Music stars face box office test

A closer look at why mega stars like A$AP Rocky, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd fail to convert fame into cinema audiences.

Music Stars Struggle to Translate Fame Into Box Office

At the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Highest 2 Lowest, A$AP Rocky drew cameras and buzz, but the film opened in roughly 300 theaters on August 15 with weak returns. In an unusual move, A24 and Apple Studios did not publish official grosses, offering only a brief note about limited openings. The cast includes Denzel Washington and Ice Spice, with Rocky and Rihanna attending early marketing events. The decision to withhold numbers has sparked questions about transparency in an industry that relies on box office as a funding signal.

Across the industry, music names have tried cinema with mixed results. Taylor Swift’s Amsterdam earned a modest $31 million on an $80 million budget; The Weeknd’s Hurry Up Tomorrow opened widely but finished with about $5.2 million domestically. Lady Gaga’s Joker: Folie à Deux drew attention but earned $208 million against a roughly $200 million budget. A Star Is Born showed that a musician-led film can succeed when the project fits the artist and the budget, but many attempts fall short. Analysts say fame brings awareness but not loyalty, and a fan base does not always translate into broad moviegoing. The article also notes that A24’s usual transparency is unusual in this case, fueling questions about reporting standards and accountability for big releases.

The pull of a music star into film is a risky bet that hinges on more than name recognition. Audiences separate music fandom from acting credibility, and star power does not guarantee a theater sellout. Mid-budget films led by celebrities face fragile economics, where the right role, trusted director, and a compatible budget can decide fate. Platform strategy and release timing further complicate outcomes, especially as streaming reshapes how studios monetize high-profile bets. History shows some successes when the artist benefits from a well-suited role, but many attempts stall when the project misses the emotional core that drew fans to the artist in the first place. The transparency issue around Highest 2 Lowest adds another layer of risk for investors and marketers who rely on box office signals to guide future bets.

Highlights

The journey from stage to screen remains uneven and instructive