Convicted rapist and disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein, has some strong words to say about the recent box office performance of “She Said.”
“The film ‘She Said’ not performing at the box office isn’t a surprise,” Weinstein said in a statement via spokespeson Juda Engelmayer. “Moviegoers want to be entertained, especially now. Details of the investigation, the #MeToo movement, the stories of Weinstein and the accusers has been told over and over again these past five years and it is clear that there was little worth paying to see it here. Harvey, the film producer, and distributor, would have known that.”
Universal’s journalism drama “She Said,” the film about the New York Times investigation into Weinstein that sparked the #MeToo movement, has become one of the worst-performing wide releases in box office history, grossing a miserable $2.25 million from 2,022 theaters. But the film’s failure is just one example of several acclaimed prestige films that are getting Oscar buzz for tackling tough real-world topics but are being largely avoided by audiences looking for escapism at the multiplex.
Why ‘She Said’ Bombed at the Box Office
“She Said” has been praised by critics with an 86% Rotten Tomatoes score and has been tipped as a potential Best Picture Oscar nominee.
According to analysts, “She Said” is only seeing substantial interest from moviegoers in Los Angeles and New York, the two cities where Weinstein set up home base for his producing career and where he has faced multiple criminal charges of sexual misconduct.
In 2020, Weinstein was found guilty of third degree rape and criminal sexual acts in New York and sentenced to 23 years in prison; he is currently on trial in L.A. for seven charges of sexual assault.
Variety first reported the news.
Universal has yet to respond for request for comment.