A24
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Callum Turner is, without a doubt, a star on the rise. Following a run that has included shows like "Masters of the Air" and movies like "Eternity," he's poised for breakout status. Currently, Turner is co-headlining the high-concept rom-com "One Night Only" alongside Monica Barbaro ("Top Gun: Maverick"). But years before his breakout moment, Turner starred in one of A24's most terrifying horror films and a movie that deserved much better than it got at the time of its release.
The flick in question is director Jeremy Saulnier's "Green Room," which stars Patrick Stewart as a skinhead facing off against a punk band. Yes, as in "Star Trek" icon Patrick Stewart. Turner is part of the unlucky punk band.
"Green Room" follows some down-on-their-luck punk rockers finishing up an unsuccessful tour when they get an unexpected booking at a backwoods club. But what seems like a third-rate gig devolves when the band members witness something backstage that they weren't meant to see. Trapped by the skinheads who run the club, they must face off against its depraved owner, Darcy Banker (Stewart), who will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.
"The skinheads were certainly a part of the punk movement, especially in the 1990s when I was a part of it," Saulnier explained in a 2016 interview for "Green Room" with /Film. "I was in the hardcore scene in Virginia, and when we sort of crossed the bridge into Washington D.C., we had shows that were much bigger with a much more eclectic crowd. You had all kinds of different subgenres of punk rockers and hardcore kids, and amongst them was the Nazi skinheads. That was definitely bizarre, that people would be out in bright sunlight during a matinee show, proudly wearing swastikas. That element of danger stuck with me."
Green Room was the right movie at the wrong time
A24
Because "Green Room" was inspired by Jeremy Saulnier's real life experiences, the whole thing has an authentic, grounded feel despite how outlandish it gets. Indeed, it's an intimate film that eventually goes off the f***ing rails. It also has a very impressive ensemble that, besides Patrick Stewart and Callum Turner, includes Imogen Poots ("28 Weeks Later"), Alia Shawkat ("Arrested Development"), Joe Cole ("Skins"), and Anton Yelchin ("Star Trek") in one of his final roles before his untimely passing in 2016.
At the time, Saulnier was coming off of his acclaimed revenge movie "Blue Ruin." The film's cast was stacked, its budget was very reasonable at just $5 million, and critics were on its side, with "Green Room" boasting a 90% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Everything seemed to be lining up in this movie's favor.
This was, however, long before A24 released record-breaking box office hits like "Backrooms." The company was still relatively young and had some growing pains to go through. Because of this, many of its earlier films suffered commercially. (Not that this is unusual for an upstart distributor.) That included "Green Room," which struggled despite generating lots of positive buzz.
"Green Room" had a slow rollout, opening on just a few screens in April 2016 before expanding wide in May. The problem? It ran right into the summer movie season, which was jam-packed with massive blockbusters like the Marvel Cinematic Universe game-changer that was "Captain America: Civil War" (a film that made more than $1 billion at the box office). Saulnier's hardcore horror flick just couldn't cut through the noise, and it failed to crack $1 million on any single weekend. It ultimately finished its theatrical run with a very disappointing $3.8 million worldwide.
Green Room eventually became a cult favorite
A24
The good thing for all concerned parties is that a $5 million film can easily make up the difference, financially speaking, in the post-theatrical market. So, after years of revenue from streaming, VOD, and physical media sales, it seems fair to say A24 probably covered its costs here, especially since "Green Room" hasn't been lost to time. On the contrary, as critics continue to champion it, the movie has become something of a cult favorite that's attracted more and more viewers.
Callum Turner got a big break when he was cast in a key role in the "Fantastic Beasts" movies, no doubt in part thanks to his performance in this film. Second Sight even released a limited edition 4K Ultra HD version of "Green Room" a couple of years ago with lots of bells and whistles, including a 120-page booklet. Needless to say, forgotten movies don't really get the red carpet physical media treatment.
As for Jeremy Saulnier, he's since directed the Netflix chart-topping "Rebel Ridge," a film that was also met with mass critical praise. It became one of Netflix's most-watched movies ever and helped give Saulnier mainstream success. Granted, he generally made very challenging films before that, but it's success he absolutely deserved nonetheless. The larger point is that, despite this movie's initial disappointing commercial reception, everything worked out okay in the end.
That said, in a better world, "Green Room" would've been a far bigger hit during its original run. Its brutality isn't for everyone, but it's the sort of original movie people frequently claim they want. Yet, good films are regularly ignored, and this is just one damn fine example. But they don't always have happy, post-theatrical endings.
English (US) ·