‘Tulsa King’ Star’s Western With 94% Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score Passes First Box Office Milestone
There’s something to be learned from Angel Studios’ ability to successfully attract the target demographic for its faith-based movies. Although the outfit has been questioned for certain ticket-selling practices and for distributing controversial titles such as the Jim Caviezel-led Sound of Freedom, it has also captured the market for faith-based movies. Angel Studios’ latest offering, The Last Rodeo, passed its first box office milestone this weekend, after providing counter-programming over the Memorial Day frame.
It debuted alongside Disney’s Lilo & Stitch remake and Paramount’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning last weekend, finishing inside the top five and grossing over $5 million in its first three days of release. The Last Rodeo generated more than $2 million this weekend, pushing its running domestic haul past the $10 million mark. Unlike past Angel Studios’ titles, which typically earn mixed reviews from mainstream critics, The Last Rodeo’s Rotten Tomatoes score stands at over 70%.
Like most of Angel Studios’ past movies, however, it was embraced by its target audience. The movie holds a stellar 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, in addition to having earned an A CinemaScore from opening day crowds. It’s currently the 10th-biggest title in the studio’s history, ahead of movies such as Sight, Brave the Dark, and Rule Breakers. It needs to gross just $2 million more in order to leapfrog past five Angel Studios movies in one go and take the number five spot on its all-time charts.
Neal McDonough Gained Wider Popularity Through Two Taylor Sheridan Shows
Credit for the film’s performance must also be given to star Neal McDonough. After playing supporting roles in films and television for decades, he gained significant popularity through Taylor Sheridan’s mega-hit shows Yellowstone and Tulsa King, which consistently dominate the Paramount+ streaming charts. Both shows are targeted at a similar demographic as that of The Last Rodeo. Also starring Mykelti Williamson and Ruvé McDonough, the movie was produced on a reported budget of $8 million, and directed by Jon Avnet, who finds himself in a rather exclusive club alongside Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and Michael Mann. They’re the only filmmakers who’ve directed Al Pacino and Robert De Niro together. You can watch The Last Rodeo in theaters, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
