https://preview.redd.it/xp5s85nfh5qc1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=91b45ea8c874d14e526db17255a31a9c44b609ac

Here's a new edition of "Directors at the Box Office", which seeks to explore the directors' trajectory at the box office and analyze their hits and bombs. I already talked about a few, and as I promised, it's Spike Lee's turn.

Lee enrolled in Morehouse College, a historically black college in Atlanta, where he made his first student film, Last Hustle in Brooklyn. He did graduate work at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts in film and television. He continued making some student films, with the help of his classmates Ang Lee and Ernest Dickerson.

From a box office perspective, how reliable was he to deliver a box office hit?

That's the point of this post. To analyze his career.

She's Gotta Have It (1986)

"A seriously sexy comedy."

His directorial debut. The film stars Tracy Camilla Johns, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell and Lee himself. The plot concerns a young woman who is seeing three men, and the feelings this arrangement provokes.

Lee originally wanted to make a film focused on a bike messenger, but lack of funding shelved it. So he decided to make something within a very limited budget. Despite facing challenges, Lee managed to redirect an $18,000 grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, as well as more grants from other institutions. Lee adopted a cost-effective approach, working with minimal locations, and no elaborate costumes or sets, to complete the film without the prolonged effort of raising substantial funds for a larger production.

After getting a distributor, Lee had to make the sure the film could be as profitable as possible. And it succeeded; on a $175,000 budget, it earned $7 million domestically. It also received great reviews, and Lee quickly rose to prominence, especially as he achieved this on a very low budget.

• Budget: $175,000.

• Domestic gross: $7,137,502.

• Worldwide gross: $7,137,502.

School Daze (1988)

"Dog or die."

His second joint. It stars Lee, Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tisha Campbell. Based partly on Lee's experiences as a student at Morehouse College in the Atlanta University Center during the 1970s, it is a story about undergraduates in a fraternity and sorority clashing with some of their classmates at a historically black college during homecoming week.

While Lee enjoyed great reviews for his first joint, that wasn't the case here. It received mixed reviews, and critics were polarized over Lee's handling of its subject matters. Although, now that Columbia was distributing, the film was a box office success.

• Budget: $6,100,000.

• Domestic gross: $14,545,844.

• Worldwide gross: $14,545,844.

Do the Right Thing (1989)

"It's the hottest day of the summer. You can do nothing, you can do something, or you can..."

His third joint. It stars Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, Samuel L. Jackson, Martin Lawrence and Rosie Perez. The story explores a Brooklyn neighborhood's simmering racial tension between its African-American residents and the Italian-American owners of a local pizzeria, culminating in tragedy and violence on a hot summer's day.

Lee conceived the film as he discussed the 1986 incident at Howard Beach, Queens with Robert De Niro. The original script ended with a stronger reconciliation between Mookie and Sal than Lee used in the film. In this version, Sal's comments to Mookie are similar to Da Mayor's earlier comments in the film and hint at some common ground and perhaps Sal's understanding of why Mookie tried to destroy his restaurant. Lee has not explicitly explained why he changed the ending but his contemporaneous notes compiled in the film's companion book indicate Lisa Jones expressed Sal's reaction as "too nice" as originally written.

When it premiered, it was clear that a masterpiece has arrived. It was hailed by critics as one of the best films, not just from the year, but ever made. It was also a box office success, continuing Lee's streak. Lee received his first Oscar nom for Best Original Screenplay, and Aiello was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, although they didn't win. Many also expressed disappointment at the Academy for not nominating it for Best Picture. But if Lee wasn't known in Hollywood, he now was.

• Budget: $6,200,000.

• Domestic gross: $27,545,445.

• Worldwide gross: $37,295,445.

Mo' Better Blues (1990)

"Tonight."

His fourth joint. It stars Lee, Denzel Washington, and Wesley Snipes, and Spike Lee. It follows a period in the life of fictional jazz trumpeter Bleek Gilliam as a series of bad decisions result in his jeopardizing both his relationships and his playing career. The film focuses on themes of friendship, loyalty, honesty, cause-and-effect, and ultimately salvation.

It received favorable reviews, although many felt it didn't live up to the standards of Lee. At the box office, his streak ran out and Lee had his first bomb.

• Budget: $10,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $16,153,593.

• Worldwide gross: $16,153,593.

Jungle Fever (1991)

His fifth joint. It stars Lee, Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel L. Jackson, Lonette McKee, John Turturro, Frank Vincent, Tim Robbins, Brad Dourif, Giancarlo Esposito, Debi Mazar, Michael Imperioli, Anthony Quinn, Halle Berry and Queen Latifah, and explores the beginning and end of an extramarital interracial relationship against the urban backdrop of the streets of New York City in the early 1990s.

A few months after the murder of Yusuf K. Hawkins on 1989, Lee began conceptualizing the film, jotting down ideas and eventually organizing them into scenes on index cards. Subsequently, he commenced writing dialogue with specific actors in mind, envisioning Wesley Snipes, Ossie Davis, and John Turturro for the roles of "Flipper Purify," "The Good Reverend Doctor Purify," and "Paulie Carbone," respectively. Lee initially filmed a prologue addressing racial issues, but at the encouragement of distributor Universal Pictures, he decided to remove the "offending" scene.

The film received great reviews, and Samuel L. Jackson was commended for his performance, with many considering his breakout role. Lee also recovered from his previous bomb, and the film became his highest grossing film.

• Budget: $14,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $32,482,682.

• Worldwide gross: $43,882,682.

Malcolm X (1992)

His sixth joint. It stars Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Al Freeman Jr., and Delroy Lindo. It focuses on the life of African-American activist Malcolm X.

Since 1967, Marvin Worth has tried to make a film based on Malcolm X. Worth had met Malcolm X, then called "Detroit Red," as a teenager selling drugs in New York City. However, the project was stuck in development hell as there were still unsolved stuff over his life, and it saw the involvement and eventual departure of stars like Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy. The production was considered controversial long before filming began. The crux of the controversy was Malcolm X's denunciation of whites before he undertook his hajj. He was, arguably, not well regarded among white citizens by and large; however, he had risen to become a hero in the African-American community and a symbol of blacks' struggles, particularly during the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush.

Once WB got involved, they hired Norman Jewison as the director. Jewison in turn got Denzel Washington to play the lead role. But some people complained that a black director should helm a Malcolm X biopic. One of those who complained was Lee; since college, he had considered a film adaptation of The Autobiography of Malcolm X to be a dream project. Jewison left the project, though he noted he gave up the movie not because of the protest, but because he could not reconcile Malcolm's private and public lives. Lee was eventually hired, and he re-wrote the script to accommodate his vision. It was the first non-documentary, and the first American film, to be given permission to film in Mecca (or within the Haram Sharif). It also featured a cameo appearance by Nelson Mandela, before he became President of South Africa.

The film received critical acclaim, particularly for Washington's performance. It was also a box office success; it hit $73 million worldwide, despite its 202-minute runtime. Washington received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, losing to Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman, a decision which Lee criticized, saying "I'm not the only one who thinks Denzel was robbed on that one."

• Budget: $35,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $48,169,910.

• Worldwide gross: $73,102,910.

Crooklyn (1994)

"A new look at the old neighborhood."

His seventh joint. It stars Alfre Woodard, Delroy Lindo, Zelda Harris and Lee. Taking place in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, during the summer of 1973, the film primarily centers on a young girl named Troy Carmichael, and her family. Troy learns life lessons through her rowdy brothers Clinton, Wendell, Nate, and Joseph; her loving but strict mother Carolyn, and her naive, struggling father Woody.

While it received positive reviews, it wasn't a box office success. It didn't surpass its production budget.

• Budget: $14,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $13,642,861.

• Worldwide gross: $13,642,861.

Clockers (1995)

"When there's murder on the streets, everyone is a suspect."

His eighth joint. Based on the novel by Richard Price, it stars Harvey Keitel, John Turturro, Delroy Lindo, and Mekhi Phifer. Set in New York City, Clockers tells the story of Strike, a street-level drug dealer who becomes entangled in a murder investigation.

The film originally entered production with Martin Scorsese attached to direct; he had previously collaborated with Price on The Color of Money. Scorsese eventually dropped out of production to focus on his passion project Casino, at which point Lee stepped in to direct and rewrite the script, Scorsese remained a co-producer alongside Lee.

It received generally positive reviews, but it fared very poorly at the box office.

• Budget: $25,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $13,071,518.

• Worldwide gross: $13,071,518.

Girl 6 (1996)

"Six is for sex."

His ninth joint. The film stars Theresa Randle, Isaiah Washington, and Lee, and follows the life of an aspiring actress in New York as she is upset by the treatment of women in the movie industry during one of her screen tests with Quentin Tarantino.

The film was one of the worst received films in Lee's career, and it made just $4 million, becoming his lowest grossing film.

• Budget: $12,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $4,939,939.

• Worldwide gross: $4,939,939.

Get on the Bus (1996)

"On October 16, 1996, the one year anniversary of the Million Man March, Spike Lee invites you to lift your head, raise your voice, and..."

His tenth joint. It stars Richard Belzer, De'aundre Bonds, Andre Braugher, Thomas Jefferson Byrd, Gabriel Casseus, Albert Hall, Hill Harper, Harry Lennix, Bernie Mac, Wendell Pierce, Roger Guenveur Smith, Isaiah Washington, Steve White, Ossie Davis, and Charles S. Dutton. It follows a group of African-American men who are taking a cross-country bus trip in order to participate in the Million Man March.

The film was well received, and it barely recouped its production budget.

• Budget: $2,400,000.

• Domestic gross: $5,754,249.

• Worldwide gross: $5,754,249.

He Got Game (1998)

"The Father. The Son. And the Holy Game."

His 11th joint. It stars Denzel Washington, Ray Allen and Milla Jovovich. The film revolves around Jake Shuttlesworth, father of the top-ranked basketball prospect in the country, Jesus Shuttlesworth. Jake, in prison for killing his wife, is released on parole for a week by the state's governor to persuade his son to play for the governor's alma mater in exchange for a reduced prison sentence.

Despite good reviews and Denzel's presence, it wasn't a box office success.

• Budget: $25,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $21,567,853.

• Worldwide gross: $21,567,853.

Summer of Sam (1999)

"The summer of '77 was a killer."

His 12th joint. It stars John Leguizamo, Adrien Brody, Mira Sorvino, Jennifer Esposito, and Anthony LaPaglia. It follows the 1977 David Berkowitz (Son of Sam) serial murders and their effect on a group of fictional residents of an Italian-American neighborhood in The Bronx in the late 1970s. The killer, David Berkowitz, his murders and the investigation are shown in the film, but the focus is on two young men from the neighborhood: Vinny, whose marriage is faltering due to his cheating, and Ritchie, Vinny's childhood friend who has embraced punk fashion and music.

The film polarized critics and audiences with its story and content. It continued Lee's poor box office streak, not even hitting $20 million.

• Budget: $22,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $19,288,130.

• Worldwide gross: $19,288,130.

Bamboozled (2000)

His 13th joint. It stars Damon Wayans, Jada Pinkett Smith, Savion Glover, Tommy Davidson, and Michael Rapaport. It follows a modern televised minstrel show featuring black actors donning blackface makeup and the resulting violent fallout from the show's success.

The film polarized critics, who deemed it too heavy-handed in its satire. It was also a huge flop, making just $2 million at the box office. In subsequent years, however, the film has earned a cult following.

• Budget: $10,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $2,274,979.

• Worldwide gross: $2,463,650.

25th Hour (2002)

"Can you change your whole life in a day?"

His 14th joint. Based on the novel by David Benioff, it stars Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Pepper, Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin, and Brian Cox. It tells the story of a man's last 24 hours of freedom as he prepares to go to prison for seven years for dealing drugs.

Months before the book was published, Tobey Maguire found a manuscript and was interested in playing the lead. However, his commitment to Spider-Man prevented it from happening and he only served as a producer. Lee was interested in the long monologue that Benioff called the "fuck monologue" whereby Monty ranted against the five boroughs of New York; Benioff had considered leaving it out as he thought it might not be dramatic, and Lee persuaded Benioff to keep it in. The film was in the "planning stages" at the time of the September 11 attacks, and so Lee "decided not to ignore the tragedy but to integrate it into his story".

The film was well received, especially for its portrayal of post-9/11 New York. It was also a box office success, helping Lee recover from his previous stumbles.

• Budget: $5,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $13,084,595.

• Worldwide gross: $23,932,055.

She Hate Me (2004)

"A new film about one heterosexual male and 18 lesbians."

His 15th joint. It stars Anthony Mackie, Kerry Washington, Ellen Barkin, Monica Bellucci, Brian Dennehy, Woody Harrelson, Bai Ling, and John Turturro. The film touches on a variety of themes such as corporate greed, race, sexuality, and politics.

The film received Lee's worst reviews by far. A huge point was the film's inconsistent tone, feeling that it couldn't decide if it wants to be a commentary on corporate greed or a sex farce. The film also generated controversy for its depiction of lesbian women and for portraying them as wanting to have sex with a man for procreative purposes. It was also a huge bomb at the box office, becoming his lowest grossing title.

• Budget: $9,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $366,037.

• Worldwide gross: $1,526,951.

Inside Man (2006)

"It looked like the perfect bank robbery. But you can't judge a crime by its cover."

His 16th joint. The film stars Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. It centers on an elaborate bank heist-turned-hostage situation on Wall Street.

The script was written by Russell Gewirtz, a former lawyer who conceived the idea while vacationing in several countries. A first time-screenwriter, Gewirtz studied a number of screenplays, and spent five years developing the premise. When Universal bought it, Ron Howard signed to direct but had to step out to prioritize Cinderella Man. Lee agreed to direct, feeling comparisons to Dog Day Afternoon. Per Lee's wishes, Marcia Jean Kurtz and Lionel Pina were additionally cast to reprise their roles from Dog Day Afternoon in Easter egg cameo appearances.

The film opened with $28 million, marking the best debut for both Lee and Denzel. Worldwide, the film closed with a pretty great $186 million, easily becoming Lee's highest grossing film and his first to pass the $100 million milestone. The film also received acclaim, and Lee was praised for eschewing his usual style and delivering a straightforward thriller.

• Budget: $45,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $88,513,495.

• Worldwide gross: $186,003,591.

Miracle at St. Anna (2008)

"World War II has its heroes and its miracles."

His 17th joint. Based on James McBride's novel, it stars Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso, Omar Benson Miller, Pierfrancesco Favino and Valentina Cervi, John Turturro, Joseph Gordon Levitt, John Leguizamo, D.B. Sweeney and Kerry Washington. Set primarily in Italy during the Italian Civil War in World War II, the film tells the story of four Buffalo Soldiers of the 92nd Infantry Division who seek refuge in a small Tuscan village, where they form a bond with the residents. The story is presented as a flashback, as one survivor, Hector Negron, reflects upon his experiences in a frame story set in 1980s New York.

The film drew negative reactions, and made just $9 million worldwide.

• Budget: $45,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $7,919,117.

• Worldwide gross: $9,333,654.

Red Hook Summer (2012)

His 18th joint. It stars Clarke Peters, Nate Parker, Thomas Jefferson Byrd, Toni Lysaith, and Jules Brown, and follows a well-to-do Atlanta teen who documents a summer spent in the Brooklyn housing projects with his devout grandfather.

The film was unfavorably received, particularly for its twist ending. It didn't even make $1 million, becoming Lee's lowest grossing film ever.

• Budget: N/A.

• Domestic gross: $338,803.

• Worldwide gross: $338,803.

Oldboy (2013)

"Ask not why you were imprisoned. Ask why you were set free."

His first film. A remake of the South Korean film by Park Chan-wook, it stars Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, and Sharlto Copley. It follows a man named Joe who searches for his captors after being mysteriously imprisoned for twenty years.

An American remake of Oldboy was in development for years. It saw the involvement of directors like Justin Lin and Steven Spielberg, and Will Smith attached to star. Spielberg's idea was not remaking the film, instead adapting the Old Boy manga itself, which is considerably different from the original film. Lee was later hired. His version was 140 minutes long, but the producers heavily re-edited the film to 105 minutes (re-edits by producers also included the "one-shot hammer" scene).

The film received negative reactions. Both critics and audiences agreed that the film was simply unnecessary and it did not improve over the original in any way. It was also a huge box office bomb, making just $5 million. Lee and Josh Brolin were unhappy with the final version. Lee even removed his trademark "A Spike Lee Joint" credit for a more impersonal "A Spike Lee Film" during the editing process. Brolin has also said that he prefers Lee's version of the film, though it is not clear if this cut will ever be released.

• Budget: $30,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $2,193,658.

• Worldwide gross: $5,186,767.

Da Sweet Blood of Jesus (2014)

His 20th joint. It stars Zaraah Abrahams, Stephen Tyrone Williams, Rami Malek, and Elvis Nolasco, and follows a wealthy anthropologist who is stabbed by an ancient African dagger and turned into a vampire.

As the film was released on VOD, there are no box office numbers. It received negative reviews.

Chi-Raq (2015)

"No peace, no piece."

His 21st joint. It stars Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, Teyonah Parris, Jennifer Hudson, Angela Bassett, John Cusack, and Samuel L. Jackson. Set in Chicago, the film focuses on the gang violence prevalent in neighborhoods on the city's south side, particularly the Englewood neighborhood.

It was the first original film to be distributed by Amazon Studios, and it made $2 million on its limited run. After a run of poorly received films, it received his best reviews in years.

• Budget: $15,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $2,653,032.

• Worldwide gross: $2,719,699.

Pass Over (2018)

"We gotta get off da block."

His 22nd joint. It stars Jon Michael Hill, Julian Parker, Ryan Hallahan and Blake DeLong. It is a performance of the play of the same name by Antoinette Nwandu, directed for the stage by Danya Taymor and filmed by Lee.

As the film was released on Amazon, there are no box office numbers. It received positive reviews.

BlacKkKlansman (2018)

"Infiltrate hate."

His 23rd joint. Based on the memoir by Ron Stallworth, it stars John David Washington as Stallworth, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, and Topher Grace. Set in the 1970s in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the plot follows the first African-American detective in the city's police department as he sets out to infiltrate and expose the local Ku Klux Klan chapter.

The film was a much needed box office success for Lee. It grossed a pretty good $93 million worldwide, becoming his second highest grossing film ever. It also received acclaim, with many calling it Lee's best film in years. It received six nominations at the 91st Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor for Driver; and won for Best Adapted Screenplay, making it Lee's Academy Award.

• Budget: $15,000,000.

• Domestic gross: $49,275,340.

• Worldwide gross: $93,413,709.

Da 5 Bloods (2020)

His 24th joint. It stars Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters, Johnny Trí Nguyễn, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Mélanie Thierry, Paul Walter Hauser, Jasper Pääkkönen, Jean Reno, and Chadwick Boseman. The film's plot follows a group of four aging Vietnam War veterans who return to the country in search of the remains of their fallen squad leader, as well as the treasure they buried while serving there.

As the film was released on Netflix, there are no box office numbers. It received acclaim from critics.

The Future

He is currently filming High and Low, an American remake of Akira Kurosawa's film. It stars Denzel Washington, Ilfenesh Hadera and Jeffrey Wright.

MOVIES (FROM HIGHEST GROSSING TO LEAST GROSSING)

He made 24 joints, but only 21 have reported box office grosses. Across those 21 joints, she has made $595,301,405 worldwide. That's $28,347,685 per joint.

The Verdict

Very inconsistent.

Lee has been one of the most important filmmakers of the past decades, even if the quality of his joints have varied. And that inconsistency is shown at the box office; very few of his joints have been hits. Only one (Inside Man) was popular overseas. But as you can see, he's not struggling in finding funding. And some films, despite being less than great, still have some interesting ideas. It speaks volumes how he refers to his works as "joints"... except for the lame Oldboy remake.

Hope you liked this edition. You can find this and more in the wiki for this section.

The next director will be Baz Luhrmann. Very few films, but he's a very recognizable talent.

I asked you to choose who else should be in the run and the comment with the most upvotes would be chosen. Well, we'll later talk about... Todd Phillips. The journey from sex comedies to Joker is crazy.

This is the schedule for the following four:

Who should be next after Phillips? That's up to you. But there's a catch this week.

I'm gonna suggest four names and of these names, you should choose. The director with the most votes will receive a post after Phillips. Here are the four choices:

• John Carpenter. Known for making films that may not have been appreciated at the time, but grew into a cult following.

• Renny Harlin. The most successful director with the most flops?

• Tony Scott. Ridley's brother, known for launching Tom Cruise's career into superstardom and for his collaborations with Denzel Washington.

• Paul Verhoeven. An influential part of the 80s and 90s known for his satire.

No other names will be allowed for this week. We'll return to our normal schedule next week.