Chris Pratt is one of the most acclaimed actors in Hollywood. He had his breakthrough role with his role in Parks and Recreation and gained worldwide recognition for his portrayal of Star-Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, written and directed by James Gunn.
Apart from the fact that Pratt’s projects have been immensely successful, they have also often been undermined by critics. Just like the Guardians of the Galaxy, his recently released animated movie The Garfield Movie was also critically panned. While the actor took a vocal hit at the said critics regarding the MCU sub-franchise, he let the success of the animated movie speak for itself.
Chris Pratt’s The Garfield Movie‘s Success Is a Strong Answer to the Harsh Critics
Chris Pratt first rose to prominence as Andy Dwyer on the NBC comedy series Parks and Recreation. What had started as a temporary gig turned into a permanent job when the producers of the series decided that he was good enough to become a series regular.
He was mostly known for playing supporting roles until 2014 which proved to be a pivotal year for his career since he played the lead roles in two franchise films, namely The Lego Movie and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Both of these movies did phenomenally well at the box-office.
Recently, he starred in another animated film The Garfield Movie. Directed by Mark Dindal, the flick follows the titular cat’s reunion with his father, a street cat named Vic, and a forced high-stakes adventure. The movie has a critic score of 36% on Rotten Tomatoes while the audience score is more than double with 80%.
Despite this harsh critics’ score, the movie has earned $244 million worldwide against a production budget of $60 million (via The Numbers). Recently, the Digital Spy reported that the movie is now available to watch from the comfort of our homes. This means that it will earn from the digital platforms now, which speaks volumes for the movie’s success.
Chris Pratt Called Out Those Who Claimed That the Guardians of the Galaxy Would Flop
This is certainly not the first movie of Pratt’s that had to suffer the wrath of the critics as ahead of the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, they had declared that it would be a flop.
The Passengers star addressed this in his speech on the last day of the filming of the third movie of the trilogy. He said (via Variety):
Everyone was saying all of these negative things. At the time, we were insecure and nervous about the prospects….they’re saying it’s a title no one has never heard of, we don’t have any A-list stars, [it will be] Marvel’s first failure. I remember all of that.
Luckily, all of that turned out to be false as the trilogy went on to become one of the highest-grossing film series of all time with the last movie earning upwards of $840 million (via The Numbers) at the global box office.
The Garfield Movie is available for buying or renting on Prime Video.
Frequently asked questions
How did The Garfield Movie perform despite bad reviews?
The Garfield Movie earned a weak 36% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences responded far more positively, giving it a much higher score. Despite the critical panning, the animated film went on to earn well over $200 million worldwide against a production budget of just $60 million, making it a commercial success even though reviewers were largely unimpressed with the final product.
What did Chris Pratt say about critics doubting Guardians of the Galaxy?
Pratt recalled that before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 released, critics predicted it would flop, calling it Marvel’s first failure since it lacked A-list stars and featured a title nobody had heard of. He said the cast felt insecure and nervous at the time, but the trilogy went on to become one of the highest-grossing franchises ever, with its final film earning upwards of $840 million worldwide.
What role does Chris Pratt play in The Garfield Movie?
Chris Pratt voices Garfield in the animated film, directed by Mark Dindal, which follows the famous cartoon cat reuniting with his long-lost father, a street cat named Vic, and getting swept into an unexpected high-stakes adventure together. The film became available for digital purchase and rental after its theatrical run, extending its earning potential despite the lukewarm critical reception.
