Ultraviolet
Rate Movie[Total: 15 Average: 1.7]
- Directed By: Kurt Wimmer
- Written By: Kurt Wimmer
- Release Date: March 3, 2006
- Domestic Distributor: Sony (Screen Gems)
- Cast: Milla Jovovich, Cameron Bright, William Fichtner
Box Office Info:
| Budget: $30 million | Financed by: Sony (Screen Gems) |
|---|---|
| Domestic Box Office: $18,535,812 | Overseas Box Office: $12,534,399 |
It was announced in March 2003 that Sony’s genre outfit Screen Gems acquired worldwide rights to the Ultraviolet project as a vehicle for Milla Jovovich. After the success of Resident Evil (2002), which was released stateside by Screen Gems, they signed Milla Jovovich for the sequel and Ultraviolet in May 2003. Screen Gems fully financed Ultraviolet for $30 million, which began production in early 2004.
In post-production, the film was taken away from director Kurt Wimmer, re-edited and then delayed over a year. The running time was chopped down to 88 minutes and Sony cut their losses on this stinker, by releasing Ultraviolet with unfinished vfx — turning a lame action film into an unintentionally hilarious trainwreck. This embarrassment was eventually dated for February 24th, 2006 and then pushed back a week to March 3.
Ultraviolet bowed against 16 Blocks, Aquamarine and Dave Chappelle’s Block Party. It was not screened for critics and the reviews that eventually posted were miserable. Sony had modest hopes that Ultraviolet would open within the low teens range, but it pulled in a soft $9,064,880 — placing #4 for the weekend led by holdover Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion. Word of mouth was deadly with a D+ cinemascore from auds and Ultraviolet sank 59.4% in its second frame to $3,681,448 and plunged 63.8% to $1,332,297 in its third session. It was pulled from theaters after only 5 weeks with $18,535,812.
Overseas, Ultraviolet saw a dismal $12.5 million total, tanking in most markets. The worldwide total was $31M and Sony would see returned about $17M after theaters take their percentage of the gross — far below global P&A expenses and the theatrical receipts would not touch the budget.
Director Kurt Wimmer, who had previously helmed the dumped Equilibrium, never directed again after Ultraviolet.
Awe…I liked this one.