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Steven Spielberg’s 1993 adaptation of Michael Crichton’s “Jurassic Park” became a monumental cinematic success, setting the stage for lucrative sequels in the years that followed. This prompted Hollywood to mine Crichton’s literary works for similar box office gold. However, films like “Sphere” and “Timeline” fell short of expectations. In 1999, another Crichton-based venture, the historical action-drama “The 13th Warrior,” starring Antonio Banderas, also stumbled at the box office.
Buena Vista Motion Picture Distribution
“The 13th Warrior,” directed by John McTiernan—renowned for crafting iconic action films of the 1980s—was an adaptation of Crichton’s novel “Eaters of the Dead.” The film featured Banderas as Ahmad ibn Fadlan, a 10th-century Muslim explorer who documented diverse cultures during his travels. The story intertwines factual history with the myth of “Beowulf,” as ibn Fadlan joins Viking warriors to combat the Wendol, a ferocious band of cannibals, requiring the enigmatic 13th warrior for their defeat.
Despite its potential, the film was a financial disaster and received mixed reviews from both critics and audiences. Yet, akin to epics like “Braveheart” and “Gladiator,” “The 13th Warrior” masterfully combines historical narrative with action and a hint of fantasy, making it worth a look for enthusiasts of underappreciated historical action films.
Grossing just over $60 million worldwide, “The 13th Warrior” was a colossal failure, especially given its relatively competition-free release period. The film’s economic fate was arguably sealed by a troubled production process fraught with delays and soaring costs, eventually reaching a staggering $160 million, echoing the fate of the similarly high-budget flop “Waterworld” from a few years prior.
The initial version of the film tested poorly, prompting the studio to invest in expensive reshoots, which significantly altered the original cut. Complications were exacerbated by Antonio Banderas’s injury, and Michael Crichton himself stepped in as a second director to oversee the reshoots. Rumors suggest Crichton even took an active role in the editing process, striving to address the film’s myriad issues.
Production problems doomed the 13th Warrior from the start
Buena Vista Motion Picture Distribution
Earning just north of $60 million at the box office, “The 13th Warrior” was nothing less than a massive flop, especially considering it didn’t have much competition. But even before it released, the film’s hope for financial success may have already been dead and buried. The production was plagued with problems, delays, and budget overruns that ballooned costs to a staggering $160 million — – similar to the massive-budgeted, fellow box office bomb “Waterworld” a few years earlier.
The first cut was screened for test audiences, where bad feedback led to the studio revamping the film with expensive reshoots that left many scenes on the cutting room floor. Further delays were caused by star Antonio Banderas’s injury, while none other than Michael Crichton himself, whose had some experience behind the camera, was brought in as a second director. He helmed many of the reshot sequences, and rumor has it that he even forced his way into the editing room to “fix” the film’s problems.
Despite all its troubles, “The 13th Warrior” may be one of Crichton’s most underrated adaptations. Praised for its representation of a real-life Muslim figure often ignored in the history books, it’s a thrill-a-minute action movie that, while not the best in its genre, delivers everything audiences seeking an epic historical drama could want.
