Why did the 2003 Oscar-winning historical epic never developed sequel explained by Russell Crowe?
Crowe explained, in an interview with GQ, why Master & Commander never had a sequel. Crowe seemed to agree with Weir, noting that although the movie earned well at the box office worldwide, it fell short of the particular target required for a sequel. He said that although the filming of the movie was completed before Pirates of the Caribbean, Master And Commander's post-production set them back, producing a completed product that had to go against a similar film most likely more economically enticing. The timing was off. View the complete quote and video below:
Indeed, we discussed it a lot for a little period of time and there was a burn on it. Now, I hear, and I could be totally mistaken, but right now I hear they are launching a TV show. Still, we ought to have done more than one film. Funny thing is that though. Though it received 10 or so Academy Award nominations and performed quite well at the box office worldwide, Master And Commander only fell short of the targeted count in America. And at that time, the choice was heavily weighted toward it. We sort of missed the boat, if only metaphorically.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Deserves a Sequel?
Actually, the Historical Epic failed to perform commercially if it was to attract the attention required for a Sequel. Having a $150 million budget, it only made about $210 million at the worldwide box office. With the break-even point probably about $300 million, a film's success would usually need to be more than twice the budget, therefore it was unacceptable for studios to keep on producing additional films.
Given its great promise, it's unfortunate that a Master and Commander sequel never came to pass. There were more Jack Aubrey tales to be written as the Oscar-winning film was based on three books in a book series totaling 20. There's little doubt Master and Commander could have done if Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which came out the same year, could create four more sequels on a concept inspired by a theme park attraction.
The Far Side of the World star Russell Crowe discusses why a follow-up for the Oscar-winning epic never came to pass.
Russell Crowe on why, despite critical praise, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World never received a sequel. Based on three Patrick O' Brian novels, the movie follows the exploits of Jack Aubrey (Crowe), a Royal Navy captain, and Dr. Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany). Although the movie had a modest worldwide box office attraction and good reviews, it disappointed considerably here. When Master and Commander filmmaker Peter Weir was questioned about a sequel in 2005, he claimed it was "most unlikely."
Crowe explained, in an interview with GQ, why Master & Commander never had a sequel. Crowe apparently agreed with Weir, stating that although the movie fared fairly at the box office worldwide, it fell short of the required count for a sequel. He also clarified that the timing was off, stating that Master and Commander's post-production set them back even though the film's filming was completed before Pirates of the Caribbean, so producing a finished product that had to contradict another similarly commercially appealing film. See the whole quotation and video below.
Master and Commander: What to Anticipate
When Crowe and Weir's picture debuted, it was hailed for its deft adaptation of the original material, said to have an epic grandeur without sacrificing its deeper themes of human nature. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie presently has an 80% from spectators and an 85% from critics. Seeing 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, Master and Commander even did fairly during the award season. Two awards—Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing—went to the film finally.
Though the prospect for follow-up has been investigated, nothing has surfaced. Though right now this is only one more chapter in the narrative of Master and Commander; eventually the series will continue.
The Fate of the Franchise
Although Crowe's absence from the series is unfortunate, it was revealed in 2021 that a Master and Commander prequel under the writing of Chao Walking is apparently under development. Though the prequel was supposed to resurrect the two main protagonists, there have not been any developments on the project since. Thus, it seems that fresh material for Master and Commander has once more stagnated, leaving the destiny of the adaptations unknown.
source: GQ
Master and Commander Makes a Seemingly Small Timeline Change That Dramatically Affects the Politics and Central Conflict of the Film
Peter Weir's historical drama The Far Side of the World stars Russell Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the movie centers Aubrey as he negotiates his ship, HMS Surprise, over dangerous waters in search of a French privateer. Drawing on Patrick O' Brian's series of books, the movie investigates naval warfare, tactics, and leadership.
Praise for the historical drama Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World's period accuracy and exciting combat sequences comes from Any lover of Historical Epics should definitely check out this film since its images are amazing.
