Three years after it debuted in Toronto, Amber Heard’s “London Fields” finally hit theaters this weekend — only to set a new record as the second worst wide-release opening in box office history.
Released by GVN Releasing on 613 screens, the film only grossed around $160,000, for a per screen average of just $262.
According to Box Office Mojo, which classifies a wide release as any film that plays on more than 600 screens, that’s the second worst wide opening of all-time behind “Proud American,” a 2008 film with major corporate sponsorship that retold the creation of Walmart and Coca-Cola. That film posted a wide opening of just over $96,000.
The film, based on Martin Amis’ dystopian novel, has made headlines for generating multiple lawsuits on its slow path into theaters.
Nicola Six Limited, the production label created to release the movie, sued Heard for $10 million in 2016 for breach of contract, claiming she refused to do nude scenes for the film despite reading the novel knowing that her role would require such scenes to be shot.
The plaintiffs also accused Heard of violating her contract by refusing to show up at the film’s planned premiere at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. The dispute was settled last month, clearing the way for the film’s release.
But the legal troubles aren’t over for Nicola Six Limited. The company was served with a lawsuit from director Matthew Cullen, who accused the producers of tampering with his final cut.
The producers countered that Cullen did not deliver the film under budget and on time and accused Cullen of conspiring with Heard to interfere with the producers’ cut of the film. While Cullen’s cut was the one released this weekend, the lawsuit is still set to go to trial this February.
The film is also noteworthy for also starring Heard’s ex-husband, Johnny Depp, whom she has accused of domestic violence (accusations that he has repeatedly denied).
Heard and Depp, the latter of whom plays a minor role, had been a couple when production began on the film in 2013. They married in 2015 and divorced a year later.
“London Fields” stars Heard as a femme fatale who becomes involved with three different men — a wealthy financier (Theo James), a petty criminal (Jim Sturgess) and a failing author (Billy Bob Thornton). All three intensely desire her, and by the end of the film, one of them murders her.