Nia DaCosta struggles to explain the flop of 28 Years Later: Temple of the Dead

Pure injustice? Bad promotion? Schedule a little tight? The director seeks explanations.

On the good momentum of 28 years laterit was expected that its sequel, The Temple of the Deadmade a decent score at the box office. Nothing happened (only 58 million dollars raised!), despite the obvious quality of the film. Its director, Nia DaCosta, reflects on this flop in the pages ofEmpire (via Widescreen). “ It’s quite funny, because literally all the indicators that we use in the industry to know if a film is good, if it pleases and makes you want to be seen, were at the highest. And yet the entries did not follow », notes the filmmaker.

It is therefore difficult not to look for an explanation in terms of the calendar. The close release of the two films, originally thought to be an advantage, may have ultimately worked against them. DaCosta herself advances this idea, imagining spectators convinced of having already covered the story: “ Maybe it was too close, because people were like, “Oh yeah, I saw it last summer!” And I wanted to answer them: “No, no, it’s the sequel!” “.

However, far from letting herself be defined by these disappointing figures, Nia DaCosta evokes advice received years earlier: “ A friend said to me, ‘Nia, your career is meant to be enjoyed,’ and I’ve really tried to put that into practice and take it to heart over the last few years. And so, when the film came out and it didn’t do big at the box office, I was disappointed. But I also said to myself, “I’m so happy that people who discover this film will enjoy it.” I wish it made more, but I’m really proud of it. »

There now remains an unknown, that of the third film 28 years laterannounced even before the release of the second part, which should close this trilogy. But since the commercial underperformance of Temple of the Deadradio silence…