Johnny Depp’s recognition at the box office is in line with his critique: in the gutter.
The new film from the once revered actor, ‘Minamata’, had a sad opening weekend after it was released in American theaters on Friday, February 5th. While the 57-year-old used to be able to raise more than $ 10 million for a single scene, his name no longer seems to be a reliable promise of profitability, as the new movie has brought in less than $ 15,000 so far, according to IMDB Pro is Box Office Mojo.
While the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has had a negative impact on film revenues worldwide, Minamata has failed to make even the top 18 domestic gross films over the three-day period, losing the Serbian historical drama “Dara of Jasenovac”, which reportedly raked in only $ 15,011, as well as the slash comedy “Freaky”, which appeared in theaters 13 weeks ago and earned $ 25,000 over the weekend.
“Minamata” is based on the same name book about the war photographer W. Eugene Smith of Life magazine, whose travels in Japan documented the effects of mercury poisoning in a small town. By portraying Smith, Depp looks nothing like himself and is anything but unrecognizable behind sun damage, liver spots and a sparse, speckled beard – which feels like an extension of the gonzo Hunter S. Thompson performance he’s in ‘Fear and Loathing ‘delivered. in Las Vegas’, according to Variety’s review of the movie.
The director premiered Depp during the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2020, the director told Deadline last year. “It’s Johnny’s concept, Johnny’s idea, something he was very passionate about,” Andrew Levitas said.
While COVID-19 is undeniably a major financial blow to new releases, it is also Depp’s recent lawsuit after he lost a defamation case with a British newspaper over allegations that he repeatedly beat his ex-wife, Amber Heard. “You simply can not work with him now,” a studio head said of Depp following the court’s ruling. “He’s radioactive.”