It was the toast of Sundance in January. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl scored the festival’s grand jury prize and audience award, as well as a unique high-seven-figure deal with Fox Searchlight that included better-than-usual financial upside for backer Indian Paintbrush if the film became a hit. One problem: It didn’t. Earl has withered in the U.S., grossing only $6.2 million since its June 12 release.
Many cite two reasons why the film has floundered, failing to become a crossover indie hit with mainstream audiences. First, the film’s core audience, teens, has been occupied by blockbuster commercial fare this summer, Jurassic World, for example. Second, the word “dying” in the title made it a tough sell.
