London, June 23 (ANI): Robert Pattinson, who was looking to break away from the film franchise 'Twilight' and graduate from being a boy vampire to a leading man, is having trouble in his career as both his movies post-Twilight have flopped badly.
The Beekman Theatre on Manhattan's Upper East Side was completely empty for a screening of the film 'Bel Ami' in which the 26-year-old actor stars as a manipulative journalist who sleeps his way up the social ladder.
Not one punter had paid to see the movie, which is set up against the backdrop of 19th century Paris, with cinema staff confirming this was not an uncommon occurrence for the film.
Despite boasting a fine cast Pattinson romances Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas and Christina Ricci and literary pedigree, the film was adapted from Guy de Maupassant's classic 1885 novel, the movie has been an embarrassing flop in the US.
"In the UK, Bel Ami underperformed but in America, it's been a commercial catastrophe," the Daily Mail quoted a Hollywood source as saying.
"Magnolia Pictures simultaneously released it on Video on Demand but they were hopeful that the film would take off in big cities and get a nationwide cinema release.
"Yet it has made just over 72,000 dollars which is staggeringly low, little more than one screen's average for the Twilight movies," the source said.
In London, things don't appear to be much better.
'Cosmopolis', in which Pattinson starred as a billionaire who loses his wealth, failed to make it to the Top 10, making just a measly 117,000 pounds.
So far, the film - which had premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and has been directed by acclaimed filmmaker David Cronenberg - is proving to be another epic flop for Pattinson.
"Devoid of meaning, dialogue that rings true or plausible drama, this film is the antithesis of entertainment," film critic Chris Tookey wrote of Cosmopolis.
The US source added that Pattinson's career post-Twilight does not inspire confidence in Tinseltown.
"Breaking Dawn: Part 2 will be huge when it is released in November but outside Twilight, it's just not happening for Robert. Pattinson is finding out that LA can be a cruel town," the US source said.
"Increasingly Rob is being referred to as RIP-Patz instead of his nickname R-Patz," the source said.
The actor is apparently unfazed by the hiccup as he is currently soaking up the party lifestyle in LA with girlfriend Kristen Stewart, claiming that they were edgy films that were never going to attract large audiences.
"But his agents at William Morris Endeavor are not so carefree about the situation. Rob has not been terrible in the films but apart from Twilight, he keeps misjudging material," the source said.
"Bel Ami didn't suit him, Cosmopolis doesn't appeal to anyone who is not interested in sprawling examinations of time and nobody remembers 'Remember Me'," the source added.
The source said that Pattinson's career post-Twilight does not inspire confidence in the tinseltown.
"Rob wants to make a small Australian crime movie called The Rover and team up with Cronenberg again to make a drama about the dirty side of Hollywood entitled Map To The Stars," the source said.
"But both these projects have been thrown into jeopardy as a result of his underwhelming time at the box office.
"Robert needs to emulate Andrew Garfield and Daniel Radcliffe [who Pattinson starred with in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire] who are examples of young British actors that crossed over to become leading men or risk being out of the game by the time he's 30," the source said
In contrast 22-year-old Stewart was recently named at the top of Forbes' annual list of highest paid actresses and new film Snow White and the Huntsman has made over 250,000,000 dollars worldwide.
The source added: "If only Kristen could sprinkle some of her non-Twilight spray over her boyfriend," the source added. (ANI)
