“Steve Jobs,” the new biography of the Apple cofounder produced by Aaron Sorkin, had a disappointing debut. After a successful limited release, the biopic expanded to over 2,400 theaters this weekend, but only made $7.3 million. Many Hollywood analysts had predicted an opening in the range of $15 million to $20 million.
“Steve Jobs” was expected to lead the pack this weekend after opening on a small number of screens last weekend.
The biopic, which was budgeted at $30 million, got an “A-” from moviegoers on CinemaScore.
“Often sophisticated, intellectually charged movies like ‘Steve Jobs’ have a tough time gaining huge acceptance by a general audience,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Rentrak(RENT). “‘Steve Jobs’ is still undeniably an excellent film and will still have solid playability though at more of a marathoners pace.”
Sorkin’s last tech movie, “The Social Network,” about the founding of Facebook, earned more than $22 million on its debut.
Despite its lackluster opening weekend, “Jobs” still holds much acclaim from critics.
Critics’ reviews were 85% “fresh,” according to Rotten Tomatoes, and the film has the touch of two Academy Award winners: director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin.