Ben Affleck, star of Ridley Scott’s latest historical epic, The Last Duel, defends the film following its underwhelming performance at the box office. The movie stars Affleck, Jodie Comer, Matt Damon, and Adam Driver in its lead roles, and recounts the violent events that eventually culminated in the last judicial duel to take place in medieval France. Affleck portrays Count Pierre d’Alençon, a hedonistic nobleman who exacerbates tensions between the two duelists, Jean de Carrouges (Damon) and Jacque Le Gris (Driver), throughout the course of the film.
The Last Duel is the first of two films that Scott released in 2021, the other being the equally star-studded crime drama, House of Gucci. Unfortunately, only the latter film managed to surpass its production budget earning $127 million against its $75 million cost. On the other hand, The Last Duel made a mere $30.6 million against its production budget of $100 million, despite earning comparatively more praise from both critics and audiences alike. Its failure at the box office has reignited discussions surrounding the monopolistic grip of franchise studio blockbusters at the box office. Since the rise of superhero films in the 2000s, original high-budget productions have increasingly become more of a gamble for movie studios.
In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Affleck staunchly reaffirmed his decision to star in The Last Duel despite its underwhelming commercial performance. He says he is “disappointed more people didn’t see it, but I can’t chase what’s going to be cool. I’m happy with it.” Check out the actor’s full statements below:
I mean, “The Last Duel” came out and every article was like, “It made no money.” And I really loved the movie, and I liked what I did in it. I was disappointed more people didn’t see it, but I can’t chase what’s going to be cool. I’m happy with it. I’m not preoccupied with notions of success or failure about money or commercial success, because those things really corrupt your choices. Then what happens is the movies are less interesting and you’re less good.
Affleck goes on to say that chasing “money or commercial success” can ultimately be unfulfilling for performers in the long run. Later on in the interview, he points to his departure from Warner Bros.’ Batman film as an example. Affleck was initially attached to direct and star in the masked vigilante’s first solo outing in the DCEU, but eventually parted ways with the film (and the larger franchise) to prioritize his mental health and wellbeing.
Between Batman and his short-lived portrayal of Daredevil, Affleck has had difficulty finding his place within the landscape of superhero blockbusters. Fortunately, these experiences appear to have inspired the actor to reevaluate his priorities and to pursue projects that he himself feels passionate about. Affleck’s performance in Scott’s film is magnetic, no doubt thanks to the creative freedom afforded by productions that aren’t encumbered by a larger franchise. With 2022’s The Flash serving as the swan song to his tenure as the Caped Crusader, hopefully Affleck will continue to take on rewarding roles as memorable as Count d’Alençon in The Last Duel.
