Key Takeaways
- Directors’ Success: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller celebrated their success with Project Hail Mary.
- New Directors: John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein are emerging directors with a focus on comedy.
- Box Office Performance: Their film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves underperformed despite positive reviews.
- Previous Works: Daley and Goldstein have written successful films like Spider-Man: Homecoming.
While Phil Lord and Christopher Miller take a well-deserved victory lap following the blockbuster success of their new film, the sci-fi epic Project Hail Mary, it’s only a matter of time before another director duo hits it out of the park in a similar fashion. John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein have been knocking on the doors of the A-list for quite some time now, with a string of well-received comedy movies under their belts. Their first real attempt to launch a blockbuster franchise, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, didn’t go according to plan, as the movie underperformed at the box office despite receiving terrific reviews.
Prior to directing the $150 million fantasy film, which starred Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez, Daley and Goldstein made their feature directorial debuts with the comedy reboot Vacation, starring Ed Helms and Christina Applegate. The film grossed nearly $110 million worldwide against a reported budget of approximately $30 million. Daley and Goldstein also established themselves as credible writers, having worked on movies such as Spider-Man: Homecoming, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, and Horrible Bosses. However, they first achieved both critical and commercial success with a dark comedy film released theatrically in 2018 and is now seeing a surge in viewership at home.
“How Can That Be Profitable for Frito-Lay?”
The movie in question is Game Night, featuring an ensemble cast led by Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams. The movie follows a couple whose game night is thrown for a loop when one of their guests goes missing. Game Night received positive reviews and is now sitting at a “Certified Fresh” 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The aggregator website’s consensus reads, “With a talented cast turned loose on a loaded premise — and a sharp script loaded with dark comedy and unexpected twists —Game Night might be more fun than the real thing.” Itgrossed around $120 million worldwide against a reported budget of $37 million , and has achieved cult status in the years since its release. According to FlixPatrol, it wasamong the most-watched movies on the domestic HBO Max chart this week. Audiences seem to be particularly amused by a line delivered byJesse Plemons ‘ character before the plot kicks into motion, when he is rebuked by the protagonists after asking to be invited for the game night. Suspicious of the large bags of snacks Bateman’s and McAdams’ characters are carrying into their house, he asks, “How can that be profitable for Frito-Lay?” It’s one for the ages, right up there with Plemons’ own, “What kind of American are you?” fromCivil War .
Game Night is streaming now on HBO Max. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
