Fly Me to the Moon Flops at the Box Office with $10 Million Debut

You may wonder why any film studio would approve a $100 million romantic comedy, especially given their inconsistent box office performance. The added Space Race theme might not seem enough to justify the hefty budget either. However, “Fly Me to the Moon” was produced and financed by Apple Studios, which is relatively new to Hollywood and eager to make its mark. Their current approach involves investing in grand, expensive projects that may not even break even, such as Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon.”

“Fly Me to the Moon” was initially slated for a direct-to-streaming release on Apple TV+. However, after test screenings yielded positive responses, the studio decided to pivot and give it a theatrical release. This move involves additional costs, but it’s significant to note that the film was initially planned without any expectations of box office returns.

Apple reported a total quarterly revenue of $119.6 billion in Q1 2024, making whatever “Fly Me to the Moon” earns at the box office minuscule in comparison. Much like Amazon, Apple has been spending lavishly to secure a solid presence in the film and TV industry. Despite these efforts, progress has been gradual. By March 2024, Apple TV+ ranked seventh among leading streaming services, capturing only 8.47% of the market according to JustWatch. Clearly, Apple TV+ has a long way to go before it can be considered a major player in the industry — but as with any ambitious endeavor, persistence is key, and who knows what the future holds?