The Weeknd’s ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ film flops at box office, fails to break top five

The Weeknd‘s new film Hurry Up Tomorrow has flopped at the box office after its debut, failing to crack the top five.

The film, which acts as a companion piece to the singer’s new album, sees him play a fictionalised version of himself as he struggles with insomnia and faces a mental breakdown.

Also starring Barry Keoghan and Jenna Ortega – who was recently accused of being the “worst at choosing projects” – the film made its debut in cinemas last week (May 16), though has been largely panned by critics and has failed to make a splash at the box office.

Hurry Up Tomorrow has taken only $3.3million (£2.46million) from just over 2,000 cinemas in the US, having had a budget of around $15million (£11.2million), landing in sixth place – way behind number one and fellow new release Final Destination: Bloodlines.

The Weeknd – real name Abel Tesfaye – co-wrote the film with director Trey Edward Shults and Reza Fahim, with the project described as “an extension” of his album ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’, which was released in January.

NME said in our four-star review of the album: “If this is a swansong for The Weeknd, it’s a fitting one. Tesfaye is pushing forward before he exhausts the collective fascination with his alter ego, and that’s no small achievement. When he sings ‘I’d rather leave somewhat of a legacy’ on ‘The Abyss’, it’s clear there’s no ‘somewhat’ about it.”

Earlier this year, Tesfaye said he wanted to retire his Weeknd moniker after overcoming “every challenge as this persona”.

“It’s a headspace I’ve gotta get into that I just don’t have any more desire for,” he told Variety. “I feel like it comes with so much. You have a persona, but then you have the competition of it all. It becomes this rat race: more accolades, more success, more shows, more albums, more awards and more Number Ones. It never ends until you end it.”

Recalling a 2022 performance at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where he lost his voice halfway through and cancelled, he added: “Part of me actually was thinking, ‘You lost your voice because it’s done; you said what you had to say. Don’t overstay at the party — you can end it now and live a happy life.’ You know?

“Put the bow on it: ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’? Now we’re here,” he said. “When is the right time to leave, if not at your peak? Once you understand who I am too much, then it’s time to pivot.”

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