Why a major Hollywood star was contractually forced to appear in this box-office flop
In short: The 2010 adaptation of Gulliver's Travels is remembered less for its fantasy adventure and more for its critical panning and the professional regret of its cast. Emily Blunt, who was forced to star in the film due to a prior contract, famously turned down a role in Iron Man 2 for it.
Directed by Rob Letterman, the 2010 fantasy comedy stars Jack Black as a mail-room worker who finds himself in the land of Lilliput after a Bermuda Triangle mishap. While the film is loosely inspired by Jonathan Swift’s 1726 novel, it trades the original’s satire for modern pop-culture references and juvenile humor. The production utilized practical techniques, such as 1:12 scale furniture from The Dolls House Emporium, to minimize reliance on digital effects, yet critics remained largely unimpressed.
The film’s reception was notably poor, holding a 19% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 33 out of 100 on Metacritic. Reviewers, including those from The Wall Street Journal and Empire, criticized the movie for its lack of inspiration and failure to honor its source material. Despite this, the film was a significant international earner, grossing $194.6 million outside of North America, which helped push its total worldwide box office to $237.4 million against a $112 million budget.
The film’s legacy is perhaps most defined by the public frustration of its stars. Emily Blunt, who was obligated to participate due to a two-picture deal with 20th Century Fox, has openly expressed her disdain for the project, noting that she had to sacrifice the role of Black Widow in Iron Man 2 to fulfill her commitment. Even years later, the film remains a sore subject, with Blunt remarking during a 2024 promotional tour that it is a movie she prefers not to discuss.
Beyond the cast's personal grievances, the film faced accusations of creative recycling. Screenwriter Joe Stillman had previously worked on a cancelled project titled Prometheus and Bob, and in 2019, creator Cote Zellers claimed that many ideas from that unproduced script were repurposed for the Jack Black film. Whether viewed as a commercial failure or a misunderstood comedy, the production stands as a curious case of studio obligations clashing with creative ambition.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Gulliver's Travels (2010 film)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-gulliver-s-travels-2010-film.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
