The Uprising movie struggles at box office despite historical scale

Paul Greengrass’s historical drama, ‘The Uprising’, has seen a disappointing opening at the North American box office, earning approximately $3.25 million from a $20 million production budget. Despite marketing efforts by Focus Features that framed the film as a Robin Hood origin story, the film received a B- CinemaScore and struggled to attract large audiences.

The film stars Andrew Garfield as a ploughman leading a rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II during the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt in England. Set in the aftermath of the Black Death, the narrative depicts a period of intense social unrest fueled by heavy taxation and the struggles of the peasant class. While the film draws on the real historical event, some critics and historians note that the marketing connection to the Robin Hood legend is historically inaccurate, as the legend predates the revolt.

Supporting cast members include Jamie Bell, Cosmo Jarvis, Thomasin McKenzie, and Woody Norman. The film’s performance follows a trend of recent historical dramas struggling to achieve significant commercial success relative to their production costs.