Is sabotage to blame for the less than stellar commercial response garnered by Taraji P. Henson‘s action movie ‘Proud Mary’?
According to one well-placed industry insider the answer to that question is…yes.
I asked everyone at this showing of PROUD MARY to gather together for a selfie. Here it is! pic.twitter.com/7gGVHC9c4F
— Mike McGranaghan (@AisleSeat) January 12, 2018
Henson’s fans were unable to conceal their distress once they realised that little was being done to push and promote ‘Mary’ to the masses despite the positive response it garnered when its trailer dropped months ago.
…so no, not surprised that “Proud Mary” is getting such lazy marketing and promo from Sony. It is a hot holy mess over there – aside from their partnering with Marvel for “Spiderman Homecoming” – when was the last time Sony even had a blockbuster hit? Questions to think about.
— ReBecca Theodore-Vachon (@FilmFatale_NYC) January 7, 2018
Ain’t seen no Proud Mary promo for months , now that shit on my TL like every 5 tweets . I hate how these big Hollywood studios refuse to properly invest in movies with black leads !
— ?? … Mood ! (@DeiFrankOne) January 14, 2018
I’m so disappointed Proud Mary didn’t get the promo it deserved. Hopefully it still does well in the box office.
— Tanisha ✨ (@Tani5ha) January 13, 2018
You know what I was just thinking abt how I’ve only seen promo for proud mary here on twitter
— logan (@poedamercn) January 12, 2018
Then, something very interesting happened.
The revered (and universally feared) editor of the blind items website Crazy Days and Nights gave Henson’s fans a possible answer to their question with the following message…
This A list mostly television actress who is an Academy Award winner/nominee has a new movie coming out but the studio are dragging their heels promoting it. Is it great? No, but the rough cut I saw I really thought had possibilities. So, why the slow walk by the studio? The star of the movie turned down the advances of the person who has the money to spend.
Of course, there is no way for her fans to prove that this is the case. However, its publishing was enough to inspire messages like these…
It’s sabotage, there can be no other plausible reason. My question why spend money to produce a film with an actress like Taraji, to then do this to her?
— CarolynH. (@CarrieCnh12) January 13, 2018
Taraji is yet to respond to ‘Crazy’s claim.
I get Sony my might be on some bull but at the same token Taraji Henson is a celebrity she can go out and do interviews and promote it herself as well. She doesn’t have to leave it all up to Sony she has connections she has PR she has people backing her, book the shows and promote your movie
You’re clearly a youngster!
Sorry your old asF, I live n Los Angeles and there’s been plenty of promotion just not from her.
From the promos the movie just looked Boring as if it is an afterschool special. I honestly dont think it was promoted correctly and also maybe the winter storm in the east and midwest has alot to do with folks not coming out to see it! There were many factors that were against it this opening weekend.
That is not how this works. You don’t go out and just promote a movie for free. She has already been paid.
Yeah and she’s doing that, but only so much she can do
Whatever I’m getting cheese fries
This happens all the time
Fake news alert!
I live in Chicago and I’ve seen ads for this film everywhere from trailers at the movies, on TV, billboards etc I don’t think awareness is an issue here rather maybe the intended audience (mature black women) isn’t all that interested.
I agree, i’ve seen billboards promoting the movie not to mention there’s not a day that goes by when the trailer is not seen on TV.
dying @ “FAKE NEWS ALERT”
This is all so very interesting…I saw the movie and although not a great film, it was a GOOD film! Taraji was very convincing and she kicked ass! The little boy in the movie with her was also very good and I think if he keeps going, I can see him being one of the biggest actors in Hollywood, he was awesome! I think the problem was the trailer…the way it was introduced didn’t grasp me and I wasn’t intending on seeing it. The trailer was very boring but the movie was really cool and I would recommend you all check it!!
It is really sad how Black movies do not get coverage.I seen the movie and enjoyed it so Please go out and support Black movies!
I saw it last night. There were about 10 people in the theater. I was like, WOW, on debut weekend?! The movie was ok. I love how she kicked so much ass in the film. The little boy was good. All the other acting was just ok. The trailer wasn’t that great but I just wanted to support a black film. C+
The first trailer (and a terrible one at that) was released during the same time as Atomic Blonde. That was a big mistake, because the negative comparisons all over social media created a bad first impression. More recently, I’ve seen plenty of promotion and on a regular basis, so promotion is not the issue. Maybe Taraji just needs to stop playing the same role over and over.
She IS playing the same role over and over. I noticed that too. Proud Mary is basically a story about a fiercely determined outspoken black woman protecting her young son against all odds AKA Cookie Lyon on Empire!!!! ?
Thats exactly what we said!!… the trailer gave off her playing cookie in a movie….shes an accomplished actress who had a career before “cookie”….
The movie looked like trash to me based off the trailer. Why would they waste good money on it just because she won an Oscar? Halle Berry won an Oscar too, but most of her movies are trash as well and she’s usually panned for her bad acting.
I have yet to see the film and I’m going to see it today. But they didn’t do pre-screenings for critics or the core audience. That could be a potential problem. Also let’s be honest, we’re talking about Sony who only a couple of years ago had an email exposing them as racist idiots who said, among other things, that Denzel Washington could not open and carry a major film internationally. Until these types of conditions change, will see more “Proud Mary’s” across the board
Taraji was nominated not a winner of the Oscar she has a golden globe
in what world has Taraji P Henson won an Oscar? This site is just a mess.
According to Box OfficeMojo.com the movie will debut at number 8 with 10 million
The movie pulled in ten million dollars over the weekend which is good, the movie only cost fourteen million to make. You still have jumaji starring Kevin hart, the post with Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, and stars wars in the theaters. I feel the movie was promoted in my view. I guess people felt a type of way since it MLK weekend.
By next weekend, the movie should recoup it 14 million and start to see money in return. Plus, around this time you have movie like the great showman and post trying to be recognized for adwards. Every time I turned on my tv, I saw commercials for proud Mary.
I’m black just for your FYI..
Sounds like the record Industry.
?
The way it was promoted was a factor as well. I believe she wanted a movie like foxy brown a Pam Grier movie for this generation.
I don’t think people here for an old Pam Grier feel of a movie. I know when I was little I use too hate when my father watch his old school movies
MS Taraji P. Henson is “A Force
to be reckoned with.” If stature can be truly measured, Taraji is a giant among us. She may be small, but she carries her weight in talent and pure determination alone. Henson is not only the strong female lead of “Proud Mary”, she is also the executive producer of this powerful film. The Baltimore premiere showings were sold out this wkend. Reservations had to be made in advance in order to see it. Sony executives must be wondering what that loud noise was that hit them up the side of their heads. Could it be the sound of applause for Taraji’s stellar performance in this film? Perhaps, it’s the sound of the cash register ringing up another hit at the box office? What ever it is has left a nasty sting, complements of Taraji P. Henson. Don’t ever count her out. Taraji is currently ruling the “Film Empire.” There’s no doubt about it.
The movie trailer doesn’t really look like it’s going to be a good movie. For her to be the mother of all snipers they could have it a lot more money into the production like they would for a Angelina Jolie or a Scarlet Johansson maybe a Jennifer lawerence, but movies with black leading actors don’t get big budgets except black panther and dreamgirls. There’s not really any black films with needed production cost for international and domestic appeal as a movie event. Just like the new Gabrielle union movie it look very low budget like the whole movie will be in one house the whole two hours. White film producers kno we would have the highest grossing movies if we had budgets like the white movies.
I appreciate her versatility far as acting and the role she played but the script and direction of the movie was corney. I think its promotion played over into the movie and it showed. Had a better director Spike Lee Quinton Tereninto Hughs brothers did it i think it would have been alot better and been better promoted.
Honestly…even if marketing was better for the movie I wouldn’t be interested in seeing it. Taraji didn’t look agile enough to play a physical badass chic like Proud Mary. Waited too late to do an action movie.
#tooOld
This movie has been advertised like crazt! There are so many movies that come out that I’ve never even heard of and some of them still manage to do well. Obviously people just aren’t that impressed by the commercials for this movie, at least I know I wasn’t impressed enough to see it at the theater. Definitely looks like something I’d rather wait for dvd or cable to see. If I see it in the theater it would only be to support Taraji and black films in general.
I saw the movie last night I loved it. Yes the promotion of the should have been better. But it was really good she did her thing and it was a strong woman movie
We got you, Taraji; to hell with Sony not promoting you. Black people, as a race, better start embracing our peoplr.
To be honest, I saw the trailer for this movie and it did nothing to get me excited for it. I didn’t even believe her to be this ass kicking assassin, it just seemed a bit off brand for me. But that’s just my opinion. I hope she does well tho.
Went to see Proud Mary and I was very impressed with the movie so impressed that I will go and see it again one of the best movies I’ve seen in quite some time #greatactorinallhermovies
I went on the Regal website to purchase tickets for a Saturday showing of Proud Mary here in Houston and all but 15 seats were available. I assumed that the theatre would be packed. I arrived early expecting a crowd but the theater was empty. Why wasn’t I able to purchase tickets in a different section if the seats were empty? If all of the seats were purchased where we’re all of the people? Was the it the theatre’s fault? My first thought was sabotage! I have seen this happen with Concerts & conferences. It’s really sad.
Let me start by saying I saw Proud Mary opening weekend because I support black film. Gave Taraji/Sony my money (checked my ticket stub to make sure it was correct). I had my reservations about the trailer and the promotion like many on here. That movie was the biggest piece of crap. The only redeeming thing was the little boy. There was no reason to invest in Taraji’s character, she was not agile enough to be convincing as an action star and wasn’t far enough away from Cookie Lyons for it to matter. I can only hope that if this film is successful its main purpose is to open the proverbial door for a GOOD action film with a black female lead…
the trailer was awful….. and did not ignite any sort of excitement or interest….
plus i think she was mis-cast in this role…. she isn’t a kick ass action adventure hero actress…. she is a real deal kind of actress….
Bottom line.. i think many people thought this kind of movie was beneath her and her talent and maybe thats why no one wants to pay it any mind !