Duplicity
Rate Movie[Total: 5 Average: 2.6]
- Directed By: Tony Gilroy
- Written By: Tony Gilroy
- Release Date: March 20, 2009
- Domestic Distributor: Universal
- Cast: Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Tom Wilkinson, Paul Giamatti
Box Office Info:
| Budget: $60 million | Financed by: Universal; Relativity |
|---|---|
| Domestic Gross: $40,572,825 | Overseas Gross: $40,506,741 |
Duplicity was co-financed for $60 million by Universal and Relativity and it was Julia Roberts’ first top lining film since 2003’s Mona Lisa Smile. Clive Owen was coming off the terrible box office performance of The International just one month earlier and his other studio vehicles had both flopped — Children of Men and Shoot ‘Em Up. Duplicity marked the end of studio movies built around him. Writer/director Tony Gilroy had just come off of his first directing job Michael Clayton, which landed him a Best Director Oscar nomination and he immediately segued into Duplicity with final cut privileges.
Duplicity was dated for March 20 and bowed against Knowing and I Love You, Man. Reviews were positive and tracking was pointing to a $15M opening and expected to leg out over the upcoming weeks. Duplicity came in soft with $13,965,110 — placing #3 for the weekend led by Knowing. Duplicity received a terrible C cinemascore from audiences and saw a 45.1% second frame decline to $7,672,485 and a 45.6% third weekend fall to $4,174,240. The pic closed its domestic run with $40,572,825.
Overseas, Julia Roberts appeal had weakened and the film also pulled in $40.5 million, grossing soft numbers everywhere — with $4.3 million from the UK as the strongest showing. Universal would see returned about $44.5 million after theaters take their cut of the worldwide gross — leaving much of the worldwide ad spend at a loss and the budget wouldn’t be touched by the theatrical receipts.
Universal Pictures Chairman Marc Shmuger would be replaced after a string of recent Universal flops, including Duplicity, Land of the Lost, State of Play, Funny People and the out of control budgets for the as of yet to be released The Wolfman and Green Zone.