I don’t think anyone foresaw this happening, but Damien Chazelle’s $100 million budgeted “Babylon” is set to be outgrossed by “The Whale,” which cost $3 million.
“The Whale” made another $1.2 million this weekend when compared to Babylon’s $200,000. Both films have made around $13-14 million so far at the box-office.
However, “Babylon” made $13 million overseas this weekend, including $3.5 million in France. Damien Chazelle's film, which was much better received there than in the US, has already gathered $3.5 million dollars at the box-office in France.
At the same time, its performance in 5 days practically matches its performance in 4 days in the US, for a population 5 times smaller. Its overseas tally this past weekend, which is more than its entire American box-office, will probably still not help the film break even. Not by a wide margin.
I never doubted French film critics would fall hard for Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon.” The film was released in France on Wednesday and, as it currently stands, with 44 reviews amassed it has an impressive 4.0 rating on AlloCine (France’s equivalent to Rotten Tomatoes).
Someone’s also pointed me out to Babylon’s impressive 7.6 rating on IMDB, which means there’s clearly a divide between audiences and critics when it comes to this film.