Summary
- Kristen Stewart had conflicting feelings about working on Charlie’s Angels despite being a fan of the reboot.
- The movie aimed to modernize the franchise and highlight themes of female empowerment and teamwork.
- Despite positive aspects like strong chemistry among the lead actors, the film fell short at the box office, earning only $73 million.
In 2019, Charlie’s Angels received a fresh reboot, featuring a new generation of Angels. Among the cast was Kristen Stewart, who starred alongside Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska in the latest update of the franchise.
Directed by Elizabeth Banks, the reboot aimed to modernize the franchise while paying homage to its roots. The original Charlie’s Angels TV show of the 1970s inspired two big screen outings in the early 2000s and became known for its blend of action, comedy, and empowered female leads. Banks’ version continued this tradition with a contemporary twist, focusing on themes of female empowerment and teamwork in a modern world. However, Stewart has conflicted feelings, being a huge fan of the reboot, but not her time working on it. She told Variety:
“This was a mouthful at the time. I remember saying that. That was from a little film called ‘Charlie’s Angels.’ We wanted a strong opener, you know? We wanted to really like broadcast what the movie was about. It was a good idea at the time. I hated making that movie. I don’t know what else to say to you. Honestly, the three…you can’t touch [that]. Cameron, Lucy and Drew…I love that movie. I love that movie! If that says anything.”
Stewart’s performance in the movie was noted by many as a high point, but in the end, that and the chemistry of the three leads was not enough to save the film, and there were few who saw the movie as anything other than a one-shot affair.
Related: Every Charlie’s Angels Movie and TV Show in the Franchise, Ranked
2019’s Charlie’s Angels Reboot Fell Short in Many Ways
Columbia Pictures
Back in 2000, Charlie’s Angels hit cinemas and delivered reasonable reviews and box office results. Three years later, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu all returned for the sequel, Charlie’s Angels Full Throttle, and although the reviews were not as glowing, the movie still did reasonably well in cinemas.
That couldn’t be said of the 2019 reboot. The chemistry between the lead actors was a notable highlight of the film, and it also made a point to modernize the franchise’s portrayal of women. Unlike previous iterations, which often focused heavily on the Angels’ sex appeal, the reboot emphasized their skills, intelligence, and teamwork, and while that pleased some, it did not do much for the film’s earnings, which totaled just $73 million.
Director Banks has her own regrets about the movie, particularly the way the movie was marketed as a big movie for girls, when it was not that at all. Speaking to The New York Times, Banks said:
“I wish that the movie had not been presented as just for girls, because I didn’t make it just for girls. There was a disconnect on the marketing side of it for me. When women do things in Hollywood it becomes this story. There was a story around Charlie’s Angels that I was creating some feminist manifesto. I was just making an action movie.”
However, for those who do have a love for the 2019 reboot of Charlie’s Angels can currently find it streaming on Apple TV+.
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