Killers of the Flower Moon Box Office Prediction: Forecasting a Flop $35 Million Debut

After the massive success of Universal’s ‘Oppenheimer,’ Paramount and Apple Studios are ready to release their epic drama ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ with great expectations, which will be screened in theaters on Friday^[1]. The R-rated boasts a strong cast and director, including Martin Scorsese, DiCaprio, and De Niro, which is a big plus point and holds significant promise. The makers have too high expectations for the film, and these expectations have increased even more since the critics have given it the green light. But despite these advantages, perhaps it will not impress the makers at the box office.

Killers of the Flower Moon Box Office Prediction

One of the major factors is the critical response and buzz, which are very positive for ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’ However, despite these positive factors and the presence of well-established cast and crew members, pre-ticket sales numbers are not up to par, indicating a slow start. According to industry estimates, ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is projected to earn $35-40 million on its opening weekend domestically across 3500+ theaters, which is considered a disappointing debut for a big-budgeted film, especially for an R-rated film. ‘Oppenheimer’ was projected to earn $50 million and opened with $82 million, but there’s no indication that ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ will perform similarly due to a lack of quality buzz.

According to reports, Apple Studios and Paramount Pictures spent $200 million on the production of ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’ With such a huge production budget, the recovery numbers are automatically set too high. As of now, despite receiving positive reviews and featuring a high-profile cast, the ability to recover its costs is in question as the film’s performance in both domestic and overseas markets is a disappointment. According to industry sources, the full theatrical run is projected to reach $125 million domestically and $250 million globally, which would be considered a disaster.

There is no doubt that ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is headed for a box office failure, as per early box office predictions. Not only is it a failure, but it also has the potential to become one of the biggest losses for the makers in 2023. Paramount has already faced significant failures, including ‘Mission Impossible 7,’ ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,’ and ‘Babylon.’ Another failure increases production concerns. As for Apple Studios, it would be wise to consider limiting themselves to streaming or producing smaller films, as all of their theatrical releases up to now have been unsuccessful.

However, many social media users and reports are comparing it to ‘Oppenheimer,’ which is not the right thing to do. Regardless of how brilliant ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is, the industry thrives on profitability. ‘Oppenheimer’ tops the list as one of the industry’s most successful R-rated films, while ‘Killers of the Flower Moon‘ is struggling for success. Even if the film is excellent, if the audience doesn’t want to watch it in theaters, it’s a total disappointment for the makers. But despite all of this, we can only hope that the film will avoid losses, if not turn a profit.

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