Steve Jobs, the film written by Aaron Sorkin and starring Michael Fassbender as the titular co-founder of Apple, has raked in just $7.3 million on its opening weekend despite widespread praise from critics.
The United States box office figures for the past weekend place Steve Jobs in seventh place, behind films such as Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension. Instead of viewing Steve Jobs, moviegoers flocked to see The Martian, which came in first place with an estimated $15.9 million at the box office, as well as newer releases Goosebumps and Bridge of Spies.
The box office performance of Steve Jobs paints a grim picture for distributor Universal Pictures. The film itself cost $30 million to make, with estimates suggesting Steve Jobs needs to rake in $120 million at the box office to break even, after marketing and distribution costs are factored in. Having only pulled in $7.3 million in its first week, it seems unlikely that the film will be a success for Universal.
There are several theories as to why Steve Jobs performed so poorly at the box office, despite its favorable reception from critics. Some believe Academy Award contenders such as The Martian and Bridge of Spies are currently attracting all the limelight, while others suggest the not-so-accurate portrayal of Jobs is turning Apple fans away.
Universal Pictures still believes the film is "showing strength" in some markets thanks to word-of-mouth momentum, though clearly the film isn't doing as well as they might have hoped.