On Sunday, Clint Eastwood’s latest directorial work, the courtroom thriller-drama Juror #2, will have its world premiere at the American Film Institute (AFI) Festival. This is a special occasion not only because cinephiles eagerly await any Eastwood film but also because it marks his 40th film as a director. At 94, Eastwood may not have many more projects left in him, so opportunities to enjoy new works from him are unfortunately becoming rarer. Despite this, Warner Bros. isn’t giving Juror #2 the attention it might deserve, planning only limited screenings one week after the premiere.
According to Variety, insiders report that Warner Bros. has no plans for a wider release after the limited U.S. premiere on November 1. Currently, only four theaters around New York, five in Los Angeles, one in Chicago, and fewer than 25 nationwide will show Juror #2 (although this number may increase slightly in the coming days). In Toronto, Canada’s largest city, only one theater will screen the film, with a nationwide total of 160 theaters.
Independent films often follow a limited release without a wide rollout, but for major studios like Warner Bros., this is unusual—especially when directed by an industry icon like Eastwood, making the decision all the more surprising. A Warner Bros. spokesperson told Variety diplomatically, "The release of Juror #2 in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany has the full support of Warner Bros." (The film will not be shown in Hungarian theaters.)
Reports also suggest Warner Bros. does not intend to disclose box office earnings for the film—a rare move in Hollywood, though Variety indicates it may be unsurprising. Disney took a similar approach this year with Young Woman and the Sea, a sports drama starring Daisy Ridley, which premiered on Disney+ only two weeks after its theatrical release. Some speculate that Disney did this to make the film eligible for the Oscars, though Variety’s sources suggest Warner Bros. doesn’t see Juror #2 as a contender in the race for the golden statue.
Eastwood’s last major success in the awards season was a decade ago with American Sniper, nominated for six Oscars (winning one for sound editing). His films since then have seen fewer nominations: Sully received a sound editing nomination, while Kathy Bates received an acting nomination for Richard Jewell. While the Academy may have somewhat overlooked Eastwood in recent years, audiences still haven’t: American Sniper was the top-grossing U.S. film of its release year, outpacing even Guardians of the Galaxy, while Sully and The Mule both grossed over $100 million domestically. Notably, Juror #2 had a relatively modest budget of $30 million.
Eastwood’s last film as both director and actor, Cry Macho, unfortunately flopped at the box office, and Discovery CEO David Zaslav reportedly questioned why the studio had even released it in theaters. However, Cry Macho arrived in 2021, when theaters were only beginning to recover from pandemic shutdowns, and Warner Bros. made it immediately available for streaming as part of its 2021 release strategy.
Under Zaslav’s leadership, Warner Bros. Films division heads Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy nonetheless greenlit Juror #2, though it seems they lack confidence in its success. According to one Variety source, the limited theatrical release instead of a direct-to-streaming release may be more of a gesture to Eastwood himself, who has brought millions in revenue and numerous awards to Warner Bros. over the decades. However, allowing wider audiences to see the 94-year-old legend’s latest work on the silver screen might have expressed appreciation even better.
In Juror #2, Nicholas Hoult stars as a juror in a murder case who holds information that could exonerate the defendant but would put himself at risk. The cast also includes Toni Collette, J.K. Simmons, Gabriel Basso, and Francesca Eastwood.
