Lady Diana Biopic Bombs in the US & UK

The biopic starring the respected British actress Naomi Watts has officially bombed in two critical markets to the film’s success: the United Kingdom and the United States. The bad news started once the film was screened before critics who subsequently savaged it an 8% approval rating from 72 reviews.

Then, the film was released in late September in the UK where it was expected to perform well given the adulation Lady Diana enjoyed her native homeland. A special limited release in 38 US & UK markets netted under $65,000 and the film’s general UK release took in less than one million in its first week. The poor performance of the limited release has prevented the film from getting a wider distribution in the US.

USA Today said the film was “a soppy snoozefest” that would have “the late Princess of Wales rolling in her grave”, while the Washington Post cited the “soap opera dialogue and frivolous plot” in making the movie “both histrionic and dull”.

Initially, the film had a lot going for it given the star power of Naomi Watts in the lead role and the skill of German director Oliver Hirschbiegel. Hirschbiegel earned an academy award nomination for his biopic about Hitler’s final days. It was believed that skill would prove useful in shooting a movie largely limited to Lady Di’s final two years of life before her tragic death in a car accident on August 31, 1997.

On The Web:
Diana biopic flops in U.S.
http://entertainment.ca.msn.com/celebs/diana-biopic-flops-in-us-1
Diana biopic is box office flop
http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=829269&obref=obnetwork
‘Diana’ Review: Mediocre Biopic Wastes An Opportunity
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/29/diana-review_n_4175445.html