Dwayne Johnson can usually sell a movie with his name alone. But The Smashing Machine opened to just $5.9 million domestically, marking the lowest opening of Johnson's career.For a passion project years in the making, that's brutal. We want to take a look at the marketing that got us here, and what indie filmmakers can learn from watching a major release stumble.The film was initially projected to open in the high teens to $20 million range just three weeks before release, according to Deadline. The people who were supposed to show up (Johnson's massive fanbase, Safdie film lovers, A24 folks) just didn't. - YouTube youtu.be Word began spreading after the Toronto premiere that The Smashing Machine wasn't what broad audiences expected. It's a slow-paced drama about drug addiction, not a straightforward sports film. That's a slightly tougher sell for Johnson fans who usually turn up for high-octane action. Some insiders pointed out that A24 relied too heavily on their typical digital-social media and tastemaker-driven campaigns when they needed to play a different game. The scrappy indie distributor that built its reputation on clever, low-cost marketing can't use the same playbook when it's trying to create a big-budget blockbuster. You either commit to playing big or you don't. Half-measures get you that low $5.9 million opening.The marketing was slow to get started, too, with spots finally appearing during MLB playoffs, NFL games, and ESPN programming.And finally, if you're in film circles, you probably had someone send you the photos of director...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Today