Sydney Sweeney's highly anticipated boxing biopic Christy has suffered a devastating blow at the box office, recording one of the poorest openings in recent cinema history during its debut weekend.
Brutal Box Office Numbers
The sports drama managed to gross just $1.3 million from 2,011 theatres across the United States, according to industry reports. This translated to a meagre average of $649 per venue, indicating extremely limited audience interest despite the film's wide release strategy.
Industry tracking site Box Office Mojo revealed the film's opening ranked among the top 12 worst performances ever for movies showing on more than 2000 screens. The Wrap confirmed that three films ranking below Christy in this unfortunate category were released during the first 14 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when cinema attendance was severely impacted by health restrictions and public safety concerns.
Controversial Backstory and Critical Reception
The disappointing box office performance comes approximately four months after Sweeney found herself at the centre of a political storm following an American Eagle advertising campaign. The autumn campaign featured the tagline 'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans', which critics argued promoted racial dog whistling while former President Donald Trump publicly supported the actress and brand.
Sweeney later told GQ she found it 'surreal' that the controversy escalated to attract White House attention, simply stating: 'I did a jean ad. I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans.'
On the critical front, the film received mixed reviews, holding a 67% score on Rotten Tomatoes as of Sunday evening following its release.
Production Background and Physical Toll
Christy marks a significant milestone for production studio Black Bear Pictures, representing their first venture into handling US distribution. The company previously backed acclaimed films including 2014's The Imitation Game and 2017's Mudbound, and has been transitioning toward a comprehensive business model encompassing distribution, production and sales over the past two years.
Sweeney underwent an intense physical transformation for her role as Hall of Fame boxer Christy Martin, revealing to The Sun that she gained 35 pounds during a rigorous three-month training period. The actress described building her own 'Rocky gym' in her grandmother's shed in Idaho and working with multiple trainers daily.
The commitment to authenticity extended to fight scenes, with Sweeney insisting: 'I want you to hit me. And I want you to hit me hard.' This approach resulted in genuine injuries including a bloody nose and concussion, with the actress confirming 'we were actually fighting' during production.
Despite the commercial disappointment, Sweeney took to Instagram to express her profound connection to the project, stating the experience 'will stay in my heart forever' and praising her co-stars and crew for their dedication to telling Christy Martin's inspiring story.
