Matthew McConaughey’s ‘Sea of Trees’ Bombs With $2,730 Opening Week

The Sea of Trees — the Gus Van Sant-directed movie starring Matthew McConaughey — has bombed spectacularly at the box office, grossing a mere $2,730 in its first week, albeit from just one theater.

Sea of Trees follows suicidal American professor Arthur Brennan (McConaughey), who, struggling to reconnect with his estranged wife (Naomi Watts), is joined by a Japanese businessman (Ken Watanabe) seeking the same self-destructive fate.

Despite the mystery drama’s preview on YouTube garnering nearly a half-million views, the film has apparently failed to gain traction with American audiences.

Since opening in the U.S. on August 26, the film has played in just one theater, the Sundance Sunset Cinema in West Hollywood.

However, Sea of Trees did gross more than $500,000 in from theaters in Italy after its April 28 European release.

But with an 8% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s hard to see how Sea of Trees gains back the estimated $25 million it took to produce the film (although there’s a modest 44% of viewers who said they “liked” the film).

Production of the film was handled by Bloom, which brought the comedy thriller The Nice Guys to theaters in May.

Sea of Trees is also available for viewing via on demand.

 

Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @JeromeEHudson