Why Best Picture Nominees Fare Poorly at the Box Office
The nine contenders this year have a common plot line: poor ticket sales.
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in "La La Land."
Source: Dale Robinette/LionsgateThis article is for subscribers only.
In handicapping the Oscar race for Best Picture, it’s best to follow the money–or, more accurately, the lack thereof.
The nine films announced on Tuesday in the running for the coveted Academy Award crushed it with critics, but they didn’t win much in the way of crowds. At the box office, they’ve rounded up an average of $53.5 million in ticket sales, which would rank No. 67 out of all films released in 2016. La La Land, a favorite that already won a Golden Globe for Best Musical or Comedy, leads the pack with $89.8 million in domestic theaters. Moonlight, which also won a Golden Globe for Best Drama, trails with $15.8 million.