Paul RuddandJenna Ortegahave enjoyed rising interest from audiences over the past decade. Rudd, who began his career in 1995’sCluelessandHalloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, gained further prominence after being cast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’sAnt-Man(2015). He plays Scott Lang, a former criminal who achieved redemption by becoming a superhero. Best known as a comedy actor, he has also earned a place intheGhostbustersfranchise, starring inGhostbusters: Afterlife(2021) andGhostbusters: Frozen Empire(2024).
Ortega has seen a similar rise to prominence, asthe young star began her career as a child actorin a series of shows that includedCSI: NY,Days of Our Lives, andJane the Virgin. She would not achieve widespread recognition until she was cast in Netflix’sWednesday, theAddams Familyspin-off that would turn her into a star. The actor has found her niche in horror, starring inScream(2022),Scream VI(2023),Beetlejuice Beetlejuice(2024), and theupcomingWednesdayseason 2.
Ortega And Rudd Have Divided Audiences And Critics
Audiences Are Generally More Accepting
Despite generally working in disparate genres, Rudd and Ortega came together to star in A24’sDeath of a Unicorn. The horror comedy stars Rudd as Elliot Kintner and Ortega as his daughter, Ridley, as the pair desperately fight to survive a series of attacks after accidentally killing a baby unicorn. A24 has seen wide success recently after it distributedThe Brutalist,Heretic,MaXXXine,Sing Sing, andCivil Warin 2024. AsDeath of a Unicornhas a budget of merely $15 million, it hopes to see similar levels of success from this star-studded release.
Death of a Unicornis expected to earn approximately $5 million in its opening weekend.
Unfortunately, the reception has been mixed, asDeath of a Unicornleft critics and audiences split onRotten Tomatoes. WhileScreenRant’s Mae Abdulbaki praisedA24’s latest release, other critics argued that the movie is predictable, uninteresting, and lacking in believable effects. At the time of writing, it earned a55% Tomatometer score, while audiences offered a more favorable74% Popcornmeter score. These numbers are subject to change as more viewers begin to submit their own reviews, but it is a notable trend.
What This Means For Death Of A Unicorn
Word-Of-Mouth Will Be Better Than Expected
Because of their limited budgets,A24 movies traditionallydo not depend on explosive results at the box office. Even mild success generally results in profitable movies, and this release should be no different. With a $15 million budget,it would need $35 million to begin to profit, after accounting for marketing costs and theatrical costs. The only major concern is that the $5 million opening does not necessarily mean that it will achieve even that mild success, as it has only earned a fraction of the necessary total.
Word-of-mouth could prove to be a much-needed boon for this movie, and the Popcornmeter could play a significant role. If audiences truly do enjoy this horror comedy, then they could promote further interest through recommendations and social media outreach. Critics can influence a movie’s reception early on, but general audiences could begin to push for longer legs. Given its $5 million opening,Death of a Unicornwill depend on its Popcornmeter score to achieve profitability.
