Director of Oscar-Nominated Film Reveals Shocking Truth: He’s Made Zero Dollars!

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Brady Corbet, who directed the critically-adored historical drama “The Brutalist” in 2024, shared that he hasn’t personally earned any profits from the movie. Despite being a strong contender for the upcoming Academy Awards and receiving widespread acclaim during its limited global release, “The Brutalist” garnered 10 nominations last January, including nods for Best Picture and Best Director.

According to Corbet, both he and his creative partner Mona Fastvold have earned no income from the film. During an interview on Marc Maron’s podcast “WTF With Marc Maron,” Corbet discussed his challenging financial situation. He just received a paycheck for commercial work in Portugal, stating that it was the first money he had made in years. Corbet went on to say:

“This is the first significant amount of money I’ve earned in a long time.

My partner and I earned nothing from our recent films, absolutely nothing. That means we’ve had to rely on a paycheck from three years back. The timing during an awards season and constant travel every few days wasn’t perfect, but the chance came along, and I seized it immediately.

Many filmmakers with nominated films this year are struggling to meet their rental obligations. It’s important to remember that your role isn’t solely about promoting the film.

Despite garnering international recognition since its debut, it’s ironic to note that the most critically acclaimed films don’t always top the box office charts. For instance, “The Brutalist,” which has grossed approximately $31 million against a production budget of $9.6 million, hasn’t been a massive commercial success. This is troubling for director Corbet, given his relentless efforts in promoting the film, as he shared, “I’ve been working seven days a week… I haven’t had a day off since the Christmas break, and that was only four days.

Following the announcement of the Oscar nominations, “The Brutalist” expanded to additional theaters worldwide. However, its box office performance during this period was relatively modest. To date, it remains one of the least successful films in the competition, with its competitors not being particularly big blockbusters either. In the Best Picture race, only “Wicked” and “Dune: Part Two” could be considered box office successes, thereby validating Corbet’s assertion that he and his partner are not alone in struggling financially. Winning awards does not guarantee profitability, so regardless of the Oscars’ outcome, “The Brutalist” will likely never become a blockbuster hit, regrettably.

Can You Rent or Buy ‘The Brutalist’ Online?

This week, Brady Corbet’s historical drama became available for digital purchase or rental, and it can already be found on numerous digital platforms. It seems unusual, given the film’s grand ambition, that a strong independent studio like A24 has marketed The Brutalist so poorly, especially considering its 10 Academy Award nominations.

Despite the fact that a historical drama over three hours long might be difficult for some home viewers due to its length, the movie featuring Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, and Felicity Jones is certainly worth investing your time in. The advantage of watching it at home is you can take breaks whenever you need to, unlike in the theater where intermissions were enforced.

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2025-02-19 23:33