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Hollywood Reporter: "Ridley Scott Pins ‘The Last Duel’ Bombing on Apathetic Millennials"

MauroNL

MauroNL

What Are Ya' Buying?
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Oct 26, 2017
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www.hollywoodreporter.com

Ridley Scott Pins ‘The Last Duel’ Bombing on Apathetic Millennials

The film starring Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck cratered when it arrived exclusively in theaters in late October.
www.hollywoodreporter.com www.hollywoodreporter.com

Ridley Scott knows who to blame for his epic The Last Duel bombing this fall — and it's not Disney, which he contends did a great job promoting the historical drama.

The Oscar-nominated director dropped by Marc Maron's WTF podcast for an episode published Monday in which he discussed his iconic career. Maron said he was impressed that Scott had two enormous pictures out this year, The Last Duel and the upcoming House of Gucci.

When it arrived exclusively in theaters in late October, 20th Century's The Last Duel, starring Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck, cratered ($27 million worldwide off a $100 million budget).

Scott told Maron he was somewhat concerned the Disney-acquired Fox studio would undersell the graphic film, but that was not the case. "Disney did a fantastic promotion job," Scott said on the podcast. "The bosses loved the movie. … I was concerned it was not for them."

Scott's explanation for the horrible box office performance? Apathetic millennials.

"I think what it boils down to — what we've got today [are] the audiences who were brought up on these fucking cellphones. The millennian [sic] do not ever want to be taught anything unless you're told it on a cellphone," Scott said.

"This is a broad stroke, but I think we're dealing with it right now with Facebook," Scott added. "This is a misdirection that has happened where it's given the wrong kind of confidence to this latest generation, I think."

Scott said he stood firmly by The Last Duel, and the decision-making process at the studio was solid throughout.

"That's the call you make," he said of his undertaking the project. "That's the call Fox made. We all thought it was a terrific script. And we made it. You can't win all the time. I've never had one regret on any movie I've ever made. Nothing. I learned very early on to be your own critic. The only thing you should really have an opinion on is what you just did. Walk away. Make sure you're happy. And don't look back. That's me."
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kowhite

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May 14, 2019
4,378
I mean it's true in the sense that they weren't interested and didn't watch it. But I mean neither did any other demographic.
 
Pendas

Pendas

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Oct 28, 2017
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PlanetSmasher

PlanetSmasher

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Oct 25, 2017
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Sorry dude I'm not going to theatres for a historical drama. Or a superhero movie.

Or anything. I'm just not going to theatres.
 
Hoa

Hoa

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Jun 6, 2018
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He should have used his cellphone to look up the years millennials refers to, and then look up the years smartphones started to take off. Most of us damn sure weren't looking at the internet on our phones growing up.
 
Hilarious_Bearious

Hilarious_Bearious

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Nov 4, 2017
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There was something so immersion breaking about Ben Affleck with obviously bleached hair in the trailer that I just couldn't imagine sitting through 2 hours of it. Nothing against Affleck, I like a lot of his work, but he just looks like a modern day dude in a Halloween costume.
 
Zebesian-X

Zebesian-X

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Dec 3, 2018
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I mean, millennials probably WERE apathetic about this movie… I certainly was

I've heard it's decent but I just wasn't trying to hit a theatre for it. I'm contemplating House of Gucci tho
 
mbpm

mbpm

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Oct 25, 2017
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Hilarious_Bearious said:
There was something so immersion breaking about Ben Affleck with obviously bleached hair in the trailer that I just couldn't imagine sitting through 2 hours of it. Nothing against Affleck, I like a lot of his work, but he just looks like a modern day dude in a Halloween costume.
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Matt Damon's face is the same way to me
 
Beren

Beren

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Oct 25, 2017
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Lmao fuck off.

nobody cared about your movie. Get over it.
 
Paragon

Paragon

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May 5, 2018
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Funny that he chooses to complain about Millennials but the problem he seems to have with them is actually something that applies more to us Gen Z peeps. Like people are just so used to whinging about Millennials that they no longer even seem to know what age group the Millennials are.
 
Alucrid

Alucrid

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Oct 25, 2017
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i'm on the tail end of that spectrum and didn't have a smartphone until my second year in college
 
J_ToSaveTheDay

J_ToSaveTheDay

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Oct 25, 2017
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What I expected: "Millenials still seem concerned about going to theaters due to the pandemic... That's sad but I get it, I guess."

The gist of what was actually said: "Fucking millenials are too attached to their goddamn phones and won't go to the cinema to watch my film because they have no interest in learning about history, goddammit!"

Wow.
 
Justin Bailey

Justin Bailey

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Oct 28, 2017
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I'm confused. Is he saying the movie bombed because it wasn't realeased on streaming, so then people couldn't watch it on their cell phones? Who watches movies on their cell phone anyways?
 
Rosebud

Rosebud

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"I think what it boils down to — what we've got today [are] the audiences who were brought up on these fucking cellphones. The millennian [sic] do not ever want to be taught anything unless you're told it on a cellphone," Scott said.
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He probably thinks Millennials = born after 2000
 
Weiss

Weiss

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Millennials killing industries is just us increasing our power levels until we take down capitalism in its final form.
 

Deleted member 7148

Oct 25, 2017
6,827
My wife and I are millennials and we did our part by seeing it in theaters so don't yell at me, Ridley.

By the way, the movie is good as fuck.
 
Dekuman

Dekuman

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Oct 27, 2017
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Ridley Scott has sadly been trying to capture the magic of Gladiator since 2000. Every single film he's made since has been bad history, a bad movie or just plain bad on both counts. Haven't looked into this one yet, but it seems to have reviewed well so I'll hold judgement. He does seem a bit bitter though.
 
DiipuSurotu

DiipuSurotu

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Oct 25, 2017
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Say what you will, but this is also why the next James Bond has no chance of being a period piece. Millennials just don't watch historical films.
 
karnage10

karnage10

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Oct 27, 2017
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I saw several trailers and made the movie feel not fun.
During the pandemic i won't go see a movie i'm not almost 100% that i'll find fun
 
MrPink

MrPink

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Oct 27, 2017
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Hilarious_Bearious said:
There was something so immersion breaking about Ben Affleck with obviously bleached hair in the trailer that I just couldn't imagine sitting through 2 hours of it. Nothing against Affleck, I like a lot of his work, but he just looks like a modern day dude in a Halloween costume.
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Conversely this sounds hilariously appealing to me, along with Damon's mullet
 
UltimateHigh

UltimateHigh

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Oct 25, 2017
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Dekuman said:
Ridley Scott has sadly been trying to capture the magic of Gladiator since 2000. Every single film he's made since has been bad history, a bad movie or just plain bad on both counts. Haven't looked into this one yet, but it seems to have reviewed well so I'll hold judgement. He does seem a bit bitter though.
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Kingdom of Heaven DC is better than Gladiator.
 
Dreamwriter

Dreamwriter

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Oct 27, 2017
7,461
Considering I had never heard of this movie before it was in theaters, I disagree. I say Disney did indeed drop the ball on promoting it. I only saw the movie because a friend wanted to see any movie at the theater, looked at the list of what was showing, and said "Last Duel...something about knights dueling, by the Alien guy. Let's see it."

I did enjoy the movie, and really liked seeing it "blind", not knowing anything about it. But that's not a successful way to market a movie :)
 
NickatNite

NickatNite

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Oct 27, 2017
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I'm 32, and 2.5 hour run time is the reason why I won't see it theaters, or any film for that matter; unless it something that really intrigues me.
 
alr1ght

alr1ght

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Oct 25, 2017
10,047
"Millennials" being a catchall term for young people is just as bad a "boomer" being slang for old people. I'm a millennial and you can call me young I guess.
 
cognizant

cognizant

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Dec 19, 2017
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PlanetSmasher said:
Sorry dude I'm not going to theatres for a historical drama. Or a superhero movie.

Or anything. I'm just not going to theatres.
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That's my take. Normally I'd be all over this movie, I love history, Ridley Scott and the premise of this movie, but in the pandemic era I rarely go to the cinema, and especially for an intimate drama like this I'd rather watch it at home than with obnoxious audiences, who I can barely tolerate when watching big movies.

Only seen 3 movies this year, Dune, Bond and Eternals (got dragged to that one). The cinema experience was subpar across the board.

Hollywood: just overcharge me to watch these movies day one at home, I really don't mind paying extra.
 
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