How a 2015 comedy about an Afghan singing star became a box office disaster
In short: Directed by Barry Levinson and starring Bill Murray, Rock the Kasbah was a 2015 comedy inspired by the documentary Afghan Star. Despite its high-profile cast and musical premise, the film struggled significantly upon release, ultimately becoming one of the worst-performing wide releases in cinema history at the time.
The film follows Richie Lanz, a struggling talent manager played by Bill Murray, who finds himself stranded in Afghanistan during a USO tour. While there, he discovers Salima Khan, a young woman with a remarkable voice, and attempts to launch her career on the Afghan television show Afghan Star. The narrative is a loose adaptation of the 2009 documentary of the same name and was dedicated to Setara Hussainzada, one of the documentary's original stars. Production took place in Morocco between June and July 2014, with a cast that included Kate Hudson and Bruce Willis.
The path to the screen was marked by casting changes and shifting release dates. Shia LaBeouf was initially attached to the project but departed in March 2014, with Scott Caan stepping in as his replacement. Open Road Films acquired distribution rights in February 2014, and the release date was adjusted multiple times, eventually landing on October 23, 2015. The film debuted in a crowded market alongside titles like Steve Jobs and The Last Witch Hunter, but it failed to capture the audience's attention.
The financial performance was notably poor. Initially projected to earn $6 million, expectations were repeatedly slashed as early ticket sales disappointed. The film ultimately grossed only $1.5 million during its opening weekend, landing in 13th place at the box office. Box Office Mojo noted that it held the fifth-worst opening ever for a film playing in over 2,000 theaters. Critical reception was equally harsh, with a 7% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 29 out of 100 on Metacritic, reflecting a general consensus that the film failed to utilize its lead actor's comedic strengths.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Rock the Kasbah (film)
- Also: Wikidata — Rock the Kasbah · CC0
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-rock-the-kasbah-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
