Juror #2is performing well at the box office in spite of its limitations. Even though the project, which stars Nicholas Hoult as a juror facing a moral quandary, could beClint Eastwood’s last movie, it has received minimal support from Warner Bros. Pictures in its domestic debut. A recent report suggested that it may never expand beyond a 50-theater limited run and that the distributor is not reporting their own box office numbers, in a move that could reflect doubt that it will perform well either commercially or as an awards contender.
PerDeadline, reporting from 35 theaters shows thatJuror #2’s projected 3-day domestic opening weekend total is between $260,000 and $275,000, which isa solid per-screen average of roughly $7,500. To compare, the opening weekend per-screen average forVenom: The Last Dance, which cost more than 3 timesJuror #2’s roughly $35 million budget, was $12,348, while the comparably budgetedSmile 2has a per-screen average of $6,361.
Variety’s international box office report has also confirmed thatJuror #2has debuted with $5 million overseasin just six territories including France, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
What This Means For Juror #2
The Clint Eastwood Movie’s Success Could Mean Expansion
One reason that Warner Bros. Pictures reportedly had no intention of expanding theJuror #2releasefurther could be the fact thatClint Eastwood’s movies have recently had diminishing critical and commercial returns. Of his five post-AmericanSniperdirectorial efforts, only two -SullyandRichard Jewell- were nominated for Oscars, and they only had one nomination apiece with zero wins. His most recent movie, 2021’sCry Macho, was also a commercial disappointment, grossing $16.5 million against its $33 million budget in the pandemic-depressed marketplace.
Sullywas nominated for Best Sound Editing whileRichard Jewellwas nominated for Best Supporting Actress (Kathy Bates).
However, his new outing could be a reversal of that trend. Its opening weekend success, combined withJuror #2reviewslanding the movie a near-perfect Certified Fresh 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, could very well spell Oscar buzz for the movie, which features a star-studded cast that also includes Toni Collette, J. K. Simmons, and Kiefer Sutherland. If its release continues to build momentum,it is entirely possible that Warner Bros. will reverse their decision and allow it to expand into a wider release.
Our Take On Juror #2’s Opening Weekend
The Future Looks Bright
Even ifJuror #2never expands further, its box office performance is remarkable on its own terms. In fact, it has turned outthe highest opening weekend per-screen average for Eastwood since 2016’sSully($9,937), beating outThe 15:17 to Paris($4,126),The Mule($6,765),Richard Jewell($1,880), andCry Macho($1,115). Should this indeed be the director’s final movie, its commercial and critical prospects seem strong enough that he is going out with a bang rather than a whimper.
Juror #2
Cast
Justin Kemp, a juror in a prominent murder trial, encounters a moral conflict as he realizes his influence over the jury’s decision. Struggling with the potential consequences, he faces the ethical challenge of possibly swaying the verdict to either convict or free the wrong individual, complicating his role significantly.
