Warcraft gaming franchise.
Shot in early-2014 (it's been in post-production since then due to its extensive visual effects), Warcraft has traveled a long road to get to theaters, first entering development way back in 2006. Unfortunately, the filmmakers' efforts may prove to be for naught, based on early box office predictions for the film.
According to industry tracking (h/t Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. To say that such a low number would be a disappointment for Universal and Legendary would be an understatement, especially after such a long gestation period for the project.
Adding to Warcraft's woes are negative early reviews from critics, which never do anything to help a film's box office take. With 18 reviews counted so far, Rotten Tomatoes rates Warcraft at a meager 22 percent, although a consensus has yet to be posted. Fellow review aggregator Metacritic is slightly kinder, rating the film at 37 percent. Still, it's hard to spin those numbers as anything positive. While bad reviews don't necessarily doom a movie at the box office (the Transformers franchise is proof of that), they can definitely make an already uncertain financial outlook look even more doubtful.
However, Warcraft (like John Carter) may yet see a decent international box office turnout. According to Alice Through the Looking Glass in certain non-U.S. territories too. Even so, it's going to be difficult for Warcraft to turn a profit in theaters. Breaking even is probably a more realistic goal for Universal and Legendary to meet now, but even that might prove tough.
Conventional wisdom says that a studio movie needs to at least double its budget to break even during its theatrical run, due to the often exorbitant costs of both making and marketing a big tentpole. While Warcraft earning $320 million worldwide isn't out of the realm of possibility, the notion that it will do so is starting to look as fantastical as the film's plot, if the projected U.S. opening weekend number is anything to go by.
NEXT: Warcraft Early Reviews
Warcraft hits U.S. theaters on June 10th, 2016.