It has been more than a decade since Russell Crowe headlined a movie that grossed more than $100 million at the domestic box office. Crowe was one of the biggest stars of the 2000s, but he has since slipped into playing supporting characters in big-budget movies while continuing to star in smaller-scale projects on the side. His recent World War II drama, Nuremberg, quietly grossed more than $70 million at the worldwide box office. But this was a far cry from the grand success of movies such as Gladiator and American Gangster. But Crowe also has a history of headlining films that look lucrative because of large box-office grosses but are ultimately underperformers. The most prominent example of this category is Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World; the film grossed more than $200 million worldwide, but cost a reported $150 million to produce.
Another movie that falls in the same category also happens to be Crowe’s last big-budget film that crossed a certain box-office threshold. It was released in 2014, and was positioned as something of a return to Gladiator territory for Crowe. Blending elements of sword-and-sandal epics with biblical drama, the movie cost a reported $160 million to produce. With a budget like that, it needed to gross at least $400 million worldwide in order to break even, seeing as studios typically split revenues equally with exhibitors. But the film in question ended its run with around $360 million worldwide. It also featured Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Ray Winstone, and Anthony Hopkins in supporting roles.
Russell Crowe Hasn’t Headlined a Big-Budget Blockbuster in More than a Decade
We’re talking, of course, about Noah. The film was directed by Darren Aronofsky as his blank-check follow-up to the critically acclaimed blockbuster Black Swan, which grossed $330 million worldwide but cost less than one-tenth of Noah. Aronofsky’s epic ran into trouble in certain countries averse to depicting religious figures, and was subsequently banned in several parts of the world. It divided audiences and critics with its edgy take on biblical material, mostly by injecting environmentalist themes into the narrative. Noah holds a “Certified Fresh” 75% critics’ score and a 41% audience score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “With sweeping visuals grounded by strong performances in service of a timeless tale told on a human scale, Darren Aronofsky’s Noah brings the Bible epic into the 21st century.” According to FlixPatrol, Noah was among the most-watched movies on Pluto TV domestically this week, proving its staying power. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Unexpected Team-Up: Prince William and Emma Watson Unite for Change
Prince William had plenty to celebrate this weekend, but his latest public appearance quickly turned heads for a very different reason. After marking his 44th birthday and Father's Day with his family, the future king returned to royal duties—and made a surprisingly personal confession about the emotional toll of climate change.
William joined Hollywood stars Emma Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch at a United for Wildlife forum in London, an initiative he launched with the Royal Foundation in 2013. The organization works around the world to combat wildlife trafficking, environmental crime, and the destruction of endangered species.
But it was William's candid admission about his own fears that stole the spotlight.
The Prince of Wales revealed that climate change has caused him "sleepless nights," admitting he has struggled with anxiety about what the future could look like. Yet instead of allowing those fears to overwhelm him, William said seeing real progress through conservation efforts has helped keep his environmental anxiety under control.
He also delivered a powerful message to business leaders, urging them to become the kind of leaders they admired when they were children. With technology and innovation transforming the world at an incredible pace, William challenged CEOs to use their influence to create meaningful change.
The event launched London Climate Action Week, with more royal appearances expected, including the Earthshot Prize assembly.
Emma Watson also delivered a surprising revelation of her own. The Harry Potter star highlighted the fashion industry's enormous environmental impact, pointing out that it produces more emissions than aviation and ranks behind only oil among major polluting industries.
Watson, who is also pursuing a doctorate in philosophy at Oxford, shared a hilarious story about mistakenly believing paparazzi were following her. After spotting photographers with telephoto lenses, she arranged a distraction and escaped through another exit. The twist? They weren't photographing her at all. They were waiting to capture a red kite.
Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch praised William as "a great guy" and urged businesses and individuals to recognize that they can still make a difference, even when global environmental challenges appear overwhelming.
With William, Watson, and Cumberbatch joining forces on the issue, the London forum delivered a clear message: the fight against environmental destruction is becoming impossible for the world's biggest names to ignore.
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