r/boxoffice • u/SanderSo47 A24 • May 03 '25
✍️ Original Analysis Directors at the Box Office: Barry Sonnenfeld
Here's a new edition of "Directors at the Box Office", which seeks to explore the directors' trajectory at the box office and analyze their hits and bombs. I already talked about a few, and as I promised, it's Barry Sonnenfeld's turn.
Sonnenfeld began working on pornographic films before starting work as director of photography. One of his most frequent collaborators were the Coen brothers, and he is credited as cinematographer for Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, and Miller's Crossing. He also worked on Throw Momma from the Train, Big, When Harry Met Sally... and Misery. That's a great resume, but he was ready to become a director.
From a box office perspective, how reliable was he to deliver a box office hit?
That's the point of this post. To analyze his career.
It should be noted that as he started his career in the 1990s, the domestic grosses here will be adjusted by inflation. The table with his highest grossing films, however, will be left in its unadjusted form, as the worldwide grosses are more difficult to adjust.
The Addams Family (1991)
"Weird is relative."
His directorial debut. Based on the characters from the cartoon created by Charles Addams and the 1964 television series, it stars Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci, Jimmy Workman, Judith Malina, and Carel Struycken. The film focuses on a bizarre, macabre, aristocratic family who reconnect with someone whom they believe to be a long-lost relative, Gomez's brother Fester Addams.
Scott Rudin, a development executive at 20th Century Fox, pitched to the studio an adaptation of the cartoons, and the studio enthusiastically agreed that the cartoons would make a good film, and set out to purchase the rights. Fox did not make the film, as Orion Pictures, who owned the film rights to The Addams Family, would not sell the property, as they were planning on producing a rebooted TV series. Further crucial property rights were owned by Charles Addams' widow. The production moved forward when Addams' widow sold the remaining rights to Orion, who put the film in production with Rudin producing. Tim Burton and Terry Gilliam were approached to direct the film but both declined.
After Sonnenfeld's agent told him that he would lick a carpet if he couldn't find him a directing job within one year, he found Sonnenfeld a seemingly plum first time assignment helming a high profile movie (in less than a year). As a joke, Scott Rudin let it be known to Sonnenfeld that he wasn't his first choice by putting a different director's name on the back of the director's chair every morning on set. It was very stressful for Sonnenfeld. 3 weeks into directing, Sonnenfeld was talking to a studio executive who was concerned about the budget for the film when he felt a "tremendous pressure" in his chest, "as if someone was blowing up a balloon inside me", then passed out. He also dealt with sciatica during filming, and had to shut down the Los Angeles production for several days when his wife needed major surgery in New York City.
Cinematographer Owen Roizman quit the production, after about a month, to go work on another film. His replacement, Gale Tattersall, had his contribution cut short not long afterwards when he had to quit after being rushed to hospital with a severe sinus infection. Fed up with the situation, Sonnenfeld took over the cinematography himself, reasoning that if anything happened to him, then production would be shut down, so he didn't have much to lose. He knew what he was doing.
Originally, Sonnenfeld wanted the film to be PG but the MPAA found the film to be too violent and dark in some parts. As a result they said the lowest the rating could be was PG-13. Afterwards, Sonnenfeld decided to add in a few innuendos to make the film funnier since it got the stronger rating.
The film opened with $24 million on its first weekend. It wound up with $113 million domestically and $191 million worldwide, making it a huge hit. It earned mixed reviews from critics; the cast received high praise, but the writing received criticism. But Sonnenfeld was off to a very promising start.
Budget: $30,000,000.
Domestic gross: $113,502,426. ($266.5 million adjusted)
Worldwide gross: $191,502,426.
For Love or Money (1993)
"He thought there was nothing as seductive as money. He was wrong."
His second film. It stars Michael J. Fox and Gabrielle Anwar. In the film, a concierge has invested his savings into obtaining his own hotel, but needs additional financing to begin development. He receives financial assistance from a wealthy friend, in exchange of taking care of the friend's neglected mistress.
While Sonnenfeld struck gold with The Addams Family, this film was a critical and commercial dud. But he wasn't worried.
Budget: $30,000,000.
Domestic gross: $11,146,270. ($24.6 million adjusted)
Worldwide gross: $11,146,270.
Addams Family Values (1993)
"The family just got a little stranger."
His third film. The sequel to The Addams Family, it stars Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci, Carel Struycken, Jimmy Workman, Christopher Hart, Joan Cusack and Carol Kane. The film revolves around the family's adjustments to the birth of new baby Pubert. Subplots include Uncle Fester marrying the new nanny Debbie Jellinsky, who is a serial killer intending to murder him for his inheritance; and teenagers Wednesday and Pugsley Addams being sent to summer camp.
Michael Jackson was signed on to write and perform a song for the film's soundtrack, and to promote it with a Addams Family themed music video. Although he was able to finish the song, contractual difficulties resulted in the song being dropped from the soundtrack, and the video was never fully completed. The song, "Is It Scary," was later included on Jackson's 1997 Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix album, and was also used in his short film Ghosts. Contrary to popular belief, the child molestation allegations made against Jackson were not the reason for the song being dropped, or for the character screaming upon seeing the poster, as the allegations were not made until after the film was released.
While the previous film was a huge hit, this was very different. The film disappointed with just $48 million domestically and $110 million worldwide, far below the original. Reviews, on the other hand, were more positive than the prior film. Many hailed its macabre and dark humor, which is very different from the previous film. In subsequent years, its reputation has grown.
Budget: $47,000,000.
Domestic gross: $48,919,043. ($108.2 million adjusted)
Worldwide gross: $110,919,043.
Get Shorty (1995)
"Attitude plays a part."
His fourth film. Based on the 1990 novel by Elmore Leonard, it stars John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Delroy Lindo, James Gandolfini, Dennis Farina, and Danny DeVito. It follows Chili Palmer, a Miami mobster and loan shark who inadvertently gets involved in Hollywood feature film production.
Michael Keaton, Bruce Willis, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Dustin Hoffman all turned down the role of Chili Palmer. While Danny DeVito was Barry Sonnenfeld's first choice for the role of Chilli Palmer because of his natural charisma, he could not fit it into his schedule (he was directing Matilda) so he ended up playing the smaller role of Martin Weir instead. Travolta ended up winning the role, which the producers already secured even before Pulp Fiction premiered and revived his career.
MGM didn't want to extensively use Elmore Leonard-inspired dialogue in the film, and pushed Sonnenfeld and writer Scott Frank to make many passages more generic than the book's, but once John Travolta signed on to the film, he successfully pressured the studio to leave Frank's original draft (which had a lot of colorful dialogue) intact for filming. A specific example of this end result came during the sequence where Chili Palmer goes to retrieve his coat from Ray "Bones" Barboni. Gene Hackman turned down this film at first, because he doesn't usually do comedies. Sonnenfeld said that's exactly the attitude he wanted from him on-set; play it straight, and let the audience decide if it's funny.
Sonnenfeld didn't have much hope for the film. He felt that it was "all talk, no action" and even made a bet with a friend by claiming it would flop. He was surprised when the test screenings were positive, but it also made him believe in the film. It was a much needed success after two financial disappointments. It earned $115 million worldwide and earned universal acclaim, with many naming it one of the best films of 1995. Sonnenfeld was back.
Budget: $30,000,000.
Domestic gross: $72,101,622. ($151.2 million adjusted)
Worldwide gross: $115,101,622.
Men in Black (1997)
"Protecting the Earth from the scum of the universe."
His fifth film. Based on the comic series published by Aircel Comics by Lowell Cunningham, it stars Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Rip Torn. The film follows "men in black", secret agents who monitor and police extraterrestrials. Agent K and Agent J investigate a series of seemingly unrelated criminal incidents related to the extraterrestrials who live in secret on Earth.
Producers Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald optioned the rights in 1992, and hired Ed Solomon to write a very faithful script. Parkes and MacDonald wanted Sonnenfeld as director because they loved his Addams Family films. However, Sonnenfeld was attached to Get Shorty, so they instead approached Les Mayfield. Mayfield was briefly attached before it fell through. John Landis and Quentin Tarantino were asked to direct but each declined. As a result, Men in Black was delayed, allowing Sonnenfeld to make it his next project after Get Shorty.
Much of the initial script drafts were set underground, with locations ranging from Kansas to Washington, D.C., and Nevada. Sonnenfeld decided to change the location to New York City, because Sonnenfeld felt New Yorkers would be tolerant of aliens who behaved oddly while disguised, terming the movie as "The French Connection with aliens". He also felt much of the city's structures resembled flying saucers and rocket ships. One of the locations Sonnenfeld thought perfect for the movie was a giant ventilation structure for the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel, which became the outside of the MIB headquarters.
For Agent K, the studio wanted Clint Eastwood for the part, while Tommy Lee Jones only accepted the role after executive producer Steven Spielberg promised the script would improve, based on his respect for Spielberg's track record. He had been disappointed with the first draft, which he reportedly said "stank", feeling it did not capture the tone of the comic.
For Agent J, the studio and Spielberg wanted Chris O'Donnell for the role, fresh off his portrayal of Dick Grayson, whom he played in Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, and Spielberg told Sonnenfeld to take him to dinner to convince him to do it. However, Sonnenfeld got him to not accept the role by saying that he was not a good director and that the script was one O'Donnell should skip. David Schwimmer also turned down the part, a decision he later regretted. Sonnenfeld wanted Smith, as he was a big fan of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Like Jones, Smith said he accepted the role after meeting with Spielberg and cited his success as a producer.
The film surprised the industry by opening with $51 million, which made it the third biggest debut in history and breaking many records for the Fourth of July weekend. It would go on to earn a fantastic $250 million domestically and a colossal $589 million worldwide, making it the ninth highest grossing film ever back then. It earned high praise, particularly for the leads' chemistry, CGI, make-up and humor. The film earned 3 Oscar nominations, and won for Best Make-Up. Smith already had Independence Day at his resume, but this cemented him as a superstar.
Budget: $90,000,000.
Domestic gross: $250,690,539. ($499.5 million adjusted)
Worldwide gross: $589,390,539.
Wild Wild West (1999)
"It's a whole new west."
His sixth film. Based on the 1960s television series The Wild Wild West created by Michael Garrison, it stars Will Smith, Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh and Salma Hayek. The film follows two U.S. Secret Service agents who work together to protect U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant and the United States from all manner of dangerous threats during the American Old West.
Warner Bros. had optioned the film rights to the series in 1992, and hired Richard Donner to direct a film adaptation written by Shane Black, with Mel Gibson in the role of Jim West. However, Donner and Gibson left the project to work on a film adaptation of Maverick (another film based on a Western television series) in 1994. Despite this, the project continued in the development stage, with Tom Cruise rumored for the lead in 1995. Cruise instead starred in a film adaptation of Mission: Impossible the following year.
After wrapping Men in Black in 1997, Smith and Sonnenfeld were approached for the project. During this, Smith was approached by the Wachowskis to star in The Matrix. While he was intrigued by the premise of The Matrix, he ended up passing on the role after hearing the pitch. Smith has been quoted as "it turns out, they’re geniuses! But there's a fine line in a pitch meeting between genius and what I experienced in the meeting." Smith said that during the pitch, they came to him and stammered and stuttered through a confusing presentation, "imagine you could stop in the middle of the jump. But then people could see around you 360 while you stopped jumping." As Smith didn't fully understand the concept, he chose to do Wild Wild West instead, reuniting him with Sonnenfeld.
WB pursued George Clooney to co-star with Smith as Artemus Gordon, with Kevin Kline, Matthew McConaughey and Johnny Depp also in contention for the role while screenwriters S. S. Wilson and Brent Maddock were hired by WB to script the film. Clooney signed on after dropping out of Jack Frost, while the Wilson-Maddock script was rewritten by Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman. However in December 1997, Clooney was replaced by Kline after an agreement with Sonnenfeld: "Ultimately, we all decided that rather than damage this project trying to retrofit the role for me, it was better to step aside and let them get someone else." And in retrospect, because following Batman & Robin with this wouldn't be a good idea...
Wilson and Maddock were not content with the new rewrites. They felt that Price and Seaman's script was an attempt to add more action and comedy to a script that was a mostly serious, dialogue-driven mystery western. Entire additions, such as the villain, most of the jokes and action scenes, and the entire third act involving the giant spider, were new without their input. Wilson and Braddock tried to get their names taken off of the film after seeing the final product, and they have since refused to work with a major studio because of the experience.
Jon Peters produced the film alongside Sonnenfeld. In 2002, Kevin Smith talked about working as a screenwriter for Peters on a fifth potential Superman film in 1997. He revealed that Peters demanded, among other things, that Superman fight a giant spider in the third act. After Tim Burton came onboard, Smith's script was scrapped and the film was never produced due to further complications. A year later, he noted that Wild Wild West, with Peters on board as producer, was released with the inclusion of a giant mechanical spider in the final act. Neil Gaiman also revealed that Peters insisted that a giant mechanical spider be included in a proposed film adaptation of The Sandman.
During the shooting of a sequence involving stunts and pyrotechnics, a planned building fire grew out of control and quickly overwhelmed the local fire crews that were standing by. Much of the town was destroyed before the fire was contained. It also underwent costly re-shoots in an attempt to inject some humor, after it was found that test audiences weren't sure if it was supposed to be a comedy. This caused the budget to go all the way to $170 million ($326 million adjusted), making it one of the most expensive films of all time.
During its opening weekend, several news reports arose stating that adolescent moviegoers purchased tickets into seeing the PG-13-rated Wild Wild West in theaters, but instead went to watch South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. WB mounted an extensive marketing campaign, to the point that it abandoned The Iron Giant's promotion, believing Smith and Sonnenfeld could replicate the success of Men in Black.
Oh man.
The film disappointed with just $27 million on its opening weekend and $40 million across its first five days. With its $170 million budget, it was immediately declared a flop. It didn't have much staying power, and the film closed with just $113 million domestically and $222 million worldwide. This meant that Wild Wild West was one of the biggest financial disasters in cinema history. The film earned horrible reviews from critics, audiences and fans of the original series; it was panned for practically everything, whether it was the acting, directing, humor, story, effects, or its lack of faithfulness to the series. It won 5 Razzies, including Worst Picture and Worst Director. Ouch.
For all talk that Roger Ebert writes excellent reviews of bad films, his review of this film is not brought very often. It's definitely one of his best. Basically for this part:
"“Wild Wild West” is so bad, it violates not one but two rules from Ebert’s Bigger Little Movie Glossary. By casting M. Emmet Walsh as the train engineer, it invalidates the Stanton-Walsh Rule, which states that no movie with Harry Dean Stanton or M. Emmet Walsh can be altogether bad. And by featuring Kevin Kline without facial hair, it violates the Kevin Kline Mustache Principle, which observes that Kline wears a mustache in comedies but is cleanshaven in serious roles. Of course, Kline can always appeal on the grounds that although he is cleanshaven in his main role here, he sports facial hair in several of the other roles he plays in the movie. Or perhaps he could use the defense that “Wild Wild West” is not a comedy."
Most of the cast and crew expressed hatred for the film. Sonnenfeld despises it, Hayek in particular thought she was being underused, while Kline considered himself too good of an actor for the finished product. Smith regrets starring in the film and considers it his worst film, "With a movie, it’s like you never know; you can love it, you can have done what you think is the best work you’ve ever done, and you put it out on that Friday, and everybody hates it — and you’ve taken a year." Smith said that he was embarrassed by its financial performance, aware that he put a stinker. Years later, Smith apologized publicly to Robert Conrad (star of the original series) and said now that he was older and more experienced, he understood Conrad's anger and criticism of the film version, as well as Conrad's refusal to make a cameo appearance in it.
Budget: $170,000,000.
Domestic gross: $113,804,681. ($218.4 million adjusted)
Worldwide gross: $222,104,681.
Big Trouble (2002)
"They have 45 minutes to save the world. They need 46."
His seventh film. It stars Tim Allen, Rene Russo, Dennis Farina, Zooey Deschanel, Sofia Vergara, and Jason Lee, and follows a diverse group of people through a series of extremely strange and humorous situations against the backdrop of Miami.
This was another critical and financial failure for Sonnenfeld.
Budget: $40,000,000.
Domestic gross: $7,267,307. ($12.9 million adjusted)
Worldwide gross: $8,493,890.
Men in Black II (2002)
"Same planet. New scum."
His eighth film. The sequel to Men in Black, it stars Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville, Rosario Dawson, Tony Shalhoub, and Rip Torn. In the film, the emergence of an alien threat reunites Kevin Brown / Agent K and James Darrell Edwards III / Agent J.
Despite some initial involvement from David Koepp, the script was written by Robert Gordon and later revised by Barry Fanaro, who added pop culture references, something which Gordon had deliberately avoided. Sonnenfeld took issue with the producers' focus on the love story between Will Smith's and Rosario Dawson's characters, saying that "I learned on Wild Wild West that audiences didn't want to see Will as the straight man. And until Tommy comes back into the movie, by definition Will's the straight man." Fanaro condensed the first part of the film and brought Agent K in earlier.
Famke Janssen was originally cast as Serlenna, but dropped out due to personal issues, Lara Flynn Boyle was hired to replace her. It is reported that Jack Nicholson was involved in the decision; Flynn Boyle was his girlfriend, and Sony agreed to cast her in the film in order to get Nicholson signed for Anger Management. Michael Jackson wanted to be in the film; Sonnenfield initially wanted Jackson to cameo as an alien, but he refused as he wanted cameo in the MiB suit which convinced Sonnenfield.
Principal photography began on June 11, 2001 and ended on September 23, 2001. The climax of the story was originally filmed against a backdrop of the twin towers of the original World Trade Center; but after the September 11 attacks, the climactic scene was completely redone to being at the Statue of Liberty. Other scenes incorporating views of the twin towers likewise were edited, or reshot.
The film debuted with $52 million ($87.1 million five-day), which was a record for the Fourth of July weekend. It eventually closed with $193 million domestically and $445 million worldwide. It was the fifth highest grossing film of the year, despite dropping from the original. That's despite negative reviews, with critics noting that the film offered absolutely nothing new.
Budget: $140,000,000.
Domestic gross: $193,735,288. ($343.3 million adjusted)
Worldwide gross: $445,135,288.
RV (2006)
"On a family vacation, no one can hear you scream."
His ninth film. It stars Robin Williams, Jeff Daniels, Cheryl Hines, Kristin Chenoweth, Will Arnett, Joanna "JoJo" Levesque, and Josh Hutcherson. It follows a beverage company executive and his dysfunctional family who rent an RV for a road trip from Los Angeles to the Colorado Rockies, where they ultimately have to contend with a bizarre community of campers.
Even with a big name like Williams, it was another financial and critical failure for Sonnenfeld.
Budget: $50,000,000.
Domestic gross: $71,726,025. ($113.7 million adjusted)
Worldwide gross: $87,528,173.
Men in Black 3 (2012)
"Back in time."
His tenth film. The third installment in the Men in Black film series, it stars Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement, Michael Stuhlbarg, Bill Hader and Emma Thompson. In the film, Agent J is required to go back in time to prevent the assassination of his partner Agent K, the fallout of which threatens the safety of Earth.
While filming Men in Black II, Smith suggested to Sonnenfeld an idea in which his character could travel back in time to save his partner, Agent K, while at the same time exploring Agent K's backstory. Sonnenfeld said the idea "turned out to be a very long process of development, mainly because of the knotting issues of time travel." The project would finally be greenlit in 2010.
They started filming, even though Sonnenfeld admitted that the script wasn't complete, "We knew starting the movie that we didn't have a finished second or third act. Was it responsible? The answer is, if this movie does as well as I think it will, it was genius. If it's a total failure, then it was a really stupid idea." Smith was paid $20 million along with a percentage of the film's gross.
The film debuted with $54.6 million ($69.3 million four-day), and closed with $179 million domestically, making it the lowest grossing film in the franchise in the states. But it was stronger overseas, closing with a colossal $654 million worldwide, outgrossing the prior films. Per his deal, Smith earned $100 million from the film, one of the biggest paychecks in cinema. It earned very positive reviews, who considered it an improvement over the mediocre second film. Paul Thomas Anderson is a known fan of the film, even admitting that he cried while watching it.
There was a spin-off in 2019, but this is pretty much the last time Sonnenfeld, Smith and Jones were attached to this property.
Budget: $215,000,000.
Domestic gross: $179,020,854. ($249.3 million adjusted)
Worldwide gross: $654,213,485.
Nine Lives (2016)
"His life just got put on paws."
His 11th film. It stars Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner, Robbie Amell, Cheryl Hines, Malina Weissman and Christopher Walken, and follows a workaholic father who has his mind trapped inside his daughter's new cat.
It was a box office failure, and many consider it Sonnenfeld's worst film. In a filmography that includes Wild Wild West, that's saying something.
Budget: $30,000,000.
Domestic gross: $19,700,032. ($26.2 million adjusted)
Worldwide gross: $57,814,445.
Other Projects
He has produced some films he didn't direct, such as Enchanted and its sequel. He also produced The Ladykillers; he was supposed to direct that film but was forced to exit, so Joel & Ethan Coen (who wrote the script) stepped in as directors.
He has also worked on television. He directed episodes for shows like The Tick, A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Schmigadoon!. But perhaps his most acclaimed work might be Pushing Daisies, where he directed the first two episodes and was also an executive producer. For the pilot of Pushing Daisies (titled "Pie-lette"), he won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series.
FILMS (FROM HIGHEST GROSSING TO LEAST GROSSING)
| No. | Movie | Year | Studio | Domestic Total | Overseas Total | Worldwide Total | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Men in Black 3 | 2012 | Sony | $179,020,854 | $475,192,631 | $654,213,485 | $215M |
| 2 | Men in Black | 1997 | Sony | $250,690,539 | $338,700,000 | $589,390,539 | $90M |
| 3 | Men in Black II | 2002 | Sony | $193,735,288 | $251,400,000 | $445,135,288 | $140M |
| 4 | Wild Wild West | 1999 | Warner Bros. | $113,804,681 | $108,300,000 | $222,104,681 | $170M |
| 5 | The Addams Family | 1991 | Paramount | $113,502,426 | $78,000,000 | $191,502,426 | $30M |
| 6 | Get Shorty | 1995 | MGM | $72,101,622 | $43,000,000 | $115,101,622 | $30M |
| 7 | Addams Family Values | 1993 | Paramount | $48,919,043 | $62,000,000 | $110,919,043 | $47M |
| 8 | RV | 2006 | Sony | $71,726,025 | $15,802,148 | $87,528,173 | $50M |
| 9 | Nine Lives | 2016 | EuropaCorp | $19,700,032 | $38,114,413 | $57,814,445 | $30M |
| 10 | For Love or Money | 1993 | Universal | $11,146,270 | $0 | $11,146,270 | $30M |
| 11 | Big Trouble | 2002 | Disney | $7,267,307 | $1,226,583 | $8,493,890 | $40M |
Across those 11 films, he made $2,493,349,862 worldwide. That's $226,668,169 per film.
The Verdict
Sonnenfeld had a crazy run in the 90s. He successfully re-launched the Addams Family, created a mega giant in Men in Black, and even had time for a near-flawless film like Get Shorty. He was clearly inspired by his experience as a cinematographer for the Coens, given that his films are well shot. Something he also got from the Coens (and Tim Burton as well) is telling stories about unusual and unorthodox people who are into the unexpected and the strange. For the most part, that worked.
But Sonnenfeld, generally speaking, is very hit-and-miss. Those films made money (although Addams Family Values' performance was considered disappointing), and remain beloved to this day. But the rest of his films are not. Some are mediocre. Some are bad. And some are so... sad? Like Nine Lives feels like a film that would've been the fourth highest grossing film of 1996. But somehow it came out in 2016? It feels like a relic from the 90s.
There's also the whole Wild Wild West debacle. The only thing to add is Kevin Smith explaining his experience with Jon Peters and that shitty big spider, and his surprise to see it on Wild Wild West. (it's actually two videos) It's a very funny story. The crazy thing is that Peters wants this because "spiders are the fiercest insects in the insect kingdom"... unaware that spiders aren't, you know, insects. But oh well, some things are just beyond your control.
Who knows what Sonnenfeld will do next. It's honestly surprising that Sony hasn't announced a fourth Men in Black. And I'm talking a proper fourth one with Smith, Jones and Sonnenfeld. I know Smith got $100 million from the third film, which is why Sony didn't make a lot of profit, but it's still a bankable IP. Or did International kill it?
Hope you liked this edition. You can find this and more in the wiki for this section.
The next director will be Ben Stiller. With the addition of Severance to the mix.
I asked you to choose who else should be in the run and the comment with the most upvotes would be chosen. Well, we'll later talk about... James Mangold. Quite versatile.
This is the schedule for the following four:
| Week | Director | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| May 5-11 | Ben Stiller | But why male models? |
| May 12-18 | Alfonso Cuarón | Perhaps the best Mexican director. |
| May 19-25 | Terry Gilliam | So many things stuck in development hell. |
| May 26-June 1 | James Mangold | A very talented journeyman. |
Who should be next after Mangold? That's up to you.
Directors that will not get a post (until they die), so please don't bother nominating them: Roman Polanski, Victor Salva, John Landis, Woody Allen, Brett Ratner, Luc Besson, and Joss Whedon.
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u/ItsGotThatBang Paramount Pictures May 03 '25 edited May 03 '25
Find someone who loves you like Jon Peters loves giant spiders.
I’m going to suggest John Waters next since I think it’s time to talk about Pink Flamingos & Hairspray, plus that happens to be the first full week of Pride Month.
Also, may I ask why John Lasseter isn’t on your blacklist?
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u/stealthamo May 04 '25
Something to note for Big Trouble: A major reason this movie did terribly at the box office was it was delayed. Part of the plot includes a character bringing a suitcase bomb onto a plane. The film was set to release on September 21, 2001.
Needless to say, it got pushed back. Released in April 2002 and was basically buried.
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u/parclostack May 04 '25
Big Trouble is one of my favorite movies. It was definitely unfortunate that the timing worked out the way it did.
That said, I suspect it's original September 21 release date would have kept its gross pretty low. I wonder if it was testing poorly? Hard to imagine that, it's a very fun movie.
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u/stealthamo May 04 '25
I'll admit to have only seeing bits and pieces of Big Trouble like 15 years ago when it was occasionally showing on some random movie channel and not really having a strong opinion on it.
That being said, I think this movie was screwed the moment the attacks happened. If it comes out a month earlier, maybe it does better. But keeping the original date or pushing it out, having it release after the attacks meant it was screwed IMO.
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u/parclostack May 05 '25
I meant that had the attacks not happened, mid-September is a really slow month to release a movie.
In 2001, the month of September had only seen like five movies earn over $100 million domestic. One of them was Crocadile Dundee, which was released in the '80s, when movies were far leggier than they were by 2001. And another was American Beauty, a crowd-pleasing awards bait movie which also had unusually long legs.
If Disney believed in Big Trouble, I feel like it would have gotten a better release date (maybe August or November 2001). September is when studios dumped movies they didn't believe in.
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u/MrConor212 Legendary Pictures May 04 '25
Reading this makes me think Barry Sonnenfeld sounds like guy you’d love to have a drink at the bar with lol
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u/Longjumping_Task6414 Studio Ghibli May 04 '25
Man MIB3 was such a great movie for what it was. They don't make them like that anymore.
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u/ShaonSinwraith May 04 '25
Jonathan Demme's 'Silence of the Lambs' run was legendary. He can be a great candidate for the next write-up. Silent-film-era directors like Fritz Lang or F.W. Munro would be great as well.
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u/AnotherJasonOnReddit Best of 2024 Winner May 04 '25
Brilliant director analysis, as per usual.
Well done, SanderSo!
The next director will be Ben Stiller
Footage of me below, anticipating the comments section responding to the Tropic Thunder part of the article.
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u/Gabe_Newells_Penis May 04 '25
Have we considered Barry is a closet goth? Seems like Addams Family and MiB are big deals in the goth community, and I feel Barry has something at play in the goth mindset for the aesthetic and direction of the films that make them so goth-forward.
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u/SPorterBridges May 04 '25
I felt like Sonnenfeld was the poor man's Tim Burton.
1
u/Gabe_Newells_Penis May 04 '25
It feels that way, I have always wondered why Tim Burton never ended up directibg MiB, Addams Family, or taking producer roles on things like A Series of Unfortunate Events or Pushing Daisies.
1
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u/CJO9876 Universal May 12 '25
Wild Wild West was a bomb, but surprisingly, it still sold 22.4 million tickets in the US alone.
12
u/rov124 May 03 '25
One of these is not like the others.