Kevin Costner is still thinking about Mr. Brooks, his 2007 serial-killer thriller that did fine, not great, in theaters. In a new interview, he calls it a 'great American movie' and basically says the rollout got botched so badly it derailed the trilogy he had mapped out. Here is what he says went sideways, and whether it ever had a real shot in the first place.
Costner says the release got mangled
Mr. Brooks did modest business: $48.1 million worldwide on a $20 million budget. Not a disaster on paper, but Costner doesn’t see it as a win because, in his mind, this wasn’t meant to be a one-and-done. He says the film was poorly supported in theaters, any momentum it had got undercut, and talks of a follow-up fizzled. He was not interested in making a sequel with the same team he felt mishandled the first one.
'That movie was mangled — handled so terribly. And that was a sequel and a trequel. I know how that movie ends in a really cool way. His life goes on because it’s going on. You know, it’s not a big piece of commerce, but it’s still, to me, a trilogy.'
Yes, he says 'a sequel and a trequel' — translation: it was designed as a trilogy, and he already knew the endgame.
The movie itself: odd mix, strong cast, tough sell
If you missed it, Mr. Brooks stars Costner as Earl Brooks, a buttoned-up businessman living a double life as a notorious serial killer. The cast is stacked with Demi Moore, Dane Cook, and William Hurt, and the tone leans into psychology, morality, and family drama alongside the murders — a blend that does not always scream mass-market Friday night.
Critics were lukewarm at the time, but audiences have been kinder over the years. It’s the kind of title that quietly builds a following after the fact, which is interesting considering how direct-to-the-veins mainstream thrillers were in 2007.
- Director: Bruce A. Evans
- Main cast: Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, William Hurt
- Release date: June 1, 2007
- Runtime: 2h 1m
- Budget: $20 million
- Worldwide box office: $48.1 million
- Rotten Tomatoes: 56% critics, 76% audience
So, could it ever have been a hit?
Maybe — with a different push. The concept was strong, the cast had name power, and the budget was lean by today’s standards. But the movie is dense: serial killer mechanics, inner-voice psychology, moral wrestling, family complications. That kind of blend can be catnip for thriller fans and a speed bump for everyone else. If the plotting were a little less packed, or the campaign leaned into one clear hook, maybe it plays bigger.
As it stands, the release didn’t capitalize on what worked, and the behind-the-scenes handling (per Costner) seems to have iced any sequel momentum. He still believes it should have been a trilogy — and he says he had a cool ending in his pocket — which is exactly the sort of detail that makes you wish someone had gotten out of the way and let the plan play out.
Where to watch
In the U.S., Mr. Brooks is currently available to buy on Amazon.