R.I.P.D.

  • r.i.p.d. box office
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    [Total: 27 Average: 2.6]
  • Directed By: Robert Schwentke
  • Written By: Phil Hay, Matt Manfredi
  • Release Date: July 19, 2013
  • Domestic Distributor: Universal
  • Cast: Jeff Bridges, Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Bacon, Mary-Louise Parker

Box Office Info:
Budget: $154 million Financed by: Universal
Domestic Gross: $33,618,855 Overseas Gross: $44,705,365


Universal and Dark Horse Entertainment entered into a three year development deal in March 2008, where the comic book publisher would mine their catalogue of properties for the studio.  The deal was inked after both companies had a good experience mounting Hellboy II: The Golden Army and while numerous properties were developed, not a single movie was produced during those three years.  The only Dark Horse movie to emerge out of that development period was the colossal failure R.I.P.D. 

Universal financed and Deadline‘s sources informed the publication that the gross budget for R.I.P.D. was $184.1 million and after tax rebates, the net budget was $156 million.  Adding to the exorbitant costs, was just four months before it was set to be released on July 19, Universal spent millions on a conversion to 3D.  It’s hard to imagine a less appealing trailer and marketing material than this cheap looking Men in Black knockoff, starring a mouth full of marbles mumbling Jeff Bridges and a bored looking Ryan Reynolds.  R.I.P.D. was tracking poorly and Universal knew they had a complete creative misfire on their hands and reduced the marketing spend to cushion the blow.  Speaking about the movie, Jeff Bridges was quoted as saying “I was a little underwhelmed.”  Indeed.

R.I.P.D. bowed against The Conjuring, Turbo (featuring the voice of Ryan Reynolds) and Red 2 (pointless trivia: R.I.P.D. director Robert Schwentke helmed the first Red).  Universal did not screen this stinker for critics and it opened to a terrible $12,691,415 — placing #7 for the weekend led by The Conjuring.  Audiences gave R.I.P.D. a poor C+ cinemascore and it sank 52.2% in its second weekend to $6,070,525 and plummeted 60.3% in its third session to $2,409,855 and then promptly lost most of its theater count.  The domestic run closed with just $33,618,855.

The picture did not fare much better offshore, with Universal releasing in most markets to just $44.7M.  The worldwide cume was $78.3M.  Universal would see returned about $43M after theaters take their percentage of the gross — leaving at least $30M in global P&A expenses in the red and the theatrical receipts would not dent the budget.  Studio fare doesn’t misfire much worse than R.I.P.D. — which ended as loss of at least $140 million, making it one of the top 10 biggest box office disasters of all time.

15 Comments

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  1. I really loved the movie I was hoping they would’ve made a sequel. I found it funny and a very good story plot. I was very surprised to find out online that it flopped. I will never understand Hollywood and their pickiness.

  2. Loved the movie! It’s western/modern era theme was excellent!
    No I’m not making fun of it!
    With all the Bull crap that Hollywood released as movies, you have a movie picture that is
    entertaining.
    Every movie doesn’t have to be an academy award movie!

  3. This is a damn shame me and My fiance look it up to see if a second one was going to be in the making . We loved it and I’ve seen him watch it atleast four times in the past two years on a rainy day or snow day definitely know alot of friends our way that are going to be shocked that they consider this one of this biggest flops top ten
    Everyone I know LOVES this movie

  4. RIPD was ruined for me by Jeff Bridges hogging, well pretty much everything.
    “Talking” with marbles and thick custard in his mouth, he had far too many lines and the comedy elements that Ryan Reynolds had to offer locked in the dressing room.
    I’m not sure when anyone ever thought Bridges was funny.
    Dull and disappointing.
    I had to watch Dead Pool 2 to restore my faith in off beat comedy….

  5. This beats the 1st Ghostbusters and MIB, more action, more verbal banter, too bad it flopped. We watch this and Dead Heat, Ghostbuster(s), MIB(s) about every 2 years.

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