In the years since, though, it has come to be more appreciated for the personality and passion Favreau brought to the project, which becomes evident when you consider where the movie was shot. It ultimately grossed only $174 million worldwide, against a $163 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). Interestingly, the one exception might be the most personal and unique blockbuster he's made yet: 2011's "Cowboys & Aliens." Despite a stacked cast, including Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford, and an inventive blend of sci-fi and Western, adapted from Scott Mitchell Rosenberg's eponymous 2006 graphic novel, the movie was divisive among audiences and critics. First by launching the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the first two "Iron Man" movies, then by inaugurating a new era in CGI technology with "The Jungle Book" and "The Lion King," then by spearheading both seasons of "The Mandalorian," Favreau seems to be turning everything he touches to gold lately. Bane revealed in Dark Knight Rises set pics Cowboys & Aliens ties with Smurfs at the box office Drew Pearce to adapt The Mighty Also, Man of Steel. and Canada (making it the 500th 100 million domestic movie) as well as 74,581,774 internationally.Box office: 174. The writer-director we used to associate with bouncy popular comedies like " Elf," "Swingers," and "Made" spent the 2010s establishing a new brand as Hollywood's go-to helmer of box office mammoths. Of course, analysts are quick to shout failure at the former and surprise success at the latter, which doesn’t quite seem fair at first glance.
It's been a meteoric decade for Jon Favreau. Indeed, both Cowboys & Aliens and The Smurfs have both earned an estimated 36.2 at the weekend box office.