John Goodman Reflects on Career, Regrets Roles in 'Blues Brothers 2000' and 'The Monuments Men'

John Goodman, reflecting on his extensive four-decade career, has voiced regrets about certain roles, including his participation in "Blues Brothers 2000" and "The Monuments Men." The actor made these remarks during a recent live conversation hosted by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation in New York.

Goodman admitted that he "shouldn't have done" "Blues Brothers 2000," a sequel to the 1980 cult classic. The 1998 film, unlike its predecessor, was a box office disappointment and received mixed reviews from critics. Despite this, Goodman noted that he enjoyed the experience of filming "Blues Brothers 2000" due to the presence of many "great musicians."

He also expressed some reservations about appearing in the 2014 war film "The Monuments Men," directed by George Clooney. While Goodman stated he had a positive experience filming the project and enjoyed working with its star-studded cast, which included Matt Damon, Bill Murray, and Cate Blanchett, he acknowledged that the movie "made nothing" at the box office and was critically panned. "The Monuments Men" grossed $158 million worldwide but failed to recoup its production and marketing costs, earning a "rotten" 30% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

These reflections come as Goodman's latest film, the political satire "Digger," starring Tom Cruise, is shaping up to be one of the biggest box office bombs of all time. The film has struggled since its release, grossing only $8 million domestically in its opening weekend and an additional $12 million internationally. Ticket sales declined by 60% in its second weekend, bringing its domestic total to $14.4 million and its global tally to $35.3 million.

Industry insiders project "Digger" could lose as much as $245 million during its theatrical run, with an estimated global box office total of just $50 million. The film had a production budget of an estimated $180 million, with an additional $100 million spent on marketing. For "Digger" to break even, it would need to gross approximately $350 million globally, as theaters typically retain about half of ticket sales.

If these financial projections hold true, "Digger" would rank among the largest box office failures in history, a list that includes Disney's "John Carter" (2012) and "The Lone Ranger" (2013). The film, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, features Cruise as a wealthy oil tycoon whose actions cause an environmental disaster. Goodman portrays the U.S. president in the movie. Despite the film's box office performance, some analysts suggest Cruise could still be in contention for an Oscar nomination for his role.

"Digger" has garnered a mixed reception from critics, with a 53% score on Rotten Tomatoes, though its audience score stands at a more favorable 75%. On the film cataloging website Letterboxd, the movie holds an average user rating of 3.9 out of 5. The film has been better received by some European critics, who have praised it as a masterpiece, contrasting with negative reviews from many American media outlets.