Blade Runner 2049 flops at the box office after disappointing opening weekend

The sci-fi sequel fails to replicate the success of Ridley Scott’s original.
Rashid Razaq9 October 2017

Blade Runner 2049 has failed to live up to expectations at the box office with a poor opening weekend blamed on its narrow appeal to older men.

The long-awaited sequel to the 1982 cult classic features Ryan Gosling alongside the film’s original star Harrison Ford and has received five star reviews.

However, it took only $31.5m (£24.1m) in the US despite projected ticket sales of between $45m (£34.3m) and $50m (£38.1m) during the opening weekend.

The film cost $150m (£114.4m) to make.

Hollywood analysts said the sequel failed to pull in women and younger moviegoers who had not seen the original.

Audiences in the US were overwhelmingly male (71 percent) and over the age of 25 (86 percent), according to initial data.

The 163-minute running time also limited the number of screenings resulting in smaller box office receipts.

But it was still the weekend’s most popular movie in the US and it topped the UK box office with sales above £6m.

Blade Runner 2049, in pictures

1/10

Directed by Denis Villeneuve with Sir Ridley Scott, who made the original, as an executive producer, the sequel was funded by Sony and Alcon.

Jeff Goldstein, president of domestic distribution for Warner Bros, said: “I’m disappointed we didn’t have a larger result. We had bigger expectations for the weekend. Alcon and Denis made an amazing movie. The audience for it was narrower than we anticipated.”

The film has been tipped for success at the Oscars, which would boost the box office. The original film was also seen as a commercial failure before going on to become a hit with critics and fans.

Mr Goldstein said: “We are optimistic that Blade Runner 2049 will find a broader audience over the next weeks and months.”

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