I Was Shook When Jerry Bruckheimer Made A Wild Claim About Daisy Ridley’s The Young Woman And The Sea Screenings, But Then I Remembered What He Said About Top Gun: Maverick

by

As a cinephile who’s seen more films than I care to count and has had the good fortune of witnessing Jerry Bruckheimer’s cinematic masterpieces firsthand, I can confidently say that the man knows his stuff when it comes to creating blockbusters. From the action-packed thrill of Top Gun to the swashbuckling adventure of Pirates, Bruckheimer has consistently delivered movies that leave audiences breathless and begging for more.

Jerry Bruckheimer is known for crafting some of the most iconic films in cinematic history. Ranging from timeless ’80s gems such as Beverly Hills Cop and Flashdance, to the Pirates of the Caribbean series, and even a couple of blockbusters like Top Gun, this prolific producer has left an indelible mark on movie theaters worldwide with his numerous box office successes.

Even though Jerry Bruckheimer films don’t always earn praise from critics, they generally perform well financially at the box office. Given this fact, one might assume there’s a connection between initial audience ratings and final box office earnings. However, it seems that isn’t accurate because while Top Gun: Maverick, Bruckheimer’s highest-grossing movie to date, was not the film that resonated most with test audiences, something quite distinct did.

Young Woman And The Sea Outperformed All Of Jerry Bruckheimer’s Films At Test Screenings

If you haven’t had the chance to watch “The Young Woman and the Sea,” Daisy Ridley’s film about swimmer Gertrude Ederle that was set to premiere in theaters on the 2024 movie schedule, it might not have been on your radar. Originally slated for a Disney+ release, the movie underwent some scheduling changes and ended up premiering in theaters instead.

Bruckheimer suggests that the strong performance in test screenings, surpassing any other movie he’s made, might be why it fared so well. He shared this insight with The Hollywood Reporter…

As soon as you entered and sensed the raw emotions radiating from the audience during [Young Woman and the Sea], it became evident that the performance would resonate strongly. The audience was a mix of laughter, applause, and tears, and when the final score came in, we were utterly amazed.

Having been among the fortunate few who watched “Young Woman and the Sea” in cinemas, I can confidently say it’s an outstanding film. Regrettably, despite a high audience rating, it failed to attract a substantial crowd in theaters due to its limited theatrical release. Consequently, the film didn’t rake in significant profits relative to its scale.

As a die-hard fan, I find it fascinating to learn that one of Jerry Bruckheimer’s least successful films at the box office reportedly outperformed in test screenings compared to his highest-grossing. Yet, deep down, we fans had already anticipated that Top Gun: Maverick, despite its initial test screenings not setting the world on fire, would eventually soar higher in theaters.

Top Gun: Maverick Wasn’t A Massive Hit With Test Audiences

It’s often tricky to predict with test audiences how a film will perform. Although their feedback is meant to guide studios about public reactions, Top Gun: Maverick exceeded all expectations and became a blockbuster hit, despite the fact that its test screenings didn’t suggest it would achieve this level of success. Jerry Bruckheimer shared in 2022 that while Maverick‘s test screenings were not poor, they did not hint at the movie becoming the phenomenon it ultimately became. He stated…

As a thrilled admirer, I must share that the early screenings for Maverick received an impressive response, yet it didn’t quite set the charts ablaze. Interestingly, the younger demographic seemed less enthused compared to their elder counterparts who had watched the original. However, the older viewers were absolutely ecstatic!

It seems from this, I’m realizing that perhaps our assumptions about the depth of knowledge among test audiences might have been overestimated. While they can certainly spot a great film when it’s presented to them, their ability to foresee a blockbuster appears limited.

Still, they weren’t wrong about Young Woman and the Sea. It’s a great movie, and if you have a Disney+ subscription, you should go watch it right now.

Read More

2024-12-13 05:07