We reported recently that another football film had flopped, this time in the form of FIFA’s United Passions, making a measly $900 dollars in its opening weekend of release. Well, salt has now been rubbed into FIFA’s very raw wounds, as the film has been announced as the lowest grossing film in US cinematic history. Its final gross box office total was said to be just $918.
The film, starring cinematic heavyweights Tim Roth and Gerard Depardieu, has been confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter to have broken the unwanted record. United Passions had a reported initial budget of around $17 million, which is thought to have almost doubled in production, most of which come directly from the footballing governing body.
The film has most certainly bombed, with those associated lamenting their decisions to join. Tim Roth, of Pulp Fiction fame, said that he took the role of FIFA President Sepp Blatter simply to get out of a “financial hole” and admitted that it is “a role that will have my father turning in his grave.” Roth has also refused to do any publicity for the picture, and has not even seen the end product. Director Frederic Auburtin has also attempted to distance himself from the film stating that he is now unfairly “seen as bad as the guy who brought AIDS to Africa or the guy who caused the financial crisis.”
Auburtin revealed his tribulations to recover some dignity to the picture, which he revealed FIFA wanted to call either Men of Legend or The Dream Makers. He also claimed that he attempted to introduce a sub-text of corruption to the picture, but after FIFA had meddled in the editing process, United Passions was “totally pro-FIFA”.
To heap more embarrassment on those involved, Cannes president Thierry Fremaux revealed recently that United Passions was only screened at the 2014 Cannes film festival under pressure from star Gerard Depardieu.
Things go from rock bottom to… well, lower than rock bottom for FIFA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=CkZX95HzVyg&feature=player_embedded
Originally published June 19, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
