Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine opened at an all-time low that reminded us of the days of The Scorpion King. Although Johnson doesn’t mind the low performance at the box office, Channing Tatum’s underdog is making numbers at the box office.
Roofman, which was released on October 10, opened at #2 on the box office collection (succeeded by Tron: Ares), and audiences are loving it. With a meager budget of $19 million, the film’s opening debut at $8 million has created waves of shock across the world.
According to THR, the film’s opening against a modest budget has already made it a success compared to Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine, which had a budget of $50 million. Here’s a little comparison for you.
Although The Smashing Machine charges ahead in terms of its overall box office collection, we also have to consider that despite a massive budget of $50 million, it has earned only over 1/5th of the budget.
On the other hand, Channing Tatum’s Roofman
Channing Tatum Charms Fans to Ditch Dwayne Johnson’s Biopic
Well, it is a bit unprecedented since The Smashing Machine was supposed to be Dwayne Johnson’s big comeback. Channing Tatum’s Roofman managed to attract audiences more than the Dwayne Johnson-Mark Kerr biopic.
Especially the second week drop of The Smashing Machine saw an almost ~70% drop (with an earning of $1.7 million compared to its opening weekend of $5.8 million).
Even the reviews and ratings between the two movies tell a different tale, as The Smashing Machine received average ratings, while the Channing Tatum flick received some great reviews. Perhaps it’s more because of the exciting premise of Tatum’s movie, while many people are unaware of Mark Kerr’s story.
Why The Smashing Machine Failed Against Channing Tatum’s Roofman
The Smashing Machine isn’t necessarily a bad movie. However, what the Benny Safdie movie did was disconnect the audience from what the actual story was about.
The trailers, the photos, Dwayne Johnson’s altered look, all told a tale of an MMA fighter who trains and returns to the ring in hopes of redeeming himself. What fans expected was a fighting movie filled with rage, intense fighting sequences, and a battle that they would remember for months to come.
However, The Smashing Machine was actually more focused on Mark Kerr’s personal life as he recovered from addiction and pain and returned stronger. It certainly felt disconnected for audiences who were expecting a fighting movie but were met with a slow journey through addiction.
On the other hand, fans were fascinated with Channing Tatum’s charms as the Rooftop Robber was enough to convince audiences for a dramatic flick. Naturally, the success of Roofman will continue to grow while the drop in The Smashing Machine signifies that the box office… will stop in a while.
Which one are you happier about? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The Smashing Machine and Roofman are currently screening in theaters (USA).
