Grindhouse Splits Up for Worldwide Release

The Robert Rodriguez-Quentin Tarantino collaboration will be released worldwide as two separate features after its disastrous showing at the US box office. Running more than three hours in total, Grindhouse comprises B-movie pastiches: Planet Terror directed by Robert Rodriguez and Death Proof by Quentin Tarantino. The film earned US$11.6m on its opening weekend in the States, well short of its predicted haul of US$20m.

Harvey Weinstein, who executive produced the film, confirmed the change of tactics. "I don't think people understood what we were doing," he said. "The audience didn't get the idea that it was two movies for the price of one. I don't understand the math, but I do want to accommodate the audience."