cannes after the movie received a seven-minute standing ovation last month.
A major contributor to the box-office slump is likely to be how quickly big movies are being released for home viewing. The action-comedy The Fall Guy has only been in American cinemas for four weeks but is already available on premium video on demand.
Still, the Mad Max movies have a huge cultural impact dating back 45 years. They are prestigious projects for a Hollywood studio, and Miller, who is widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest filmmakers, has consistently overcome obstacles to keep making films.
Who’s to say, whatever happens with Furiosa from now on, he can’t work out a way to make The Wasteland?