The Time Machine
- Rate Movie[Total: 15 Average: 2.7]
- Directed By: Simon Wells
- Written By: David Duncan, John Logan
- Release Date: March 8, 2002
- Domestic Distributor: DreamWorks
- Cast: Guy Pearce, Mark Addy, Phyllida Law
Box Office Info:
Budget: $85 million | Financed by: DreamWorks; Warner Bros |
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Domestic Gross: $56,832,494 | Overseas Gross: $66,896,682 |
This remake of the 1960 version of The Time Machine, was directed by the novelist H.G. Wells’ great-grandson Simon Wells. The production got the best of Simon Wells who was replaced after ‘extreme exhaustion’ and director Gore Verbinski completed the final 18 days of filming. After being removed from the production, Wells didn’t direct another feature until he kamikazed his career in 2011 with the fiasco Mars Needs Moms. The Time Machine was co-financed by DreamWorks and Warner Bros for $85 million, with DreamWorks responsible for domestic distribution and WB handling international.
The pricey remake was originally scheduled for a Christmas 2001 release, but it was pushed back to February 8, 2002 and then moved back again to March 8, where it opened against All About the Benjamins. The movie received generally poor reviews, but opened better than expected with $22,610,437 in 2,944 theaters, winning the weekend at the box office. Audiences gave The Time Machine a terrible C+ cinemascore and it proved to have weak legs and fell 52.3% to $10,795,951 in its second frame and declined 50.7% in its third session to $5,324,159. The Time Machine continued to post large weekly declines in attendance and closed its domestic run with $56,832,494. DreamWorks would see returned about $31.2 million after theaters take their percentage of the gross, which would likely cover most of the P&A spend, but not put a dent in their exposure to the budget.
Warner Bros distributed in most overseas markets, where the film didn’t fare much better. The overseas total was $66.8 million and Japan posted the highest gross at $9.9 million.