The Jeff Bridges Fantasy Epic On Netflix Nobody Remembers
Jeff Bridges always brings a little something to every role, and he is rightfully remembered for his iconic (and laconic) The Dude from The Big Lebowski. But going back to the original Tron, the actor has always had a taste for starring in ambitious and otherworldly epics. If you enjoy that flavor of Jeff Bridges, we’ve got good news: you can now stream his fantasy epic Seventh Son on Netflix today.
Originally, this movie was based on a Joseph Delaney fantasy book originally titled The Spook’s Apprentice, though American readers would know it by the name The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch.
In Seventh Son, Jeff Bridges stars as the leader of a knightly order
Jeff Bridges stars in the fantasy film as the leader of a knightly order who has sworn to protect humanity from the various supernatural forces that go bump in the night, and the Seventh Son film title refers to a kind prophecy at the heart of this story. As the seventh son of a seventh son, Tom Ward (played by Ben Barnes) has the ability to stop an evil witch Bridge’s character has been battling since the 16th century.
While Jeff Bridges is the biggest star in Seventh Son, the cast is full of some great actors who often rise above the role they are given. For example, Julianne Moore brings her usual ethereal talents to the production. And she is joined by Game of Thrones breakout star Kit Harington, who (as you might imagine) looks right at home in the tale of swords and sorcery.
Seventh Son Struggled With Production
Despite the talents of Julianne Moore, Kit Harington, and Jeff Bridges, Seventh Son was a production plagued by some major problems from the very beginning. Things started out mildly enough when negotiations with Sam Claflin fell through, forcing producers to go with Ben Barnes.
Barnes does a great job, but nobody can deny that the movie having to utilize their second choice for the main role was an early omen that things would go sideways for this movie, and not in a fun way that involves Paul Giamatti being snobby onscreen about wine.
While you might think hiring a big name like Jeff Bridges would really eat into the budget, it wasn’t casting that caused production costs to skyrocket on Seventh Son. Instead, most of the movie’s financial difficulties came courtesy of Rhythm and Hues Studios, a special effects production house that went bankrupt one year before the movie was even released.
Legendary Pictures reluctantly gave Rhythm and Hues $5 million to help complete their special effects, but it didn’t take long before the budget got out of control, with estimates that the film took anywhere between $95 to $110 million to create.
To help this Jeff Bridges fantasy film get across the finish line, Seventh Son received a cash injection from China Film Group, and we imagine they were hoping the movie would become a major international hit.
The Jeff Bridges Movie Seventh Son Was A Box Office Disappointment
Sadly, that wasn’t the case: the movie’s worldwide box office was only $114.2 million. While we don’t know the exact budget of the film, it’s safe to say that after accounting for the costs of marketing, the movie ended up actually losing money for distributor Universal Pictures.
Seventh Son’s worldwide box office was only $114.2 million, a major disappointment
And while they generally praised Jeff Bridges and the rest of the amazing cast, critics were generally very unimpressed by Seventh Son. It currently has a 12 percent critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics complaining about the storyline that they felt was overly strange. However, the fantasy film genre has come a long way since this movie was first released, and it now has something of a cult following that credits this fantasy epic with being ahead of its time in many important ways.
If you like Jeff Bridges, Game of Thrones, fantasy literature, or a bit of all three, we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by everything Seventh Son has to offer. It’s the kind of film we like to call a “party movie,” meaning that it’s fun to have friends over and generally vibe together while you watch a story full of magic, mysticism, and many, many swords.
Plus, the summer heat is so brutal now that the best way to chill out is with a good movie, and what better way to relax than streaming Seventh Son on Netflix from the comfort of your own home?
