Robert Zemeckis Gets Candid After Tom Hanks And Robin Wright’s Post-Forrest Gump Team Up ‘Here’ Flops

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As a seasoned gamer and film enthusiast with over three decades of experience under my belt, I have witnessed the ebb and flow of the cinematic landscape, much like the tide in my beloved coastal hometown. The work of Robert Zemeckis has always been a beacon of excellence, from the timeless “Back to the Future” trilogy to the groundbreaking “Forrest Gump.” Therefore, it comes as a bitter pill to swallow when one of his latest offerings, “Here,” fails to make its mark at the box office.

Hey there! As a gamer, I’d say Robert Zemeckis is like that legendary game developer who consistently churned out blockbusters that every player knew by heart – think of Forrest Gump, the iconic Back to the Future series, and the groundbreaking Who Framed Roger Rabbit. His biggest hit was 1994’s best picture winner, Forrest Gump, so it felt natural that his latest project, the drama Here, starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, would mirror its success. Unfortunately, the film didn’t resonate with audiences as expected. Now, Zemeckis is opening up about his disillusionment with Hollywood, sharing his thoughts on the industry we all love.

The movie “Forrest Gump” is one example of a film that raked in a considerable amount of weekends at the box office. Specifically, it held the number one spot for five consecutive weekends, making it Paramount’s most profitable movie until “Titanic” surpassed its record three years later with a total gross of $678.2 million. An intriguing behind-the-scenes fact about “Forrest Gump” is that the lead actor, Tom Hanks, decided to forgo his salary in exchange for a percentage of the film’s box office earnings. This decision is said to have resulted in Hanks earning over $60 million and becoming one of the highest-grossing actors in history.

According to the graphic novel “Here” by Richard McGuire, this innovative project merged the characters and director of “Forrest Gump” to narrate the tales of numerous families spanning over a century, all centered around a single spot in a house. Regrettably, “Here” failed to achieve box office success as the Miramax film managed to earn only $5 million against an estimated budget of $50 million. Following the flop of “Here”, director Robert Zemeckis openly shared his thoughts on the experience with Deadline.

I think the theatrical movie business is in a stressful situation right now.

The award-winning filmmaker is recognized for the groundbreaking technologies he’s incorporated into his films. Robert Zemeckis blended real and animated footage in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” used digital techniques to insert Forrest Gump into historical footage, and was a pioneer of motion-capture technology for “The Polar Express.” These movies were financially successful, but one might argue that their success wasn’t solely due to the technological aspects. There was a great deal of emotional depth in these narratives as well.

The consensus among film critics is that the innovative technique used to depict multiple generations within a single room in the movie “Here” detracted from its narrative and character development. Moreover, a film focusing on middle-class struggles and a stagnant marriage may not appeal to audiences looking for an escape from real-life issues. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie received a modest 36% approval rating from critics and a slightly better 58% score from audiences. It seems that despite the return of the actors who played Forrest and Jenny, the new story did not captivate both critics and viewers as much as hoped for, nor did it successfully adapt the graphic novel.

One hurdle in making Here a hit was its initial struggle to secure a U.S. distributor. According to Deadline’s sources, major American studios declined the project due to concerns it was too “risky.” Initially, the film was primarily financed through international sales. Eventually, Sony agreed to distribute Here in the U.S., likely due to their ties with Tom Hanks’ movies like A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and A Man Called Otto. However, promoting a film set entirely in one room proved challenging. Despite the trailer evoking comparisons to Forrest Gump, it was tough for marketing teams to select clips suitable for daytime talk shows.

Director Robert Zemeckis points out that the film industry is particularly demanding at the moment due to the difficulties in predicting audience preferences and the increased challenges in distribution and marketing. Even the star power of Forrest Gump couldn’t attract viewers to Here. This standalone drama, similar to Zemeckis’ film, failed to impress with its $5 million box office earnings, suggesting that major studios prefer funding blockbuster movies over experimental projects which may not guarantee success. If you’re open to it, Here is currently playing in cinemas ahead of its 2024 release.

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2024-11-05 20:07