Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is resting its box office hopes on China.
After a dismal time at the U.S. box office and overseas territories, the film will be looking to its last remaining markets to give it any chance of being profitable.
Valerian is considered to be the most expensive independent film ever made, costing $180 million, but the sci-fi adventure has only brought in $39.2 million in the U.S. and $93.3 million overseas. Its global total sits at just over $130 million.
Valerian is set for release in China (the world’s second biggest market) on Friday and should give the film a notable bump at the box office. But even if Valerian performs exceptionally it will be tough for the film to break even – experts are saying that the film will need to gross $400 million globally to do so.
SEE ALSO: Read our review of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets here
Even if Valerian finds success in its final markets, executives from rival studios say that the film could lose around $100 million from its theatrical release. However, this would not be shouldered entirely be EuroCorp – the film’s studio.
Watch our exclusive interview with director Luc Besson here…
In the 28th century,Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) are a team of special operatives charged with maintaining order throughout the human territories. Under assignment from the Minister of Defense, the two embark on a mission to the astonishing city of Alpha—an ever-expanding metropolis where species from all over the universe have converged over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence and cultures with each other. There is a mystery at the center of Alpha, a dark force which threatens the peaceful existence of the City of a Thousand Planets, and Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets features a cast that includes Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke, John Goodman, Herbie Hancock, Sam Spruell, Rutger Hauer, John Goodman, Elizabeth Debicki and Kris Wu.
Via Variety
Originally published August 22, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
