In the days after Birds Of Prey was released, box office reporters were quick to declare that it was a flop.
In a way they were right. The film, which is believed to have cost around £78 million ($84.5 million) to make, grossed just £186.5 million ($201.9 million) at the worldwide box office, when we’re more accustom to comic-book movies making at least three, four, five, or even six times that amount.
However, there are several extra caveats that also need to be noted when discussing Birds Of Prey’s gross. It was R-rated and wasn’t designed for a mass audience, while Ford v Ferrari, which cost around £92.5 million ($100 million) and made £208 million ($225.5 million), was deemed a success.
Chinese-US film director Cathy Yan poses on the red carpet upon arrival for the World Premiere of the film ‘Birds of Prey’ in London on January 29, 2020. (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)
Birds Of Prey director Cathy Yan has now spoken to The Hollywood Reporter about the suggestion it was a flop, remarking, “I know that the studio had really high expectations for the movie — as we all did.”
“There were also undo expectations on a female-led movie, and what I was most disappointed in was this idea that perhaps it proved that we weren’t ready for this yet. That was an extra burden that, as a woman-of-color director, I already had on me anyway.”
Read More: ‘Birds of Prey’: The twisted history of Harley Quinn, from animation to comics to the big screen
“So, yes, I think there were certainly different ways you could interpret the success or lack of success of the movie, and everyone has a right to do that. But, I definitely do feel that everyone was pretty quick to jump on a certain angle.”
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Birds Of Prey is set to hit on demand services in the UK a few weeks early now, being released on April 27th.
