The Big Lebowski, a movie which paired the legendary Coen Brothers with Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, was considered a commercial flop when it was released in 1998. If that news is surprising to you, imagine how it felt for Bridges, who recently reflected on the movie’s underwhelming box office take. Bridges played Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski, the template for modern layabout characters, who is mistaken for a billionaire with the same name, and gathers his friends to help recover his stolen rug.
Appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, to promote the new season of The Old Man, Bridges reminisced about working on The Big Lebowski. The actor revealed his surprise that the movie — which is now considered a cult classic and currently ranks as #214 on IMDb’s Top 250 movies of all-time – underperformed at the box office. Bridges said:
I was surprised, when it first came out, that it didn’t do very well. It got more of a hit in Europe, then splashed back over here.
The Big Lebowski grossed $46.7 million upon its release. While the film technically tripled its money, with an estimated budget of $15 million, it was far from the box office sensation that it was expected to be. The Big Lebowski‘s mediocre performance is indicative of the Coen’s history at the box office. Despite being two of the most lauded directors working today, their box office success often comes at the flip of a coin. While movies like True Grit and No Country for Old Men were major hits, The Big Lebowski, Hail! Caesar!, and The Hudsucker Proxy were all condered major flops in comparison.
Jeff Bridges’ Mom Didn’t Like His Big Lebowski Character
Despite its box office shortcomings, The Big Lebowski is a fan favorite from the Coen’s amazing filmography. The movie is filled with insanely quotable lines and memorable scenes, like the ridiculous bowling-themed dream sequence, set to Kenny Rogers’ timeless cover of “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Is In)”. Bridges’ character, The Dude (or his Dudeness, or Duder, or el Duderino — if you’re not into the whole brevity thing), is one of the actor’s most popular roles, and sets the benchmark for lazy, good-for-nothing protagonists.
While the world loves el Duderino, Jeff Bridges’ mother wasn’t as infatuated with his character. No mother wants to see their son become an unemployed layabout, and Mother Bridges wished her son played a different role. Bridges joked:
“My mom, she preferred me to play the president. [Although], I think they admire the filmmaking.”
The Coen Brothers are known as one-and-done filmmakers, who have yet to make a sequel. However, in the event that The Big Lebowski 2 is greenlit, Jeff Bridges says he is happy to return. However, his Dudeness said he would only reprise the role if it was the Coen Brothers at the helm.
