Man of Tai Chi
Rate Movie[Total: 3 Average: 2.3]
- Directed By: Keanu Reeves
- Written By: Michael G. Cooney
- Release Date: November 1, 2013
- Domestic Distributor: The Weinstein Company (Radius)
- Cast: Tiger Hu Chen, Keanu Reeves, Iko Uwais
Box Office Info:
| Budget: $32 million | Financed by: China Film Group; Village Roadshow; Wanda Media; Universal |
|---|---|
| Domestic Gross: $100,144 | Overseas Gross: $5,364,741 |
The budget for Man of Tai Chi was $32 million and it was financed by the state-owned studio China Film Group, Village Roadshow, Wanda Media and Universal — making it one of the earlier China and western co-productions.
China Film Group distributed the picture in China and was bullish on its success, so the movie would attract more co-productions with outside financiers. Man of Tai Chi was given a prestige IMAX release and an expensive marketing blitz. Keanu Reeves and his cast were sent out on an eight city tour to promote his directorial debut — there were screenings in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Wuhan, Dalian and Beijing.
After trying to turn Man of Tai Chi into an event film, it bombed in PROC with just $4,280,000. After the failure at the China box office, the film was barely released theatrically in most markets, bringing in about $1 million outside of China.
Universal was initially set to distribute Man of Tai Chi in the US, but the studio brought the movie to the 2013 Cannes Film Festival to sell off stateside rights. The Weinstein Company picked up the picture for a low seven figure sum and distributed through their Radius label. TWC pushed a VOD release instead of a platform theatrical release and only booked Man Of Tai Chi into 110 theaters, where it pulled in $61,054 with an awful $555 per screen average. It was yanked from release after its first week with just $100,144. Radius reported the VOD gross at $1.5 million after one month on cable.