‘Running Man‘ Box Office Disappointment Linked to Last-Minute Marketing Pullback
Los Angeles, CA – The underperformance of the recently released action thriller Running Man, which debuted to a North American box office of just $17 million against expectations of $20 million, appears to stem from a strategic decision by the studio to considerably curtail marketing spend in the final weeks leading up to it’s release.
Sources indicate the studio reacted to early indicators suggesting a weaker-than-anticipated opening,opting to limit further financial losses by scaling back promotional efforts. This move came as Running Man was positioned to capitalize on the Thanksgiving holiday period, sandwiched between releases like Predator: Badlands and Wicked: For Good. Despite an “R” rating - a factor initially considered potentially detrimental, though films like Deadpool have proven successful with the same classification – the core issue appears to be a lack of sustained audience awareness.
The film’s disappointing launch adds to a growing trend of high-budget, nostalgia-driven projects failing to resonate with audiences. The situation echoes the recent “cataclysmic failure” of Disney’s Tron: Ares, which grossed under $150 million on a $220 million production budget. Industry analysts suggest the Running Man results may force studios to reassess the viability of relying solely on 1980s-era intellectual property as a guaranteed box office draw.The film carries a production budget of $110 million, excluding promotional costs, and its future success hinges on international performance.
