King Arthur: Legend of the Sword found itself struggling at the box office this past weekend, grossing just $15.4 million from its domestic opening, and a further $29.1 million from international markets, including $5 million from China.
According to THR, the Guy Ritchie-directed medieval fantasy is expected to gross no more than $145 million globally. Given that Warner spent $175 million making the film, and many millions more on its marketing campaign, it has been reported that Warner will be looking at a loss in the region of $150 million.
Should the studio take that kind of hit, it would surpass the $125 million loss that Paramount suffered on Monster Trucks, making it the biggest box office bomb of the year to date. Fortunately for Warner Bros., the studio has some big hitters on the way this year in the likes of Wonder Woman, Dunkirk and Justice League, which should help to soften the blow.
SEE ALSO: Read our reviews for King Arthur: Legend of the Sword here and here
Acclaimed filmmaker Guy Ritchie brings his dynamic style to the epic fantasy action adventure “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.” Starring Charlie Hunnam in the title role, the film is an iconoclastic take on the classic Excalibur myth, tracing Arthur’s journey from the streets to the throne.
When the child Arthur’s father is murdered, Vortigern (Jude Law), Arthur’s uncle, seizes the crown. Robbed of his birthright and with no idea who he truly is, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, his life is turned upside down and he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy…whether he likes it or not
Starring with Hunnam (FX’s “Sons of Anarchy”) and Oscar nominee Law (“Cold Mountain,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley”) are Astrid Bergès-Frisbey (“Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”) as Mage; Oscar nominee Djimon Hounsou (“Blood Diamond,” “In America”) as Bedivere; Aidan Gillen (HBO’s “Game of Thrones”) as Goosefat Bill; and Eric Bana (“Star Trek”) as Arthur’s father, King Uther Pendragon.