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Theodore Rex (film)

1996 American buddy cop film From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Theodore Rex (film)
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For the 2001 biography of Theodore Roosevelt, see Theodore Rex (book).

Theodore Rex, also known as T. Rex,[4][5] is a 1996[6] buddy cop science-fiction comedy film written and directed by Jonathan Betuel and starring Whoopi Goldberg. Though originally intended for theatrical release, the film went direct-to-video, and consequently became the most expensive direct-to-video film ever made at the time of its release.[7][8][9]

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The film was reviewed poorly,[5][10] and saw Whoopi Goldberg being nominated for Worst Actress at the 1996 Golden Raspberry Awards.[11] It is the first direct-to-video movie to receive any sort of Razzie nomination.[12]

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Plot

In an alternate futuristic society where humans and dinosaurs co-exist, a tough police detective named Katie Coltrane (Whoopi Goldberg) is paired with a Tyrannosaurus named Theodore Rex (George Newbern) to find the killer of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals leading them to a ruthless billionaire bent on killing off mankind by creating a new ice age.

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Cast

Live action

Voice cast

Puppeteers

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Production

The lead character Katie was originally a white male with Kurt Russell considered for the role.[13]

Reception

Theodore Rex was poorly reviewed by critics and audiences. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 0% of 5 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 1.7/10.[14] Variety magazine gave the film a negative review, saying, "This is one T. rex that won’t be spared the tar pits."[15] William Thomas of Empire magazine gave the film a one out of five stars and said, "Steer Clear".[16]

In a 2015 interview with the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, Goldberg stated that this is the only film she regrets ever having done: "Don't ask me why I did it, I didn't want to", she said.[17] Goldberg also said it made "no sense to anybody to like it".[18]

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Goldberg lawsuit

Though Whoopi Goldberg had made an oral agreement to star in the film in October 1992,[6] she attempted to back out. Abramson filed a US$20 million lawsuit against Goldberg, which was settled quickly. Goldberg agreed to star in the film for $7 million,[2] $2 million more than the amount originally agreed upon.[7]

One of the attorneys on the case described this as being similar to the legal battle of Kim Basinger when she backed out of the film Boxing Helena.[7]

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Distribution

The film was originally intended for theatrical release in North America during Christmas 1995, but a glut of competition as well as a rush on post production work for the effects heavy film led to New Line Cinema delaying release.[19] They subsequently intended to release it to coincide with Goldberg's hosting stint at the Academy Awards the following year,[6] but ultimately decided that it was in their best interests to release the film direct-to-video. This decision came as a result of failed test marketing in Las Vegas, Memphis, Portland, Maine and Providence.[7][20] The film's $33.5 million budget made it the most expensive direct-to-video release at that time.[7]

The international distributors to whom New Line had pre-sold the rights to the film adopted a different release strategy by distributing theatrically in every country except the United States and Italy.[6]

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See also

References

External links

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