Taylor Kitsch’s Long Overdue Breakout

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  • 2012 Was the Make and Break Year for Taylor Kitsch
  • Kitsch’s Rebound Was Slow and Steady

Frequently, an actor experiences a remarkable surge in popularity when they secure numerous high-profile roles that debut close together, catapulting them from obscurity to stardom within a short period, often no more than a year. For instance, Florence Pugh in 2019 saw the releases of “Fighting with My Family” in February, “Midsommar” in July, and “Little Women” in December, all while landing the part of Yelena Belova in “Black Widow” that same year. Similarly, Jenna Ortega’s 2022 projects, including “Scream”, “Avenue 666”, “X”, “American Carnage”, and “Wednesday”, have positioned her as the new horror genre icon. It can indeed be a magical coincidence when stars align in this way.

For certain individuals, things don’t go as planned quite like they did for others. There isn’t an actor who seems to have suffered more bad fortune than Taylor Kitsch, who in 2012 lined up multiple promising projects that promised to catapult him into stardom. These included two potential sci-fi blockbusters – John Carter and Battleship, as well as Savages, a film by esteemed director Oliver Stone. Unfortunately, all these projects, along with his earlier attempt at playing the X-Men’s Gambit and his later participation in True Detective’s least successful season, seemed to bring Kitsch nothing but bad luck. However, more than a decade after it seemed that Kitsch’s moment had passed, he is once again making headlines thanks to American Primeval, which has recently gained popularity on Netflix.

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Taylor Kitsch’s Early Rise to Stardom

In 2006, Taylor Kitsch made his debut with three roles in movies that received mixed reviews but later became cult favorites – John Tucker Must Die, Snakes on a Plane, and The Covenant. Interestingly, a month after The Covenant was released in theaters, Friday Night Lights premiered on NBC, turning into an unexpected television sensation. In this series, Kitsch portrayed Tim Riggins, a charismatic yet troubled running back with a drinking issue but a kind heart. Often regarded as the show’s smoldering heartthrob, Kitsch’s performance in Friday Night Lights seemed to establish him as an ideal candidate for leading roles in films.

Initially, the initial significant endeavor to elevate Kitsch into a major film star occurred when he was selected to play Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Due to the popularity of Gambit from X-Men: The Animated Series, this character was highly anticipated by fans since the first movie in 2000. Despite the studio’s preference for Channing Tatum, he had to withdraw due to obligations to G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra that Paramount Pictures wouldn’t allow him to escape, marking the beginning of a long journey for Tatum as Gambit which eventually led to success in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Taylor Kitsch’s casting in the role seemed ideal for Gambit as he brought a captivating charm and panache to the mutant character-wielding cards. The movie “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” premiered on May 1, 2009, during the gap between Seasons 3 and 4 of “Friday Night Lights.” If “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” had been successful, it’s probable that Kitsch would have starred in a standalone Gambit film.

The film X-Men Origins: Wolverine wasn’t successful, however. Despite a strong start with an $85 million opening weekend, the movie received significant criticism as it scored only 38% on Rotten Tomatoes and a B+ from CinemaScore. The negative word of mouth caused the film to lose 69% of its box office revenue in its second weekend. X-Men Origins: Wolverine essentially ruined the “Origins” series that Fox was developing, leading the studio to transition to X-Men: First Class and rebrand the Wolverine franchise. Despite Gambit being a popular character, the studio was less keen on continuing with Taylor Kitsch as the Ragin’ Cajun. When it was announced that a standalone Gambit film would be made in 2014, Fox had already chosen Channing Tatum for the role instead of Kitsch, who was still dealing with the aftermath of a big flop in 2012.

Fortunately for me as an actor, the lukewarm reception towards X-Men Origins: Wolverine didn’t hinder my career progression at all. Just one month later, on June 12, 2009, I was officially cast in Disney’s eagerly awaited John Carter, based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Barsoom book series. Interestingly enough, Lynn Collins, a co-star from X-Men Origins: Wolverine, also joined me in John Carter. The following April, I was chosen by Universal Pictures for their Battleship, an adaptation of the beloved board game reimagined as a sci-fi blockbuster with aliens. After viewing some footage I’d shot for Battleship, Oliver Stone offered me the lead role in his movie Savages. Originally planned for a summer 2012 release, Battleship, Savages, and John Carter had their dates reshuffled; John Carter was moved up to March 9, 2012.

Friday Night Lights wrapped up its five-season journey in 2011. With John Carter, Battleship, and Savages slated for release in March, May, and July respectively, it seemed as though 2012 could be Taylor Kitsch’s big break, moving from a TV star to a leading movie actor. In fact, The Hollywood Reporter had even included Kitsch on their list of actors poised to redefine the A-list alongside future stars like Chris Pine, Chris Hemsworth, and Bradley Cooper in November 2010. However, despite playing roles that typically propel an actor into mainstream success, the movies he picked proved to be less than favorable.

2012 Was the Make and Break Year for Taylor Kitsch

Initially, John Carter appeared to be a promising film, boasting a talented director with a successful track record in animated films like Finding Nemo and WALL-E. Moreover, it was an adaptation from a popular series of science fiction novels that served as the foundation for iconic franchises such as Star Wars, Dune, and Avatar. However, the promotional efforts for John Carter failed to resonate with the public, partly due to the inexperience of Walt Disney Studios chairman at the time, Rich Ross, who was new to feature films. The marketing firm hired for the movie also struggled, leading to negative headlines prior to its release and multiple reshoots for the film.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I can’t help but share my disappointment when I reflect on the release of “John Carter” in 2012. Despite hitting theaters on March 9, it seemed as if the movie had already lost its chance at success, earning just $30 million during its opening weekend and trailing behind “The Lorax” in its second week.

With a staggering production budget of $263.7 million, the film managed to bring in a mere $73 million domestically and $284 million worldwide. In less than two weeks, Disney had to take a whopping $200 million write-down on “John Carter,” making it one of the biggest box office flops of all time.

For an actor like Taylor Kitsch, who was counting on this film to boost his career, seeing it labeled as the biggest flop certainly didn’t help his credibility. And when you add in the less-than-stellar reviews that criticized his performance as wooden, it’s safe to say that what should have been a promising year turned out to be a disastrous start.

The situation deteriorated further as two weeks later, the movie Battleship hit theaters. The film had been met with ridicule ever since the first trailer was released, as people mocked the concept of turning a board game into a feature film and especially the decision to introduce aliens into it. Scheduled for release on May 18, 2012, the studio considered delaying the premiere due to fears that it would be overshadowed by The Avengers, but they were bound by a fast food partnership with Subway, preventing them from pushing back the film’s release date.

As a passionate cinephile, I can’t help but reflect on my own disappointment with the box office performance and critical reception of “Battleship,” a movie that held such promise. The film debuted at the number 2 spot, earning $25 million, yet it was outshone by the phenomenal success of “The Avengers” in its third week.

On Rotten Tomatoes, “Battleship” received a score of 34%, which wasn’t exactly music to my ears. This less-than-favorable response has raised questions about my status as a leading man, a role Hollywood seems keen on investing in. In comparison to “John Carter,” “Battleship” fared slightly better domestically, grossing $65 million. However, it’s hard not to notice the significant loss Universal Pictures suffered, with an estimated $150 million going down the drain due to the film’s production costs of $220 million.

In just two months, I found myself leading the cast of not one, but two of 2012’s biggest flops. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but it only reinforces my belief that the road to success in Hollywood is paved with challenges and setbacks. The journey continues!

It appeared as though Savage’s role in Oliver Stone’s film could save Kitsch from two box office bombs, but unfortunately, Savages didn’t live up to expectations. Moviegoers gave it a C+ CinemaScore and it only managed 50% on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie made $47 million domestically and $83 million worldwide, yet it struggled to make an impact against its $45 million budget. Despite being a high-profile film, Savages ended up as another disappointment for Taylor Kitsch, making his supposed breakout year one of the worst for an up-and-coming actor.

Kitsch’s Rebound Was Slow and Steady

Taylor Kitsch’s career progression mirrors the wisdom in the saying, “Slow and steady wins the race.” Unlike Chris Hemsworth post-“Thor” or Andrew Garfield after “The Amazing Spider-Man,” who rose to A-list status quickly, Kitsch didn’t experience an overnight surge. However, he managed to secure consistent work over the past decade, ensuring he never slipped into complete obscurity.

In 2013, Taylor Kitsch reunited with director Peter Berg, who was also behind the camera for “Battleship,” for the film “The Lone Survivor.” Joining him were Mark Wahlberg, Ben Foster, Eric Bana, and Emile Hirsch. With a production budget of $40 million, “The Lone Survivor” earned a domestic gross of $125 million and a worldwide total of $154 million. Although Mark Wahlberg garnered much attention, the success of the film was a significant boost for Kitsch’s career following their previous collaboration on “Battleship.” After these two projects, Kitsch and Berg continued to work together frequently, culminating in Berg directing all six episodes of “American Primeval,” in which Kitsch starred.

In my view, it seemed like Rami Kitsch was aiming for a grand career resurgence with “True Detective” Season 2. Given that the initial “True Detective” was hailed as one of the best series ever made, earning numerous accolades and significantly boosting Matthew McConaughey’s career, it appeared to be an opportune move for Kitsch. He was set to star alongside Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Vince Vaughn, and Kelly Reilly. However, it seemed as if fate conspired against him, as “True Detective” Season 2 failed to evoke the same positive reaction as its predecessor. Despite receiving favorable reviews for my performance, the second season was widely criticized. It was even named one of the worst TV shows in 2015 by numerous publications such as TV Guide and Variety. It truly felt like I couldn’t catch a break.

As an avid movie enthusiast, I’ve had the privilege to play supporting roles in some moderately successful films such as “Only the Brave”, “American Assassin”, and “21 Bridges”. However, my television comeback was nothing short of extraordinary. I found myself on Prime Video’s hit series, “The Terminal List“, which has been so well-received that it’s been renewed for a second season! Excitingly, I’m returning to the world of Ben Edwards in a prequel series of “The Terminal List“. Meanwhile, I’ve also been cast as Isaac Reed in the 2025 series, “American Primeval“, a role that has undeniably become my most recognized performance since my days on “Friday Night Lights“.

For quite some time, Kitsch’s career was perceived as a cautionary tale, a story of a rising star who failed to launch. However, after his high-profile box office flops in mid-budget films, Kitsch managed to establish a steady career for himself, particularly in supporting roles where he didn’t have the pressure of living up to high expectations. In 2022, Kitsch shared his thoughts on his experience with the film “John Carter,” unlike some actors who might be more critical about similar flops (such as George Clooney and “Batman & Robin”), Kitsch had positive things to say about the movie and the lessons it imparted to him.

Watching that movie taught me a tremendous amount, and I continue to cherish my connection with it. It speaks volumes about its impact. There’s no resentment in me at all; quite the contrary, I gained a great deal from it, both personally and professionally. Initially, it was painful, but looking back, I wouldn’t alter anything about the experience. In essence, it was part of life’s journey…It’s heartening when people share memories of JC with their families, watching it together. After all, that’s what it was meant for – to bring joy.

In his roles for “The Terminal List” and “American Primeval,” it’s evident that Taylor Kitsch never truly disappeared from the scene, as these series have proven quite successful, demonstrating that there’s no set timeline for success and sometimes, unexpected opportunities arise. Although not everything may go according to plan, Kitsch has clearly managed to stay relevant in the industry and is now garnering attention that eluded him in 2012. As a bonus, “American Primeval” is currently available on Netflix for streaming.

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2025-02-03 02:05