Movies - TV
Why Brendan Fraser's Dudley Do-Right Failed At The Box Office
By JOE ROBERTS
1999’s “Dudley Do-Right” looked like it would work on paper — it was based on a character from the beloved “Rocky and Bullwinkle Show,” and Brendan Fraser would bring his signature charm to the role of a Canadian Mounty out of his depth. But the film was a critically panned box office flop, and the sad truth is that wasn’t a surprise.
Simply put, “Dudley Do-Right” isn’t great, and is a bizarre mish-mash of slapstick comedy, odd cultural references, and excruciating scenes that border on downright offensive. Universal knew they had a dud on their hands, and gave the film a dreaded “dumping ground” release on August 27 where it only made a little under $4 million its opening weekend.
Despite Brendan Fraser’s current renaissance, he wasn’t exactly a consistent star back in the day, and his box office record is pretty erratic, so Universal’s decision to rely on his “George of The Jungle” popularity wasn’t necessarily the best move. Unfortunately, Fraser was unable to save “Dudley Do-Right” from itself, and the movie failed terribly.