Universal’s ‘Bros’ Blitz And “History-Lesson” Marketing Campaign Ripped By Harvey Fierstein; Billy Eichner Counters That “No Blueprint” Existed For The Gay Rom-Com – New Yorker Festival
A New Yorker Festival panel with actor and comedian Billy Eichner and playwright and actor Harvey Fierstein, who both appear in Bros, turned into an onstage post-mortem about the gay rom-com’s disappointing opening.
Fierstein, who has a cameo role in the film, criticized Universal’s “history-lesson” marketing and the studio’s decision to open it wide given that the high-stakes release pattern meant that the pitch took a hectoring turn.
It then had to cajole a broad cross-section of people to buy tickets, not an easy feat even before the climate grew even dicier for theatrical comedies coming out of Covid.
The result: a $4.8 million weekend, about 40% below expectations. In his signature rasp, Fierstein blasted “the whole idea of putting this movie out with this idea of, ‘The first ever gay movie!
