Having the name of a big star associated with a visual entertainment franchise can greatly affect its popularity. However, most of the time a celebrity’s star power is not the only parameter that decides a franchise’s future. Many movies and TV series that have had Hollywood’s biggest name associated with them have also been canceled due to reasons such as critic reviews, budget issues, and the availability of stars.
And, it was further proven right last year when even Robert Downey Jr. was not able to prevent the cancellation of HBO’s drama series, Perry Mason which his company co-produced.
Also read: Robert Downey Jr. is Obsessed With 2 Other Roles He Thinks are as Good as Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr. talks about how the entertainment industry has changed since Iron Man
Last year, Robert Downey Jr. portrayed the iconic role of Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s biographical drama movie, Oppenheimer which became one of the most successful movies of 2023. Before the release of the movie, the Sherlock Holmes actor appeared for an interview with the New York Times and was asked about the cancellation of the show Perry Mason which his company co-produced. RDJ opened up about the entertainment industry and revealed that at the end of the day, it all just comes down to data and numbers. He said,
“It’s not that the playing field changes — it’s that it morphs into something that you can’t even really call a playing field anymore. It’s a kind of mosaic of what it was moments before…Anyway, you look at the budget, you look at the numbers and it comes down to a spreadsheet.”
The Zodiac actor reveals that the success of a franchise eventually comes down to chance
Perry Mason was canceled even though it had positive reviews from the fans and critics. According to sources, the viewership of the series was very low compared to the amount of money spent on the show, therefore they decided to cancel the series after 2 seasons. In the interview with the New York Times, Robert Downey Jr. was further asked about how he decides on what series or movie to make. The actor revealed that it all just comes down to chance eventually and said
“You just go, ‘Welcome to Thunderdome.’ I think it has been great in that we can all say that not one of us can entirely hit our ass with both hands right now, so let’s just keep doing what we believe is the best course of action.”
Also read: Fans Find 1 Flaw in Christopher Nolan’s Kind Words For Robert Downey Jr. Over 2009 Golden Globes
Although Perry Mason had low viewership, it still largely received positive reviews from critics and fans. Back in 2021, the original creators of the series, Rolin Jones and Ron Fitzgerald decided to leave the show while the 2nd season of the series was still in production which also might have led to the cancellation of the show.
Perry Mason is currently streaming on HBO Max.
