Fans had long desired a movie starring Ana de Armas and Chris Evans as the lead pair, especially after their earlier collaboration in Knives Out. When that movie finally happened, it fell short of fans’ expectations. Ghosted opened to a record debut on Apple TV+ with 328,500 viewers in the first two days, but it turned out to be a critical disaster. However, Evans does not regret his role in the film, as the viewership was favorable.
The film made on a budget of $41 million proved to be a lackluster execution of forgotten tropes in spy thrillers. Scarlett Johansson was initially cast as the female lead, but scheduling conflicts spared her from involvement in the disappointing film.
Chris Evans Does Not Regret Doing Ghosted
In a recent interview with GQ, Chris Evans opened up about his decision-making process regarding roles after Captain America. While he has delivered commendable and distinct performances, not all films have worked in his favor. Talking about Ghosted, Evans revealed that it represented the type of movie he grew up on. However, critics were less enthusiastic about Evans’ nostalgic pick.
The conversation then turned to whether audiences have outgrown such films. Evans admitted that it was more of a problem with the movie itself rather than a reflection of the audience’s appetite for such content. He also noted that the film did well according to the viewership on the streaming platform, suggesting that the Avengers: Endgame actor has no regrets about doing the movie. Evans told GQ:
“I didn’t think audiences had outgrown it prior, and I still don’t think they have, despite the fact, I mean, technically I think we did okay on, in terms of viewership. Critics didn’t like it. But that’s more the fault of the movie as opposed to the appetite of the audience. I think the appetite’s there, if it’s done properly. We could have been better.”
The Fantastic Four actor also explained the reasons behind committing to Netflix’s Pain Hustlers and Amazon’s Red One. While the attraction of playing a real character drew him to Pain Hustlers, it was the allure of a ‘Christmas holiday movie’ that played a role in his decision to join Red One.
What Went Wrong With Chris Evans’ Ghosted?
Ghosted received a 25% rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an audience score of 55%. Critics consensus highlighted the film’s struggle to find an identity, shifting between action, comedy, and romance without solidifying into a satisfying whole. Despite this, the audience reviews leaned more toward the positive, considering it a fun, lightweight action movie.
Several reviewers pointed out the lack of chemistry between Chris Evans and Ana de Armas. Dexter Fletcher’s direction also received criticism, with RogerEbert.com likening the film to a cheap rip-off of films like True Lies, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Knight and Day. Criticisms were also directed at the film’s poor treatment of the concepts and ideas around spy thrillers.
Despite the hate, it appears that the film has a cheesy, watchable factor that attracts the audience. This isn’t the first time Evans has experienced conflicting outcomes between critics and audiences. The Gray Man, featuring Evans in the villain role, received mixed to negative reviews but became a colossal Netflix hit. Ghosted is now available for streaming on AppleTV+.
