Bros Star Luke Macfarlane Reflects on 'Disappointing' Box Office Performance

Luke Macfarlane commented on Bros coming up short in theaters last year. Last fall, the highly-acclaimed rom-com Bros bombed with filmgoers upon its premiere in theaters. Directed by Nicholas Stoller, Bros stars Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane as two gay men in New York who fall for each other despite their respective fears of commitment. It was also notable for having an openly LGBTQ+ cast and serving as one of the first gay rom-coms to be developed for a theatrical release by a major studio. The film had a budget of around $22 million with Universal reportedly spending up to $40 million for marketing, but the comedy was a box office bomb, grossing less than $15 million worldwide.

At the time, Eichner would state on social media that he was disappointed that more "straight people, especially in certain parts of the country," didn't come out to support their film. In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Macfarlane is further reflecting on the film after almost a year since it underperformed in theaters. Like Eichner, he feels disappointment that it didn't draw bigger crowds, but that doesn't change how "proud" he still feels about Bros.

"[I'm] disappointed that more people didn’t go out and see it, but it’s OK," Macfarlane says. "I really felt super proud about the movie. I can’t think of anything that I felt was a big mistake in making it, so it’s disappointing. Billy is so, so, so talented, so funny, so creative, has such a big heart. So it’s disappointing, but this is a business."

Believing that Bros will get its due credit in time as more people discover the film, the actor added, "I think people are gonna find it. A guy came up to me in the gym the other day and was like, 'I came home, my 17-year-old son was watching Bros. And I was like, ‘I know that guy' — and he knew me from the gym. He sat down and watched it. Hopefully, people will discover it that way. There’s a long tradition of films that don’t kill it in the box office but stand the test of time, and I believe Bros will be like that."

Bros Bombing at Box Office Wasn't Due to the Reviews

Some had expected Bros to have a better performance as its reviews had been so strong. But if Bros was so well-reviewed, why didn't more people go and see the film in theaters? Macfarlane notes how rom-coms in general can struggle at the box office as filmgoers generally know what will happen in the end before they see the film.

"Rom-com is a really difficult genre in general because we know what happens: They get together," the actor says. "That makes it increasingly hard to be fresh. So in a way, the rom-com is primed for the unexpected coupling, whether that’s a gay couple or another kind of couple that is not the majority of people. I hope that they do because that’s a great way to make it fresh."

Bros is currently streaming on Prime Video.