Following the box office disappointment of Shelter earlier this year, Jason Statham once again faced a setback with Mutiny, another misfire directed by Jean-François Richet. Beyond its poor critical reception, the action film was severely hampered by Amazon Prime Video, Lionsgate's VOD partner for North American distribution. The streaming service accidentally released the full film on its platform for several hours, a mere two days before its official domestic theatrical debut.
This 'Die Hard on a boat' starring the British actor quickly found its way onto illegal download sites, providing an easy alternative for those who might have considered seeing it in cinemas. Unsurprisingly, less than a month after its official release, Mutiny has confirmed its colossal failure, a situation unlikely to be salvaged by VOD sales this time around.
Like its predecessor, Shelter, Mutiny reportedly cost $50 million, excluding marketing. It has grossed less than $27 million worldwide, with only $15 million domestically. The numbers clearly don't add up. After an already disastrous opening weekend of $7.7 million, the recent extended Labor Day weekend added a mere $1 million, despite still playing in 1380 theaters.
Over the traditional three-day weekend, Mutiny earned just over $883,000, marking a 68% drop in attendance, which followed an initial steep decline of 64%. This wouldn't be as dire if the film could rebound with a Premium VOD release or if it enjoyed at least slightly stronger international performance.
Shelter, for instance, performed slightly worse in the United States and Canada ($12.8 million vs. $15 million for Mutiny), but it recouped over 76% of its revenue internationally, bringing its total box office to $54 million. While not a success, its failure was certainly less pronounced. Mutiny, on the other hand, was released in only about twenty territories, compared to over 70 for Shelter. It's plausible that several foreign distributors opted out of the film, avoiding a delayed release after its theatrical flop and premature 4K leak online. However, since some distributors had already acquired the rights, Amazon will likely face a substantial bill to compensate for losses directly attributable to the platform's gaffe.