In response to the underwhelming box office debut of his LGBTQ love comedy “Bros,” Billy Eichner expressed his sentiments, saying that “straight people, especially in certain parts of the country, just didn’t show up.”
In a thread posted to his official Twitter, Eichner, who wrote, produced and stars in “Bros,” asserted that he is “very proud” of the movie, describing his experience covertly watching a sold out screening in Los Angeles during the weekend.
“Last night in Los Angeles, I snuck in and sat at the back of a packed cinema showing ‘Bros. The audience roared with laughter from beginning to end, erupted in ovation at the conclusion, and some were wiping away tears as they left, according to Eichner. “It really was magical. Really. This movie makes me VERY proud.
Last night I snuck in and sat in the back of a sold out theater playing BROS in LA. The audience howled with laughter start to finish, burst into applause at the end, and some were wiping away tears as they walked out. It was truly magical. Really. I am VERY proud of this movie.
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) October 2, 2022
The actor also revealed that a theatre chain had planned to remove the “Bros” trailer from its programming because of its “gay content,” but Universal was able to persuade the firm to keep it in the pre-show rotation. America, fuck yeah,” wrote Eichner.
Unfortunately, that’s just the reality we live in, Eichner said. “Despite excellent reviews, stellar Rotten Tomatoes scores, an A CinemaScore, etc., straight people simply didn’t turn out for Bros., especially in some regions of the country. Although frustrating, the situation is what it is.
In his closing remarks, Eichner urged “everyone who isn’t a homophobic weirdo” to watch “Bros,” noting that it is still “special and especially impactful to experience this specific narrative on the big screen.”
The first openly LGBTQ cast and the first gay rom-com to receive a wide theatrical distribution from a major studio are both “Bros.”
The movie had a disastrous weekend at the box office, debuting in fourth place with a meagre $4.8 million total from 3,350 locations. Despite having a modest $22 million production budget, “Bros” is unlikely to be profitable given its underwhelming opening.
Nevertheless, “Bros” has received raving reviews from critics and great viewership ratings. In the upcoming weeks, Universal will be hoping that word-of-mouth gives the movie some lasting power.
