Battlefield Earth (film)

Battlefield Earth (also referred to as Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000) is a 2000 American science fiction film based on the 1982 novel by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. It was directed by Roger Christian and stars John Travolta, Barry Pepper, and Forest Whitaker. The film follows a rebellion against the alien Psychlos, who have ruled Earth for 1,000 years.
Travolta, a Scientologist, began attempting to adapt Battlefield Earth in the mid-1990s. He was unable to obtain major studio funding due to concerns regarding the script and its connections to Scientology. In 1998, it was picked up by independent production company Franchise Pictures, which specialized in rescuing stars' pet projects. Production began in 1999, largely funded by the German distribution company Intertainment AG. Travolta, as co-producer, also contributed millions of dollars; he envisioned Battlefield Earth as the first in a two-part adaptation of the book, as it only covers the first half of the novel's story.
Released to critical and commercial failure, Battlefield Earth is frequently described as one of the worst films of all time. Reviewers criticized the acting, cinematography, script, special effects, musical score, character development, and art direction. Audiences were reported to have ridiculed early screenings and stayed away from the film after its opening weekend. It received eight Golden Raspberry Awards, which until 2012 was the most Razzie Awards given to a single film, and in 2010, it won Worst Picture of the Decade.
In 2007, Franchise Pictures was sued by its investors and went bankrupt after it emerged that it had fraudulently overstated the film's budget by $31 million; this, coupled with the film's poor reception, ended Travolta's plans for a sequel.
Category:Films