Have you ever poured your heart and soul into a project and then you didn’t get the reaction you were hoping for? That’s how Billy Eichner is feeling this Monday after his romantic-comedy, Bros, bombed at the box office. What’s heartbreaking is his assessment of why it didn’t do so well, especially when it received great reviews from critics and moviegoers.




The comedian took to Twitter to share why he believes homophobia came into play when it came to box-office dollars. Calling the situation “disappointing,” Eichner shared that “even with glowing reviews, great Rotten Tomatoes scores, an A CinemaScore etc, straight people, especially in certain parts of the country, just didn’t show up for Bros.” He knows that the audience that turned out to see his film “howled with laughter start to finish, burst into applause at the end” from the Los Angeles screening that he attended over the weekend. He added that “some were wiping away tears as they walked out” because it has an all-LGBTQ+ cast in a gay rom-com — for many audiences this is the first time they are seeing representation from their community.

That’s just the world we live in, unfortunately. Even with glowing reviews, great Rotten Tomatoes scores, an A CinemaScore etc, straight people, especially in certain parts of the country, just didn’t show up for Bros. And that’s disappointing but it is what it is.

— billy eichner (@billyeichner) October 2, 2022

Even though it’s a romantic movie with a gay storyline, Eichner has been very clear that the film is for everyone. He added, “Everyone who ISN’T a homophobic weirdo should go see BROS tonight! You will have a blast! it *is* special and uniquely powerful to see this particular story on a big screen, esp for queer folks who don’t get this opportunity often.”


It doesn’t sound like the 44-year-old actor is going to let the financial disappointment get him down, though, as Bros will likely find its audience once it lands on a streaming network — and comedies, in general, are having a hard time drawing in audiences at the theaters, to begin with. “It was truly magical. Really,” he summed up. “I am VERY proud of this movie.”

Before you go, click here to see our favorite LGBTQ couples on TV.

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