Two Star-Studded Action Movies Fizzle With $1 Million Openings

So, get this: two action movies stacked with A-listers just hit theaters and, honestly, their opening weekends went so quietly you could almost hear the tumbleweeds rolling by. We're talking wide releases, tons of buzz at film festivals, solid cast lists — and yet, neither one managed to break past $1.5 million at the domestic box office. Ouch.

Bringing Out the Big Names Didn't Help

Let's start with 'Fuze'. This one's got some serious talent: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Sam Worthington (not exactly backyard barbecue nobodies). The movie's directed by David Mackenzie and is basically a high-stress thriller about an unexploded WWII bomb showing up on a London building site. Chaos ensues, evacuation, you know the drill.

Before you ask, it didn’t just appear out of nowhere. 'Fuze' had its world premiere back in September 2025 at the Toronto International Film Festival, did a theatrical run in the UK (April 3, 2026), and finally landed in US cinemas on April 24. Roadside Attractions handled the American release, rolling it out to 1,164 theaters. Result? Just over $1 million in the US. Toss in another $1.3 million from overseas audiences and we're looking at a $2.3 million global debut. Not great, especially for something with that level of talent behind it.

How's it holding up critically? Well, according to Rotten Tomatoes, critics are moderately into it: 75% from 84 of them. Metacritic's a little more lukewarm at 59 out of 100 (that’s what they politely call 'mixed or average').

A Cabin, Plots to Kill, and Still No Audience

Then there’s 'Over Your Dead Body', another action flick, this one with an extra side of dark comedy. Directed by Jorma Taccone, it stars Jason Segel, Samara Weaving, Timothy Olyphant, Paul Guilfoyle, and Juliette Lewis. The plot’s straight from the 'marriage from hell' playbook: two spouses escape to a remote cabin, each totally unaware that the other one’s secretly planning a very permanent divorce (hint: it involves murder). It’s actually a do-over of the Norwegian movie 'The Trip' from 2021.

This one had its premiere at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 14, 2026, then opened April 24 in the US and Canada, thanks to IFC Films. It started wider — 1,550 theaters — and pulled in about $1.4 million in receipts, all from North America.

The real kicker here? Industry analysts thought it would debut to at least $3 million. Instead, 'Over Your Dead Body' barely got halfway there. Rotten Tomatoes has it at 69% from 74 critics — not terrible, but nothing that screams 'run to theaters now!'.

'Over Your Dead Body' never really stood a chance this weekend, to be fair. It was up against 'Michael' — the Michael Jackson biopic — which stomped on everything with a ridiculous $97 million domestic debut.

Opening Weekend Tallies (April 24, 2026)

• Fuze: $1 million+ US / $1.3 million international / $2.3 million total - 1,164 US theaters / Mixed reviews
• Over Your Dead Body: $1.4 million US/Canada only - 1,550 theaters / Underperformed, quick critical shrugs

The bottom line? Sometimes even the most stacked cast and buzzy festival premieres can’t save you from a box office crash and burn. Honestly, there are weeks when the story’s more interesting than the movies themselves.