Chris Prattis one of the most sought-after actors in the industry. He isone of the highest-grossing actors of all time, and his leading roles have collectively earned nearly $6 billion worldwide. His box office sum is even higher when considering his supporting roles, including his MCU roles.
However,there have been divided opinions about Pratt over time, especially regarding many of his projects. Hisvoice acting inThe Super Mario Bros. MovieandThe Garfield Moviewas particularly criticized by those who thought his performances lacked range.
As a result,Pratt’s careerhas gone up and down in terms of reception and the box office. He seems to do well when attached to big franchise movies, buthis non-IP genre films can tend to take a hit.That said, Pratt is soon making another effort in one key genre, sci-fi, which could be his shot at redemption.
They Could Not Be Both Critical And Commercial Successes
Pratt is no stranger to the sci-fi genre, but not all his movies have done well.Guardians of the Galaxyhas sci-fi elements, but is so tied to the superhero genre that it cannot count within this genre classification.
All of these movies received pretty terrible reviews, and the former two are largely forgotten.
Hispast sci-fi projects includePassengers,The Tomorrow War, andElectric State. All of these movies received pretty terrible reviews, and the former two are largely forgotten.Passengersgot a 30% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes.The Tomorrow Wardid slightly better, managing a 51% Tomatometer, butThe Electric Stategot just 14%.
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Passengersalso had a lackluster box office performance,making only $303 million worldwide on a $110 million budget.The Tomorrow Warwas not nearly as big of a hit on Prime Video.Electric Statedid comparatively better in terms of viewership numbers, but its exceptionally low reviews counteract that.
Overall, these films show how much Pratt has struggled in the sci-fi genre.In order to be respected in this niche, he needs a better shot.
Mercy Sounds Like Chris Pratt’s Shot To Become A Real Sci-Fi Star
The Film Has A Promising Hook
Mercycould be Pratt’s chance at sci-fi victory.The film has an interesting premise, following a detective who is accused of a crime and then forced to prove his innocence. The film is directed by Timur Bekmambetov, and Pratt’s co-stars includeRebecca Ferguson, Annabelle Wallis, Noah Fearnley, and Chris Sullivan.
Mercyis classified within the sci-fi genre. As such,it will give Pratt another chance at his oft-acted but frequently dismissed genre performance.
In an interview withColliderlast year, Pratt hyped upMercy, saying thatthe movie was “inventive” and “absolutely original.“IfMercylives up to this hype, it will give Pratt his first real shot at sci-fi stardom.
Mercy Needs To End A Chris Pratt Sci-Fi Streak To Become A Hit
Otherwise, Pratt’s Sci-Fi Reputation Will Suffer Even More
To succeed, however,Mercyneeds to go against the bad pattern he has set.Outside the superhero-infusedGuardians of the Galaxymovies, Pratt has never had a well-reviewed sci-fi film. This established some preconceived dismissal of Pratt in this genre.
To truly become a success,Mercymust not only be a critical darling, but it has to gain momentum at the box office as well. This is half the battle when it comes to making a successful film, and a threshold it will have to cross. If it doesn’t, this could be the end of the line for studios trusting Pratt as a sci-fi film lead.
