Flags Of Our Fathers
Rate Movie[Total: 8 Average: 3.1]
- Directed By: Clint Eastwood
- Written By: William Broyles Jr., Paul Haggis
- Release Date: October 20, 2006
- Domestic Distributor: Paramount
- Cast: Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach, Paul Walker
Box Office Info:
| Budget: $55 million | Financed by: DreamWorks; Warner Bros |
|---|---|
| Domestic Box Office: $33,602,376 | Overseas Box Office: $32,297,873 |
DreamWorks purchased the theatrical rights to the novel Flags Of Our Fathers in June 2000 for a six-figure amount and then re upped their option in 2004. Clint Eastwood boarded the project in July 2004 and it was fast tracked to production. Flags Of Our Fathers was equally co-financed by DreamWorks and Warner Bros. Eastwood finished filming ahead of schedule and brought the picture in under budget, around $55 million — not the $80 million – $95 million estimates that circulated. While in pre-production DreamWorks was acquired by Paramount, which distributed the picture in the US. Warner Bros handled overseas distribution in most markets.
Flags Of Our Fathers was dated for October 20, 2006 and was positioned by the studio as a major awards player. Buzz was strong and it was tracking for a $15 – $18 million opening with expectations that Flags would play well throughout the awards season. It bowed against The Prestige, Flicka and Marie Antoinette. It would compete for adult auds with the holdover The Departed and also The Prestige. Flags Of Our Fathers pulled in a very soft $10,245,190 — placing #3 for the slow weekend led by The Prestige. Paramount had hopes that Flags would have a huge multiplier like previous Eastwood films Million Dollar Baby and Mystic River, which opened with similar numbers and cumed $100 million and $90 million domestic. While Flags Of Our Fathers did have modest weekly declines in attendance, the domestic run stalled at a poor $33,602,376. Paramount would see returned about $18.4 million after theaters take their percentage of the gross, which would not even cover P&A expenses.
Overseas, Warner Bros saw a decent $13.1 million in Japan, but the film pulled in poor numbers in most markets with a $32.2 million cume. WB would see back about $17.7 million after theaters take their cut, again far less than their P&A spend.