Flight Risk is Mel Gibson’s Lowest Box Office Opening in 30 Years (But Still Won the Weekend)

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Although Mel Gibson’s thriller, Flight Risk, didn’t break any box office records during its debut weekend, it did claim the number one spot on the charts. As reported by Deadline, the movie is expected to generate between $11-12 million in its first three days. This amount, while sufficient to clinch a late-January weekend victory against scant competition, represents the lowest domestic opening for a Gibson-directed film since Braveheart in 1995 ($9.9 million). When compared to the other directorial projects of this Oscar winner, Flight Risk lags behind Hacksaw Ridge ($15.1 million), Apocalypto ($15 million), and The Passion of the Christ ($83.8 million).

Predictions suggest that by the end of this weekend, the remaining top five positions will be filled by “Mufasa” earning approximately $8 million, “One of Them Days” with around $7.2 million, “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” making about $5.1 million, and “Moana 2” taking in roughly $4 million. The newcomer of the week, “Presence”, will have to settle for the sixth position with a take of $3.1 million. “Wolf Man”, which had a lackluster debut last week, slipped from third to seventh place and earned an additional $3 million.

Since his last directorial effort, “Hacksaw Ridge” in 2016, which garnered multiple awards including six Oscar nominations, Mel Gibson has taken on the direction of a new film titled “Flight Risk“. However, unlike its predecessor, this action-thriller has been met with harsh criticism. With a score of 20% on Rotten Tomatoes, it holds the dubious record for the lowest rating among Gibson’s directorial projects. The movie features Mark Wahlberg as a hitman who seizes control of an airplane in an attempt to assassinate both an FBI agent and a mob informant.

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Initially, the release of Flight Plan was planned for October 2024, but Lionsgate shifted it to January instead. This month is often referred to as a graveyard for box office performances. As the movie’s premiere approached, viewers on social media started discussing Mark Wahlberg’s unusual hairstyle in the film, finding his balding look perfectly fitting for the character’s creepy portrayal.

The pairing of Gibson and Wahlberg had the possibility to generate a larger initial box office intake, but Flight Risk wasn’t likely to draw many viewers due to the critical reception. With better word-of-mouth, it might have been more enticing for casual cinema-goers. Essentially, Flight Risk’s performance demonstrates that Lionsgate made a smart decision in moving it from its original fall release window, where it would have been easily overshadowed by Venom: The Last Dance. By pushing it to January, the studio aimed to improve its chances of success, hoping to capitalize on minimal competition. On the positive side, Flight Risk was made with a budget of $10 million, so there’s still a chance it could turn a profit.

As a movie enthusiast, it’s looking like I might need to hold off on my next trip to the cinema for a while longer. Mark Wahlberg’s latest releases, “Dog Man” and “Love Hurts”, seem to be appealing to their intended audiences, but they’re not expected to make a massive impact outside of those demographics. However, there’s a ray of hope on the horizon: Marvel’s “Captain America: Brave New World” is set to hit the screens soon and it’s predicted to have an impressive run during the extended Presidents’ Day holiday weekend, which should give the box office a much-needed boost.

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2025-01-25 22:09