Battle For Terra
Rate Movie[Total: 4 Average: 2.5]
- Directed By: Aristomenis Tsirbas
- Written By: Evan Spiliotopoulos, Aristomenis Tsirbas
- Release Date: May 1, 2009
- Domestic Distributor: Roadside Attractions/Lionsgate
- Cast: Rosanna Arquette, Luke Wilson, Justin Long, Evan Rachel Wood
Box Office Info:
| Budget: $20 million | Financed by: Snoot Entertainment |
|---|---|
| Domestic Gross: $1,647,083 | Overseas Gross: $4,482,446 |
New financing and production company Snoot Entertainment backed their first film, the animated Battle For Terra, which is reported at a cost just under $20 million. Battle For Terra premiered at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival in search of distribution, but it was not until January 2009 that Roadside Attractions (partially owned by Lionsgate) and Lionsgate purchased US distribution rights. IM Global then boarded to handle overseas sales.
Roadside/Lionsgate dated Battle For Terra for May 1, 2009 as counter-programming to X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which completely ate into what audience there was for this little picture. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past also bowed. Battle For Terra had been re-rendered in 3D to cash-in on the new craze surrounding the format, but only 460 theaters were secured for the release — as Monsters Vs. Aliens (in its 6th weekend) still had most of the locations that had converted to show 3D. With 2D prints of the movie, the total theater count was only modestly wide at 1,159 theaters.
Battle For Terra received mixed reviews and was tracking for a $5 million-$7 million opening, but pulled in some of the worst numbers for a film playing in over 1,000 theaters at $1,082,064 — placing #12 for the weekend led by X-Men Origins: Wolverine. After the dismal opening, Battle For Terra was pulled out of most of its theaters going into its second weekend and remained in 413 locations, where it sank 83.9% to $174,014. The domestic run closed with a miserable $1,647,083.
Battle For Terra received a small release overseas, with China being the strongest territory at $2 million and it grossed $4.4 million in total and went straight to video in France.
Battle For Terra’s actual production budget is estimated at $4-8 million. Producers Kieth Calder and Dane Allan Smith lied when publicly claiming it cost $20 million. The film also had an unusually small P&A budget. Battle For Terra’s theatrical ($6 million), video, VOD and streaming sales made the film a minor success. Therefore the film is not a flop. Please remove Battle for Terra from this list. Thank you.
Any links for that info? All interviews with the director claim a near $20M budget and all the trades at the time posted that specific production expense as well. And the movie was entirely re-rendered for 3D after it was completed, which was not cheap.