Theodore Rex (film)


Theodore Rex, also known as T. Rex, is a 1996 buddy cop science-fiction family film written and directed by Jonathan Betuel and starring Whoopi Goldberg. Though originally intended for theatrical release, the film went direct-to-video, and consequently became the most expensive direct-to-video film ever made at the time of its release.
The film was not well-received, and saw Whoopi Goldberg being nominated for Worst Actress at the 1996 Golden Raspberry Awards. It is the first direct-to-video movie to receive any sort of Razzie nomination, although Ghosts Can't Do It became the very first direct-to-video film.

Plot

In an alternate futuristic society where humans and anthropomorphic dinosaurs co-exist, a tough police detective named Katie Coltraine is paired with an anthropomorphic Tyrannosaurus named Theodore Rex to find the killer of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals leading them to a ruthless billionaire bent on killing off mankind by creating a new ice age.

Cast

Live action

Theodore Rex received negative reviews from critics and audiences. It received an approval rating of 0% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on five reviews. Variety magazine gave the film a negative review, saying, "This is one T. rex that won’t be spared the tar pits." William Thomas of Empire Magazine gave the film a one out of five stars and said, "Steer Clear".
In a 2015 interview with the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, Goldberg stated that this is the only film she regrets ever having done: "Don't ask me why I did it, I didn't want to", she said.

Goldberg lawsuit

Though Whoopi Goldberg had made a verbal agreement to star in the film in October 1992, she attempted to back out. Abramson filed a US$20 million lawsuit against Goldberg, which was settled quickly. Goldberg agreed to star in the film for $7 million, $2 million more than the amount originally agreed upon.
One of the attorneys on the case described this as being similar to the legal battle of Kim Basinger when she backed out of the film Boxing Helena.

Distribution

The film was originally intended for theatrical release in North America; New Line Cinema initially wanted to release it to coincide with Goldberg's hosting stint at the Academy Awards that year. New Line ultimately decided that it was in their best interests to release the film direct-to-video. This decision came as a result of failed test screenings in Las Vegas, Memphis, Portland, Maine and Providence. The film's $33.5 million budget made it the most expensive direct-to-video release at that time.
The international distributors to whom New Line had pre-sold the rights to the film adopted a different release strategy by distributing theatrically in every country except the United States and Italy.