Chris Pratt reportedly ‘spiraling’ as his new action film struggles

Hollywood star Chris Pratt is reportedly reeling from the underperformance of his new film, “Mercy.”

The film has received poor ratings since its debut, raising questions about whether the production budget can be recouped and a real profit made.

Chris Pratt spoke about his experience filming the film, including the time he spent with the LAPD preparing for his role.

Chris Pratt’s latest action thriller, “Mercy,” has only been in theaters a few days since its release, but it already appears to be headed for a box office disappointment.

So far, the film has grossed just over $1 million in previews and only posted double digits in its opening weekend. Adding to the concern, it received a harsh 20% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 34 out of 100 on Metacritic.

For any showrunner, such numbers raise serious questions about whether “Mercy” would turn a real profit, especially since it carries a reported production budget of $60 million, even before global marketing costs are taken into account.

But amid speculation, it seems Pratt was hit the hardest, as he is said to be in disbelief at the film’s underperformance.

“Chris really didn’t see this coming,” a source told Rob Shuter. #ShutterScoop. “He believed his name alone could open a film. Now? He’s in a spiral.”

Having starred in mega-franchises like “Jurassic World” and “Guardians of the Galaxy,” it’s almost no surprise that Pratt feels the way he does.

The three “Guardians of the Galaxy” films opened with more than $90 million each and went on to gross more than seven times that amount at the worldwide box office.

Likewise, the three “Jurassic World” films he starred in achieved comparable opening weekend numbers and eventually became major box office hits.

Now, as blame is pointed for the situation, some insiders note that Pratt is grappling with the possibility that outside of these blockbuster franchises, he’s just a run-of-the-mill actor.

“The franchises protected him,” one insider said. “Without them, he’s exposed. Everyone’s charm might be gone.”

Another source added of the situation, “This is the first time Chris has felt…replaceable, and it’s terrifying.”

In “Mercy,” Pratt plays a homicide detective who is faced with the shocking allegation of his wife’s murder and has a limited time to prove his innocence to an advanced AI judge or be executed via sonic explosion.

The character saw Pratt showcasing a different side to his typical goofy side, earning him praise from the film’s director, Timur Bekmambetov, at the New York premiere on Tuesday, January 20.

“This movie, it’s not just an action movie – because we expect Chris Pratt to be tough, to jump and entertain us – but it’s [also] a very vulnerable and very broken man. And it was unique for him,” said the director People Magazine on the role. “He played this for the first time.”

Bekmambetov added that he was surprised by “how unexpectedly dramatic Pratt could be”, and he emphasized this by recalling the actor’s performance in the scene where his character’s wife dies.

“It’s the most dramatic, the most nervous, the most painful and the most emotional scene,” the director said of the scene, which he claimed to be his favorite.

Speaking about his experience making the film, Pratt revealed at New York Comic Con last year that Mercy asked him to spend time with law enforcement as part of his preparation for the role.

“I had the opportunity to work with the LAPD and their homicide division, and so I was able to go down and talk to these guys,” Pratt said.