George Clooney Almost Starred in the Christmas Disaster ‘Jack Frost’

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  • George Clooney Dodges a Major Box Office Bullet
  • Michael Keaton’s Notorious Holiday Flop
  • Both Hollywood Greats Had Epic ’90s Duds

As a film enthusiast who has witnessed the rise and fall of many a cinematic titan, I must say that the stories of Clooney and Keaton’s ’90s duds are a testament to the unpredictable nature of Hollywood. Both these talented gentlemen, who had graced our screens with timeless performances, found themselves in the midst of box office disasters that left them, if not exactly tarnished, then certainly shaken.

George Clooney and Michael Keaton are two of Hollywood’s most distinguished leading men, and it’s challenging to recall a time when they weren’t making a significant impact on every film they worked on. Nevertheless, the late ’90s presented some challenges for these successful actors, as they were associated with major box office failures that somewhat marred their otherwise stellar career records.

In a turn of events, Keaton and Clooney found themselves leading disappointing holiday movie Jack Frost and the unsuccessful superhero film Batman & Robin, respectively. These productions were both significant flops, attracting unwanted scrutiny for the actors and causing them to doubt their positions in the entertainment world. Although they managed to recover from these box office disappointments, not all fans might be aware of the parallel experiences they had with these failing ventures.

George Clooney Dodges a Major Box Office Bullet

In the late ’90s, George Clooney, a prominent actor in Hollywood, was dominating the entertainment industry. His popularity soared not just from his impressive run on ER as Dr. Doug Ross, but also from his big-screen debut in Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk till Dawn. Eager to capitalize on his charm and box office pull, Clooney agreed to star in the Christmas fantasy movie Jack Frost, a tale about the title character, a musician and father who, following a fatal car accident, is reborn as a snowman to console his heartbroken young son.

In an interesting turn of events, George Clooney’s snowman character in Jack Frost was initially designed by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, with the animatronic suit tailored to mimic Clooney’s facial features during pre-production when Sam Raimi was still attached as director. However, both Clooney and Raimi departed from the project, eventually starring in the critically panned Batman & Robin. Remarkably, Michael Keaton, one of Clooney’s predecessors from the Batman series, took over his role in Jack Frost. This decision seemed to negatively impact Keaton’s career as well, as he starred in the holiday movie shortly after.

Michael Keaton’s Notorious Holiday Flop

In the final stages before filming started in March 1998, both Michael Keaton and director Troy Miller joined the project late, requiring them to quickly catch up on preparations. This rush led to The Creature Shop and costume designers modifying the snowman’s appearance, specifically the chin and lips, to resemble Keaton more closely. Regrettably, despite their dedicated attempts to produce a profound and heartwarming holiday film, Jack Frost turned out to be a notorious flop, both critically and commercially. The movie managed to earn only $34.6 million during its theatrical run, significantly falling short of the anticipated budget of $85 million.

The fantasy film called Jack Frost received severe criticism from many viewers. They found its script messy, the plot predictable, and the snowman’s appearance disturbing. Renowned critic Roger Ebert from Chicago Sun-Times didn’t sugarcoat his opinion either. He gave it a harsh review, awarding only one out of four stars. He called it “unwatchable,” suggesting that even if Orson Welles and Steven Spielberg had co-directed the film, the disturbing snowman would still make it unappealing. Ebert went as far as to label it “the most repulsive single creature in special effects history.

Despite Keanu Reeves’s notable efforts to impress with his performance and the material he was given, the movie “Jack Frost” was poorly received by both critics and audiences, resulting in one of his biggest box office flops. This setback temporarily affected his film career, but he eventually regained his status as a sought-after actor with roles in movies like “Cars,” “The Other Guys,” and “Toy Story 3.

Both Hollywood Greats Had Epic ’90s Duds

Although George Clooney successfully avoided being cast in a floppy Christmas movie, he didn’t escape the consequences after leaving the production. He opted to take on the role of Bruce Wayne in Joel Schumacher’s disastrous superhero film, “Batman & Robin.” Despite its impressive lineup featuring Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Uma Thurman, the movie earned just $238 million against a hefty budget of $160 million. It was panned by both critics and viewers, with many labeling it as one of the worst films ever produced.

George Clooney himself would later refer to the film Batman & Robin as a “waste of money,” expressing concern that it might have damaged the Batman franchise. The disappointment from this flopping superhero movie was palpable throughout the industry, causing a pause in future adaptations of the caped crusader (until 2005’s Batman Begins). Fortunately for Clooney, he didn’t dwell on it for long. In fact, just a year later, he starred in Steven Soderbergh’s critically-acclaimed crime comedy Out of Sight, a film that not only solidified his status but also overshadowed the sour taste left by Batman & Robin.

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2024-12-26 07:01