The Frighteners
"The Frighteners" was released in the United States in 1,675 theaters, and opened at #5, earning $5,565,495 during its opening weekend, averaging $3,335 per theater. The film eventually grossed a worldwide total of $29,359,216. "The Frighteners" ended up being a box office disappointment, mostly due to competition from "Independence Day"; in interviews conducted years after "The Frighteners" release, Jackson commented he was disappointed by Universal's ubiquitous marketing campaign, including a poster which "didn't tell you anything about the picture", which he believed was the primary reason the film was not a financial success. Additionally, the film opened on the same day the Atlanta Summer Olympics began; when Jackson realized this and told the studio, they answered "'We don't think so; our research indicates that's not the case...' And I just thought how the hell do they know? There had only ever been three Olympic Games held in the United States in one hundred years!" Jackson acknowledged "The Frighteners" tone made it hard to pigeon-hole and sell, and his experience on the film made him understand the importance of marketing.