S. Samuel
Actor/Rapper 50 Cent recently spoke on the backlash he has received from some of his films going straight-to-DVD.
50 believes more money is wasted by trying to promote and release a film on the big screen.
“They’ll spend a $120 million on a film or a whole bunch of money making a film and then a whole bunch of money promoting it a year before it actually comes out and the money they get back in theaters is just the money they spent,” 50 explained in an interview. “And then it goes straight-to-dvd and everything is profit there. Some of the movies I’ve done recently, I was financing and I’ve already seen a 60 percent return on what I’ve [been] involved with. They don’t understand, they’re looking at it and going, ‘Well, it went straight-to-dvd,’ and they don’t realize I’m gonna get another $800,000 off each one of these projects. You can sit there and say ‘It went straight-to-dvd’ my a** … They’ll try to figure a way to discredit whatever you do because I come from that. I have a lot, so I’m conditioned to the people who haven’t been through that and can’t get to the next level…If they look at their favorite artists, they don’t have an opportunity to be in a film…” (93.3 Tampa Bay Radio)
Over the past year, 50 has had two of his films released directly on DVD.
50 Cent traveled back to Grand Rapids, Michigan for the premiere of his straight-to-DVD movie Caught in the Crossfire which was filmed on location in Grand Rapids. The majority of the film crew were also from Grand Rapids so it was quite the event for the town. 50 made the film under his Cheetah Vision production company but unfortunately was not able to break his streak of movies gone straight-to-DVD as Streets of Blood had the same fate. Caught in the Crossfire will be available on DVD July 13th. (WoooHa)
The rapper recently made headlines for losing over 50 pounds for his role as a cancer victim in the upcoming film, Things Fall Apart.
50 said he doesn’t anticipate winning awards for his acting role. “Well, you know, I haven’t received accolades that comes with the success that I’ve had in music,” he said. “It would be a surprise” to win any acting awards, he said, noting that it’s already a reward to have people aware of the role. (Billboard)
Last fall, 50 sealed a film production deal with entrepreneur Richard Jackson.
Jackson has formed Action Jackson Films and kicks off the partnership with a commitment to fully fund The Gun, a drama scripted by Cheetah Vision partner Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson (no relation to Richard Jackson), who will star with Val Kilmer. Jesse Terro is set to direct the picture, which begins production next month. Emmett, who is partnered with Furla in Emmett/Furla Films banner and with 50 Cent in Cheetah Vision, said that he met Richard Jackson during a “high stakes card game in Las Vegas.” They formed a friendship that led Jackson to ante up for the film venture. (Variety)
Check out 50 Cent’s interview down below:
