Stay
Rate Movie[Total: 6 Average: 2.8]
- Directed By: Marc Forster
- Written By: David Benioff
- Release Date: October 21, 2005
- Domestic Distributor: FOX
- Cast: Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts, Ryan Gosling
Box Office Info:
| Budget: $50 million | Financed by: New Regency |
|---|---|
| Domestic Gross: $3,626,883 | Overseas Gross: $4,715,249 |
David Benioff’s Stay spec script was in a bidding war amongst every studio back in 2001 and New Regency won the rights for $1.8 million, which was one of the biggest spec auction sales at the time. David Fincher was attached as director, but he eventually left the project and Marc Forster signed on in the Spring of 2003.
The budget for Stay was $50 million and New Regency financed. FOX distributed in most markets.
Production concluded in early 2004 and a release was originally planned for that year. Stay was delayed over a year, to keep it away from another film directed by Marc Forster, the acclaimed Finding Neverland (2004). That movie was supposed to be released in 2003, but was also delayed over a year due to a legal agreement to distance it from the 2003 Peter Pan movie. Because of the delay, Marc Forster took his time editing and had the sound mixed twice. Two years after beginning production, Stay was released on October 21, 2005.
Stay landed poor reviews and bowed against Doom, Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story and North Country. It was dead on arrival with $2,188,199 — placing outside the top 10 at #13 for the slow weekend led by Doom. Audiences gave the film a toxic C- cinemascore and Stay posted one of the largest second weekend declines at 77.8% to $486,627 and was yanked out of all but 63 theaters going into its third weekend. The domestic run closed with only $3,626,883. FOX would see back about $1.9M after theaters take their percentage of the gross, which would not even cover the cost of striking release prints for theaters or any of the marketing expenses.
FOX gave the film a small overseas release, where it pulled in $4,715,249 and it went straight to video in most smaller european markets.