How could anyone forget The Fanatic, the 2019 film directed by Limp Bizkit‘s Fred Durst that stars John Travolta as a deranged stalker? Well, maybe we didn’t forget it, but the internet is apparently just waking up to the fact that it didn’t make much at the box office.
The psychological thriller also co-written by Durst — his third and latest feature film — stars Travolta as the protagonist, a man named Moose who is an obsessive fan of a fictional movie star.
Released Aug. 30, 2019, The Fanatic made just $3,153 at the box office, per The Hollywood Reporter, which said it was “bombing in theaters” in “what’s sure to be a career-worst opening for Travolta.”
READ MORE: Tommy Lee + John Travolta Are Friends Who Share Baking Tips Together
Apparently, however, several internet commenters weren’t aware of this.
“Just learned there is a movie that Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst wrote and directed starring John Travolta as an autistic stalker, and it only made $3000 at the box office,” the user @SwampCommunist said on X (formerly Twitter) this week.
Someone responding to the post asked, “how is that even possible lol.”
It’s possible because The Fanatic grossed that just-over-$3,000 amount from only 52 theater screens across the U.S. when it opened.
That’s a location average of roughly $60, according to those who had access to the grosses via Comscore, as THR reported.
“It was actually pretty good too,” another commenter said of the movie.
Not everyone was stoked on it, though. “Durst can’t write music, what made him think he could write a movie?” another asked.
Durst previously directed The Education of Charlie Banks (2007), The Longshots (2008) and a 2014 eHarmony commercial, in addition to music videos by Limp Bizkit and others.
John Sciulli / Rich Polk, Getty Images
The Plot of John Travolta and Fred Durst’s Movie The Fanatic
In The Fanatic, Moose is a socially awkward and mentally unstable man who’s deepest infatuation is for the in-world actor named Hunter Dunbar (Devon Sawa).
But despite his genuine intentions, Moose’s attempts to meet his idol turn increasingly disturbing and escalate into a dangerous obsession.
As Moose’s behavior becomes more and more erratic, Dunbar finds himself entangled in a nightmarish situation, leading to a tense and suspenseful climax that explores the darker side of celebrity fandom.
Also, in one scene, Limp Bizkit’s 2005 song “The Truth” — from the EP The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1) — plays in the car as Dunbar is driving. Keep on rollin’, baby.
Watch the trailer for The Fanatic below.
The Fanatic Trailer (2019)
Every ‘Big 4’ Nu-Metal Album, Ranked From Worst to Best
Between Korn, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park and System of a Down — indeed, the “Big 4” bands of nu-metal — how do all their albums stack up when ranked together? It’s no walk in the park pitting these discographies against each other. Read below to see every album by nu-metal’s “Big 4,” ranked from worst to best.
Gallery Credit: Philip Trapp + Chad Childers