Summary
Russell Crowe talks about whyMaster and Commander: The Far Side of the Worldnever got a sequel, despite its critical acclaim. The film was based on three novels by Patrick O’Brian and followed the adventures of a Royal Navy captain, Jack Aubrey (Crowe), and his ship’s surgeon, Dr. Stephen Maturin (Paul Bettany). The film saw solid reviews and a moderate global box office draw, but the film somewhat underperformed domestically. In 2005, whenMaster and Commanderdirector Peter Weir was asked about a sequel, he said that it was “most unlikely.”
In an interview withGQ, Crowe specified whyMaster and Commandernever got a sequel. Crowe seemingly agreed with Weir, saying that while the film performed well at the box office globally,it didn’t quite hit the number required for a sequel. He also elaborated that the timing was off, explaining that, even while the film’s shooting was done beforePirates of the Caribbean,Master and Commander’s post-production set them back, resulting in afinished product that had to go against a similar filmthat was probably more commercially appealing.See the full quote and video below:
Yeah we talked about it a lot for a little while there and there was a burn on it, but now I hear, and I could be completely wrong, but I hear they’re going to start a TV series. But, yeah, we should’ve definitely done more than one movie. It’s a funny thing though. Master and Commander is sort of, even though it got 10 or so Academy Award nominations, and it did very well box office, globally, it just didn’t hit the certain number in America. And at that time, that was a very dominant part of the decision. We kind of missed the boat, so to speak.
Our shoot was over and done before they started shooting Pirates of the Caribbean, but then our post-production was very complicated and took a long time. So we came out after Pirates of the Caribbean. And just the way things work, once people have seen a big boat movie that’s a comedy, then trying to get them to focus on a big boat movie that’s a drama, it wasn’t so easy.
Does Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Deserve A Sequel?
There Were 20 Books In The Series.
In reality, the historical epic had to perform well commercially to garner the attention it needed for a sequel, and it failed to do so.
Upon its release, Crowe and Weir’s film was praised for its masterful adaptation of the source material, described as achieving an epic scale without removing its deeper themes of human nature. The film currently holds an 85% score from critics and an 80% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.Master and Commandereven performed well during the award season, seeing 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. The movie ultimately won two awards for Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing.
Despite its strong potential, it’s disappointing that aMaster and Commandersequel never materialized. The Oscar-winning movie was based on three novels of abook series that contains a total of 20, so there were more Jack Aubrey stories to be told. IfPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl — Master and Commander’sbiggest competitor, which came out the same year — was able to make four more sequels on a concept that was inspired by a theme park ride, there’s little doubt thatMaster and Commandercould have done the same.
Why Master And Commander Is Set 7 Years Earlier Than The Book
Master and Commander makes a seemingly minor change to its timeline, one that drastically changes the film’s central conflict and its politics.
In reality, the historical epic had to perform well commercially to garner the attention it needed for a sequel, and it failed to do so. With a budget of $150 million, it was onlyable to make roughly $210 million at the global box office. It was not satisfactory for studios to continue with more movies since a film’s success would typically need to make more than double the budget, with the break-even point likely around $300 million.
While it is disappointing that Crowe won’t be involved with the series anymore, it was announced in 2021 that aMaster and Commanderprequelis reportedly in the works withChao Walking’s Patrick Ness penning the script. Although the prequel was expected to bring back the two primary characters, there haven’t been any updates on the project since. Therefore, it seems that more material forMaster and Commanderhas once again stalled, leaving the fate of the adaptations uncertain.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Cast
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World is a historical drama directed by Peter Weir, featuring Russell Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey. The film is set during the Napoleonic Wars and follows Aubrey as he navigates his ship, HMS Surprise, through treacherous waters in pursuit of a French privateer. Based on Patrick O’Brian’s series of novels, the film explores themes of leadership, strategy, and naval warfare.
