Is Tom Hanks’ Here a Box Office Success?

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  • Why Did Here Stumble at the Box Office?
  • Hanks and Zemeckis’ Box Office History

As a film critic with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the latest collaboration between Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis, “Here”, has left me somewhat disappointed. I remember the days when their partnership produced masterpieces like “Forrest Gump” and “The Polar Express”. Those films were not just box office successes, but they also resonated deeply with audiences, leaving us with lasting memories and emotional takeaways.

Tom Hanks is widely recognized as one of the most dependable top-tier actors in Hollywood right now. The man who played the title role in Forrest Gump has starred in films that have earned approximately $10 billion at global box offices, a remarkable feat. At one point, attaching Tom Hanks’ name to a project seemed like a near guarantee of success. However, with shifts in both the industry and audience viewing habits, even major movies have seen a decline in ticket sales.

As a movie enthusiast myself, I must admit that Tom Hanks is undeniably a household name and an icon in Hollywood. However, it’s important to remember that just because he’s involved doesn’t necessarily mean a movie will be successful. That seems to be the case with the recent drama “Here,” which unfortunately didn’t quite hit its mark. On paper, this film had all the makings of a blockbuster – Hanks, Robin Wright, and director Robert Zemeckis reuniting since their collaboration on “Forrest Gump.” Yet, upon its release this weekend, it received mixed reviews from critics and didn’t exactly set the box office on fire.

Here’s Less-Than-Ideal Box Office Numbers

Read Our Review

This narrative charts the inhabitants of a specific piece of land across countless years, tracing their history back to the dinosaur era, through the tenure of Native Americans and the early days of the United States, all the way up to Hanks and Wright’s current marriage. The storyline jumps around in time, frequently focusing on more than one period simultaneously.

Initially premiered on November 1, 2024, following a week-long debut at the AFI Fest, this film was launched alongside other titles. However, there were no significant blockbusters vying for its audience. Starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, and Robert Zemeckis, one might expect it to be a success. But surprisingly, it flopped, earning only $5 million during its opening weekend across 2,647 theaters. This equates to approximately $1,900 per theater. With such low earnings, it placed fifth for the weekend, trailing behind Conclave, Smile 2, The Wild Robot, and Venom: The Last Dance. Initial box office predictions were modest, but they were surpassed by the actual performance. Given a budget of around $45 to $50 million, this film is on track to become a box office bomb unless it can reverse its fortunes.

Why Did Here Stumble at the Box Office?

In my view, it seems that the causes for this film’s underperformance might be rooted in several aspects. Could it be that audiences aren’t as drawn to Tom Hanks anymore? Or perhaps the marketing strategy could have been more effective? Alternatively, maybe people simply weren’t interested in watching this movie. In any case, it appears that a mix of factors contributed to its less-than-stellar performance.

No one would deny that people still go to theaters. But the days of securing box office success just by attaching Tom Hanks may be over. These days, blockbusters are few and far between. The highest returns are typically reserved for Disney, Marvel, sequels, or big-budget blockbusters from iconic directors. Look at 2024’s box office data. The top three spots, Inside Out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, and Despicable Me 4, all fall into one or more of those categories. And in 2023, it was all Barbie and Oppenheimer. None of the high-earners have been your conventional dramas, as those just don’t bring in the big crowds. Even with Tom Hanks, a movie like Here needs to do something to stand out and capture its audience. Based on the reactions, it didn’t do that.

This film receives a dismal 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, despite the obvious efforts of director Zemeckis to create something exceptional. The camera remains static throughout the nearly two-hour running time, while plot events overlap and are presented in an unconventional order. Artificial Intelligence is used to de-age Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson. However, critics argue that the film’s excessive focus on visual spectacle and experimentation undermines its narrative, leaving it with minimal emotional resonance. The movie overreaches in its pursuit of depth and significance, resulting in a viewing experience with few, if any, lasting impressions. Yes, it is stylish and innovative, but the sum of its parts does not amount to much substance. This pun was intended.

Hanks and Zemeckis’ Box Office History

There was a time when Hanks and Zemeckis were major box office draws. Tom’s top two titles, Toy Story 3 and 4, each grossed above $1 billion. His most successful live-action role, The Da Vinci Code, netted $760 million. As for Zemeckis, his biggest box office triumph came in another Hanks partnership. Forrest Gump drew $678 million, ranking as 1994’s second highest-grossing pic behind The Lion King.

In more straightforward terms: Lately, neither Tom Hanks nor Robert Zemeckis have achieved blockbuster box office performances. Tom Hank’s last significant live-action success was in Elvis, which grossed $288 million worldwide. Despite this success, it didn’t set any records. Robert Zemeckis hasn’t had a critical and financial hit since Flight (2012), starring Denzel Washington, which earned $161.8 million. Regrettably, their most recent collaboration, the live-action Pinocchio from 2022, didn’t receive a theatrical release, so it’s hard to tell how well it would have performed. However, given its lack of a theatrical debut, it probably wouldn’t have achieved blockbuster status.

Maybe Hanks and Zemeckis’ upcoming project could help revive their success. However, with today’s movie-watching trends, a collaboration that doesn’t involve a sequel to “Forrest Gump” might not resonate as strongly. As for current screenings, there is something playing in theaters at this moment.

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2024-11-07 01:05