Little Man
- Rate Movie[Total: 14 Average: 2.5]
- Directed By: Keenen Ivory Wayans
- Written By: Keenen Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans
- Release Date: July 14, 2006
- Domestic Distributor: Sony
- Cast: Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Kerry Washington, Tracy Morgan
Box Office Info:
Budget: $64 million | Financed by: Revolution Studios; Sony |
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Domestic Gross: $58,645,052 | Overseas Gross: $42,950,069 |
Revolution Studios financed Little Man for $64 million, which is far too much for a disposable comedy. Revolution’s financing slate agreement with Sony had Sony contribute 42.5% of the budget and 100% of the marketing costs. Sony distributed worldwide. Before Little Man‘s release, Revolution Studios stopped development on all projects after a string of flops, as its contract with Sony would expire in 2007 and it was unknown if it would be renewed. The company shuttered in 2007. Revolution head Joe Roth had landed one of the greatest studio deals with Sony, who had more to lose on each project than Roth’s Revolution — and had originally envisioned his company making filmmaker friendly fare with A-listers and then squandered Revolution’s reserves on bullshit like Little Man.
Sony dated Little Man for July 14, 2006 where it bowed against another lame comedy You, Me and Dupree. Reviews were abysmal. Little Man opened within expectations at $21,613,176 — placing #2 for the weekend behind Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest in its second frame. Despite the decent opening, Little Man faded fast from theaters. It declined 49% in its second frame to $11,025,108 and then sank 53.5% in its third session to $5,124,245. After steep weekly declines, the domestic run closed with $58,645,052.
The pricey comedy cumed $42.9 million overseas, with a decent enough $8.1 million from the UK and $6.3 million from Spain, but the film posted soft numbers in almost every other market. Little Man pulled in $101.5 million worldwide, leaving Sony with about $55.8 million after theaters take their cut of the gross, which would not cover the entire worldwide P&A spend — and the theatrical receipts would not dent the budget. These were decent box office numbers for a sitcom quality movie, but deadly box office numbers for a sitcom quality movie with expensive vfx. Keenen Ivory Wayans has not directed another picture since.