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Dungeon Siege movie in box office basement

  • By thorsen-ink, GameSpot
  • Posted Jan 14, 2008 4:30 pm PT

Uwe Boll has done it again. Like House of the Dead, Alone in the Dark, and BloodRayne, the latest game-based film from the outspoken--but never outpunched--German director, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, has bombed critically and commercially. After reviewers got medieval...

Uwe Boll has done it again. Like House of the Dead, Alone in the Dark, and BloodRayne, the latest game-based film from the outspoken--but never outpunched--German director, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, has bombed critically and commercially.

After reviewers got medieval on the RPG-inspired fantasy/adventure, audiences shunned it like the Bubonic Plague. From Friday, January 11 to Sunday, January 13, In the Name of the King took in only $3.3 million in US theaters, averaging just $2,002 on each of its 1,600 screens. The not-so-princely sum wasn't even enough to put the film in the top 10, which was capped by the Jack Nicholson/Morgan Freeman cancer comedy The Bucket List.

Though Boll is no stranger to criticism and weak grosses, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale's failure will be especially painful on two levels. First, it is unlikely that given its estimated $60 million budget, the would-be epic will become profitable via international and video sales, as Boll insists his past projects have been. Secondly, the film featured a higher-profile ensemble cast than other Boll projects, starring Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Burt Reynolds, John Rhys-Davies, Ron Perlman, Matthew Lillard, and Kristanna Loken.

Boll's upcoming game-to-film projects include the unstarted Far Cry adaptation and Postal, set for release in February.

177 Comments

  • kakatos

    Posted Sep 2, 2008 11:06 pm GMT

    he could do better graphics on Dugeon Siege II !!!

  • Big_Bang159

    Posted Aug 17, 2008 11:20 am GMT

    at least he could have done the resident evil movie better than it is now....

  • ParamedicFoetus

    Posted Jan 16, 2008 8:33 am GMT

    Much respect to thorsen-ink for the Sonatine avitar.

  • King_Jeremy_77

    Posted Jan 16, 2008 2:39 am GMT

    Uwe Boll sucks!

  • Axe_336

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 9:05 pm GMT

    At least they didn't give him Silent Hill, that movie at least ended up pretty true to the source material.

  • Devvy01

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 7:15 pm GMT

    they made more money on the popcorn

  • kazuyasongoku

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 5:11 pm GMT

    Ouch

  • HardBUCKSHOT

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 4:47 pm GMT

    he'll keep trying until he makes a blockbuster.

  • BornK1ll

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 4:11 pm GMT

    Can't wait for another "masterpiece" from THE GREAT UWE!!!
    Hail to the King of @#$#@!

  • p00phead

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 4:09 pm GMT

    his movies are worst then ones with rob schnieder

  • magc_82

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 3:36 pm GMT

    Exactly jknight5422, German law allows for the losses to be written off. The investor's invest in his films because they know they're going to fail, and then they can turn around and recoup their losses and more from the tax-free write offs. However, as I understand it, the law has recently changed to disallows such "schemes".

    Hopefully, this may be the last of the "Uwey" movies. We may start to see decent films from him, or no films at all because the investors can't recoup their losses through the government anymore.

    And yes, I sadly went to see this movie (I wanted to see Sweeney Todd, but was overruled by the group), and while I didn't walk out, it's definitely not a movie I would want to see again. Even the deathbed speech about the benefits of seaweed as a fertilizer couldn't save it...

    Matt

  • jknight5422

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 3:12 pm GMT

    I think I'd like to get in the next boxing ring challenge with Uwe Boll & stomp the crap out of him for making such horrible movies. Everyone says they suck & yet he keeps producing them. If you like throwing your money away, invest in an Uwe Boll film! Perhaps they invest in his films as a tax write off? I'll probably watch it on DVD. I may go see Postal, as long as it's as visceral as the videogame. It better be ugly, heinous, & completely tasteless.

  • sniper_99

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 3:09 pm GMT

    Lawl

  • Bad_Ass_Dr_Funk

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 3:05 pm GMT

    Why do publishers snd studios keep giving this moron the licenses? I can see him helming the movies for Bioshock, Mass Effect, and Assasins Creed. Just because. Or god forbid WoW.

  • theKSMM

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 2:51 pm GMT

    Reading this article reminds me of the "Tearjerker" episode of American Dad that was on FOX Sunday night. Is it possible that Boll is trying to make bad films for some nefarious reason? Maybe he and Jack Thompson are actually working together...

  • SemiMaster

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 2:28 pm GMT

    buzzguy : Couldn't say it better myself

  • buzzguy

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 2:09 pm GMT

    In any other industry, let alone job, if someone perpetually puts out a terrible product, they get canned. Why does this guy keep getting work?

  • dmish82

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 1:38 pm GMT

    And I thought for SURE this would be Uwe's big break as a director. LOL!

  • oboewan9999

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 12:53 pm GMT

    Uwe?
    Eeew.

  • pencilpusher69

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 12:24 pm GMT

    First, let me start with a disclaimer: Uwe Boll is one of the worst modern directors in history.

    Now that we've got that cleared up, how is it he keeps getting work you ask?

    Simple.

    Studios KNOW that his movies aren't going to make jack at the theatres.

    What they ALSO know, is that this movie will likely make 60 million in dvd sales on it's release. That's how his movies keep coming out, and why people keep giving him those kinds of budgets.

    Hate his work all you like, but he's got this gig figured out and working for him.

  • kholdstareo1

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 12:16 pm GMT

    I think an hour and a half-long video compilation of people being kicked in the balls would have not only been more entertaining, but made more money. Go ahead and pick this idea up for your next movie, Boll. You can thank me later.

  • ivan_the_one

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 11:58 am GMT

    he's a box office failure.....

  • Cabal23

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 11:48 am GMT

    Ok so if an architect build bad building he doesn't get to keep making them, so why on this green earth of ours does this idiot get to keep making movies? Failure after failure. I know his family is rich but you would think eventually that would wear thin.

  • Cablestein

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 11:45 am GMT

    How does this guy keep getting money?

    It's hilarious....

  • Entben

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 11:34 am GMT

    Boll's Next Movie should be "Indiana Jones and the Hunt for Uwe Bolls Nazi Gold". How else does he keep getting money to make these movies?

  • Mc1csmo

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 11:14 am GMT

    People, if you know anything about the entertainment business, specifically the film business, you should know that a poor film and poor US domestic boxoffice doesn't ALWAYS = losing money. I know it sounds moronic, but it's true. Beyond all the various methods with worldwide distribution, dvd's, rentals, etc, any actual loss is a writeoff against the massive gains the studio's make on their truly successful films. They can't have too many dogs, but with creative accounting (and Hollywood has the best chefs for cooking the books that there ever was) and corporate tax laws, they can still come out flush or even ahead. That's why Bank of America, which paid 4 billion (yeah, with a B) is making (or rather saving) a ton on writeoffs over the next 6 years.

  • Mc1csmo

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 11:13 am GMT

    People, if you know anything about the entertainment business, specifically the film business, you should know that a poor film and poor US domestic boxoffice doesn't ALWAYS = losing money. I know it sounds moronic, but it's true. Beyond all the various methods with worldwide distribution, dvd's, rentals, etc, any actual loss is a writeoff against the massive gains the studio's make on their truly successful films. They can't have too many dogs, but with creative accounting (and Hollywood has the best chefs for cooking the books that there ever was) and corporate tax laws, they can still come out flush or even ahead. That's why Bank of America, which paid 4 billion (yeah, with a B) is making (or rather saving) a ton on writeoffs over the next 6 years.

  • Sandman100

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 11:12 am GMT

    not a surpises

  • kaziechameleon

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 10:55 am GMT

    how can one man who makes such bad movies continue to get hired.

  • modem22

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 10:52 am GMT

    Somebody shoot him PLEASEEEE!!

  • Get_Shorty

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 10:30 am GMT

    "Tolet Boll's" last flush...

    http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/in_the_name_of_the_king_a_dungeon_siege_tale/news/1702969/

  • JackfnBurton

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 10:29 am GMT

    See gamers and movie fans, there's no need to wrack your brains trying to figure out how to destroy Uwe Boll. Give him time, and he will do it to himself. Natural Selection is still hard at work in this world my friends.

  • beckoflight

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 10:23 am GMT

    Can someone hire a HITMAN to finish the "BOWL" job !!!

  • beckoflight

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 10:22 am GMT

    Somebody HERE who is rich .......... hire a HITMAN & Kill UWE BOLL ! ........................Just something my mind springed up !

  • Last_Ride

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 10:11 am GMT

    Statham should have instead played Hitman!!!

  • Get_Shorty

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 10:11 am GMT

    Why do these Stars keep working with this guy? Do they need the money that bad? This can't make them more famous

  • Shadowsouled

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 10:01 am GMT

    Curse you Uwe Boll! Why must you be directing the move that Blind Guardian wrote a song for!

  • MACMALLEON

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 9:55 am GMT

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Thats what he gets for making Crappy movies... I mean really bad crappy movies!

  • keyhole_romance

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 9:54 am GMT

    Look at it this way, Ed Wood made terrible movies but they are still available because they are so bad that it is entertaining to see the depths that filmmaking can sink to. Uwe is a modern Ed Wood!

  • bigZmanship

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 9:49 am GMT

    *dodges tomatoes*

  • bigZmanship

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 9:47 am GMT

    >.>

  • bigZmanship

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 9:44 am GMT

    this guy is the best director to come along in a long time, like a breath of fresh air, really. he should've gotten the coveted Gears of War contract imo.

  • christopherneal

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 9:41 am GMT

    Amazing.

  • Hamwrath

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 9:14 am GMT

    I think the real problem is that he is the only person willing to do these video game movies. Look at how much trouble the Halo movie is having. I wouldn't be suprised if he eventually landed the project. I think the majority of directors are afraid of the video game movie genre or still think they're just for kids. Either way they're not making any progress.

  • thug_angel123

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 8:49 am GMT

    *POW* right in the kisser..

  • Paul_TheGreat

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 8:32 am GMT

    Uwe Boll need to stop making movies.

  • ratempa

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 8:31 am GMT

    You gotta hand it to Boll, he must be very convincing to these movie execs. Maybe he's a Jedi with mind control powers.

  • moocow21

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 8:29 am GMT

    lol @ the video of him beating up critics.

    There was no doubt that this movie wasn't going to be good, but I expected it would do at least a little better than that at the box office, considering the advertising and big name actors. Perhaps Uwe's name is bad enough to keep the audiences away.

  • redskinStu

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 8:20 am GMT

    How does this guy keep getting jobs?

  • MrLetty

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 8:05 am GMT

    This makes my hair hurt..this guy sucks so bad..

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