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Brian Grazer Is Sorry About Cowboys and Aliens

Photo: Zade Rosenthal/Universal Studios

Brian Grazer knows that Cowboys and Aliens, the genre blend starring Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig, wasn’t that great. According to The Atlantic, Grazer admitted that he had a few “mulligans” in his life. “I don’t like cowboys, or aliens!” Grazer said at the Aspen Ideas Festival. “I remember having this one meeting, an early meeting, and they’re talking about the title, Cowboys and Aliens. I said, ‘We aren’t really calling it that, are we?’ [The others said] ‘Yeah, of course we are!’ I was going, I don’t get this at all.”

Still, Cowboys and Aliens took the top spot at the box office with $36.4 million when it opened back in July 2011. The numbers were still below studio expectations, which had hopes for a $45 million weekend. But maybe money isn’t the point? “Every once in a while I rationalize quality,” said Grazer. “There are so many decision you make, and you’re trying to do excellence. We know what excellence is. We know what better food is versus not good food. But there’s a rationalizing process — that’s good enough. Anytime the light bulb goes, that’s good enough, it’s shitty!” We’re sure Dustin Hoffman would agree.

Brian Grazer Is Sorry About Cowboys and Aliens