Henry Cavill and Guy Ritchie’s latest collaboration is off to a disappointing start at the box office. Their new action thriller In The Grey, which hit theaters on May 15, is projected to earn just $3 million domestically during its opening weekend,  marking Cavill’s weakest wide-release debut in more than a decade. The underwhelming performance comes as a surprise given the film’s star-studded cast, which includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Eiza González, Rosamund Pike, and Fisher Stevens.

While the duo’s past projects have built a loyal fan following, In The Grey now raises questions about whether the Henry Cavill-Guy Ritchie partnership can still deliver a theatrical hit.

In The Grey has officially become Henry Cavill’s worst wide-release opening in 14 years and opened with an estimated $1.14 million domestically on Friday across 2,018 theaters, with preview screenings included in the total. The action thriller is projected to finish its first three days with just $3 million domestically as reported by Va, narrowly avoiding the bottom spot occupied by 2012’s The Cold Light of Day, which opened to $1.8 million. The weak debut is especially surprising given the film’s ensemble cast and the continued popularity of Cavill in the action genre.

The numbers are particularly concerning because none of Cavill’s previous wide releases had debuted this low apart from The Cold Light of Day. Films like The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and even the poorly performing Argylle opened significantly higher. With the movie reportedly carrying the scale of a major studio thriller, the odds of reaching profitability through theaters alone now appear extremely slim.

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Still, the story surrounding In The Grey goes beyond one disappointing weekend, especially considering the uneven track record shared by Henry Cavill and director Guy Ritchie over the years.

Even though Guy Ritchie and Henry Cavill have developed a recognizable action-thriller formula together, their collaborations have repeatedly struggled to become major box office successes. Their first film together, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. in 2015, gained a cult following over time but failed to make a major commercial impact during its theatrical run.

The duo reunited nearly a decade later for The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, another stylish action adventure that received solid audience reactions but still underperformed financially. Now, In The Grey appears to continue that trend. The movie has also faced mixed critical reception, with reviews falling below the standards of their earlier collaborations. While fans continue to support the pairing for its slick action and charismatic performances, the results suggest that enthusiasm online has not translated into consistent box office momentum.

 In The Grey may still find a second life on streaming platforms, especially as many recent Guy Ritchie projects have performed better digitally than in theaters. Meanwhile, Henry Cavill already has several high-profile franchise projects lined up, including the upcoming Voltron adaptation and the Highlander reboot, both of which are expected to attract significantly larger audiences.

Despite this setback, it is unlikely that In The Grey will define the long-term trajectory of Cavill’s career. However, the film’s weak debut does highlight the growing challenge mid-budget action thrillers face in today’s theatrical market, even when led by recognizable stars.

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Were you surprised to see Henry Cavill’s In The Grey deliver his lowest box office opening in 14 years? Let us know in the comments!