With ‘The Expendables 2’ hitting theaters Friday, we have proof once again that if you pack a ton of high-profile talent into one film, you can’t lose. Here we take a look at some of the best examples of supremely successful high-head count films.
‘The Avengers’ (2012)
The cast: Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tom Hiddleston, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgard
High-power headcount: 11
Critical reaction: 92% approval rating on RottenTomatoes.com
What made it great: With a snappy script, skillful performances and powerful action sequences, “The Avengers” offered a well-rounded meal for hungry comic book fans.
Opening box office take: $207.4 million
‘Ocean’s Eleven’ (2001)
The cast: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Elliott Gould, Andy Garcia, Casey Affleck, Bernic Mac, Carl Reiner, Scott Kahn
High-power headcount: 11
Critical reaction: 82% approval rating on RottenTomatoes.com
What made it great: Funny, stylish, smart and very, very sexy, this heist caper front-loaded talent, making Steven Soderbergh’s skill as a director shine that much brighter.
Opening box office take: $38 million
‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994)
The cast: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Harvey Keitel, Uma Thurman, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, Rosanna Arquette, Eric Stoltz, Christopher Walken
High power headcount: 10
Critical reaction:
What made it great: Quentin Tarantino’s landmark film resurrected John Travolta’s career and became a watershed moment for indie cinema’s increasing profitability.
Opening box office take: $9.3 million
‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ (2001)
The cast: Gene Hackman, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Danny Glover, Bill Murray, Anjelica Houston, Alec Baldwin, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson
High power headcount: 9
Critical reaction: 80% approval rating on RottenTomatoes.com
What made it great: Director Wes Anderson’s quirky film about family dysfunction utilized each actor’s strongest talents so well that the film is largely considered his best. A 2008 survey by film magazine Empire named it the 159th best film of all time.
Opening box office take: $8.5 million
‘The Expendables’ (2010)
The cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Steve Austin, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke, Randy Couture, Bruce Willis
High power headcount: 9
Critical reaction: 41% approval rating on RottenTomatoes.com
What made it great: The first “Expendables” film may not have found favor with critics, but box office numbers don’t lie — audiences loved this over-the-top homage to the action films of the 1980s.
Opening box office take: $34.8M
