As one of the few romantic comedies to cross the threshold of $100M at the domestic box office, the March release of THE LOST CITY, starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum, proved that moviegoers would still turn out for romcoms if the film was right.
The Hollywood Reporter provides details on the making of the film, and why it was able to succeed at the box office. After having a good-but-not-great opening weekend of $30.5M, THE LOST CITY held up well in subsequent weeks with a steady flow of middle-aged women turning out. It was the first hit in the pandemic era with this demographic, a crucial segment of moviegoers who had been hesitant to return to theatres.
Since THE LOST CITY is an original story, its chief appeal was the star power of Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum. Shortly after the film’s release, Bullock announced that she would be taking a break from new projects, which is unfortunate given her track record. However, THE LOST CITY’s box office success may lead studios to support new romcom productions with big-name stars.