Why the most expensive stop-motion film ever made became a massive box-office bomb
In short: Laika's 2019 adventure Missing Link set a record as the priciest stop-motion production in history, with a $100 million budget. Despite critical acclaim and a Golden Globe win, the film struggled to find an audience, resulting in a staggering financial loss that highlights the volatility of high-stakes animation.
Directed by Chris Butler, Missing Link follows Sir Lionel Frost, an investigator of myths who attempts to prove the existence of a Sasquatch to gain entry into the elite Society of Great Men. The Sasquatch, who eventually adopts the name Susan, enlists Lionel to help him find his Yeti relatives in the Himalayas. Along with Adelina Fortnight, a former lover of Lionel, the trio embarks on a journey that pits them against a bounty hunter and the society's imperialist leadership.
The film was a technical marvel, featuring over 110 sets and 65 unique locations. Its artistic ambition was widely recognized, earning an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature, making it the first non-CGI film to win the award. Critics praised its lighter tone and visual craft, noting it as a departure from Laika's typically darker, Goth-styled aesthetic.
Despite these accolades, the film's commercial performance was disastrous. Opening in April 2019, it debuted to just $5.9 million in the United States and Canada, marking the lowest start for a Laika film and one of the worst openings for a wide-release movie. With a worldwide gross of only $26.2 million against its $100 million budget, Deadline Hollywood estimated a net loss of $101.3 million. The film's failure was particularly notable given its distribution by United Artists Releasing, the first animated film the studio had released in thirty years.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Missing Link (2019 film)
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