Can a film about ancient djinn survive the harsh reality of modern box offices?
In short: George Miller’s 2022 fantasy drama explores the centuries-spanning relationship between a lonely scholar and a trapped djinn. While critics praised its visual ambition and technical artistry, the film struggled to find a mass audience, becoming a notable box-office bomb despite its high-concept premise and star-studded cast.
Directed by George Miller and based on A. S. Byatt’s 1994 short story, Three Thousand Years of Longing follows Alithea Binnie, a narratology scholar who discovers a djinn in an antique bottle while visiting Istanbul. The film unfolds through a series of nested narratives, as the djinn recounts his millennia of existence, detailing his complex entanglements with historical figures like the Queen of Sheba and Suleiman the Magnificent. These stories serve as a meditation on desire, memory, and the nature of storytelling itself.
The production was a significant undertaking, with filming beginning in November 2020 after delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite a premiere at the 75th Cannes Film Festival that earned a six-minute standing ovation, the film faced a difficult commercial path. It grossed only $20.3 million worldwide against a $60 million production budget. Industry analysts attributed this underperformance to a lack of effective marketing and a wide-release strategy that failed to capture the public's attention in a crowded theatrical landscape.
Critical reception remained divided but generally appreciative of the film's aesthetic achievements. Reviewers frequently highlighted the movie's visual splendor and technical wizardry, with some describing it as a hallucinogenic experience. While some critics felt the emotional core was less compelling than the spectacle, others lauded its defiance of modern cinematic trends. Ultimately, the film serves as a testament to Miller's ambition, blending ancient mythology with modern concerns about technology and human connection, even if it struggled to translate that vision into financial success.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Three Thousand Years of Longing
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-three-thousand-years-of-longing.
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
