The AFI Fest, Los Angeles’ longest-running film festival, will premiere Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2” this Sunday at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. The event marks the fourth world premiere of an Eastwood-directed film at the festival, featuring stars Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, and Zoey Deutch. At 94 years old, this courtroom drama could be Eastwood’s final directorial effort.
However, Warner Bros. plans a limited release for “Juror #2,” with showings in fewer than 50 theaters across the U.S. Current listings show the film will screen in just four locations in New York City, five in the Los Angeles area, and one in Chicago. In total, it will appear in fewer than 25 locations in the country’s largest cities. The film’s official website advertises showtimes in only 18 markets, while in Canada, it will open in just one theater in Toronto.
Despite being released in various countries, including the U.S., U.K., France, Spain, Italy, and Germany, the limited distribution stands in contrast to other films in the awards season that are projected to be released across thousands of screens. A studio spokesperson confirmed that “Juror #2” would debut at AFI Fest and receive support from Warner Bros.
Sources suggest Warner Bros. may not report box office grosses for the film, a rare move for a major studio. Earlier this year, Disney employed a similar strategy with “Young Woman and the Sea,” which had a limited theatrical run before debuting on Disney+. This raised eyebrows, as the release seemed to serve merely to meet Academy Award eligibility without the promotional effort typical for serious contenders.
“Juror #2” was initially planned as a streaming release but transitioned to a theatrical format after positive screenings. Despite its mid-$30 million production budget, internal sources indicate it is not being positioned as a major Oscar contender, as it is not listed on Warner Bros.’ For Your Consideration page. Eastwood has not been a strong awards player since “American Sniper,” which garnered six nominations in 2015.
The film’s subdued release approach is surprising given Eastwood’s previous commercial success. “American Sniper” was the highest-grossing domestic film of 2014, and both “Sully” and “The Mule” earned over $100 million in North America. However, the contemporary theatrical landscape has changed, with studios viewing original adult dramas as riskier investments post-COVID.
Warner Bros. has reevaluated its partnership with Eastwood following the disappointing performance of his 2021 film “Cry Macho,” which grossed only $16.5 million against a $33 million budget. This film faced challenges from the pandemic’s aftermath and a simultaneous streaming release.
Although Eastwood regained Warner Bros.’ favor in April 2023 with the green light for “Juror #2,” the studio’s current lack of confidence in its commercial prospects is evident. Some sources suggest that the decision to release the film at all reflects gratitude for Eastwood’s long-standing loyalty to the studio, which has benefited significantly from his successful films. Yet, the limited distribution raises questions about whether this is an adequate recognition for a filmmaker of Eastwood’s stature.
Related topics:
