Johnny Depp’s box office acclaim joined the critical acclaim: in the gutter.
The revered actor’s new film, “Minamata”, had a bleak opening weekend after being released in US theaters on Friday, February 5. Although the 57-year-old actor could previously have grossed more than $ 10 million for a single scene, his name no longer seems a reliable promise of profitability, as the new film has so far earned less than $ 15,000, according to Box Office Mojo from IMDB Pro.
Although the ongoing coronavirus pandemic negatively impacted cinema income across the industry, “Minamata” failed to make even the 18 highest-grossing films over the three-day period, losing to the Serbian historical drama “Dara de Jasenovac “, which reportedly increased by only $ 15,011, as did the horror comedy” Freaky “, which hit theaters 13 weeks ago and earned $ 25,000 over the weekend.
“Minamata” is based on the book of the same name by Life magazine war photographer W. Eugene Smith, whose trips to Japan documented the effects of mercury poisoning in a small town. Depicting Smith, Depp looks nothing like himself and is “unrecognizable behind sun damage, liver spots and a sparse and speckled beard – in what appears to be an extension of Hunter S. Thompson’s gonzo performance that he performed in ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas’ ”, according to Variety’s critique of the film.
The film debuted at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2020 and was significantly Depp’s creation, its director told Deadline last year. “That’s Johnny’s concept, Johnny’s idea, something he fell in love with,” said Andrew Levitas.
While COVID-19 remains undeniably a major financial blow to new releases, so does Depp’s recent legal consequences after losing a defamation case with a British newspaper over allegations of repeated beatings by his ex-wife Amber Heard. “You just can’t work with him right now,” said a studio head about Depp, after the court’s decision. “He’s radioactive.”