In the trailer, Elwood asks Twiggy if she wants to "hang out," when in the movie he says "meet."

@Benton12 said:

1. Under performed financially at the box office (they really relied on the star power of Carrie Fisher, John Belushi, Dan Ackroyd and the director of Animal House to carry it! financially?).
2. The trailer to this film was very different than the film itself. Confusing to viewers. (They used I believe outtakes for the trailer.)

Wouldja believe I actually recall what you've stated about the trailer? I enjoyed the heck out of the film though.

I was just thinking about how maybe all of the black music icons who perform in this film are dead now... pity. So many greats, gone forever.

Also, Belushi and Ackroyd were more of a big deal then, due to SNL. Furthermore, Belushi had Animal House under his belt - I've never seen it, but I believe it's practically regarded as a comedy classic....

Celluloid fan. They messed up pretty big as Belushi and Ackroyd could not bring enough in to see the film in theaters and drive-ins as could neither Princess Leia herself. Cab Calloway would be way past 100 now!

Welll... you know, more people seem to be living into their 100s nowadays... I think it's more women than men, though.

The film grossed $57,229,890 domestically and $58,000,000 in foreign box offices for a total of $115,229,890. All this on a $30 million dollar budget. It is still a musical cult classic and the Blues Brothers are still a known image everywhere! I fail to see how this "underperformed"....nowhere is this considered a "flop"! The SEQUEL indeed flopped, but not the original!

Sources I read said it underperformed!

@jorgito2001 said:

The film grossed $57,229,890 domestically and $58,000,000 in foreign box offices for a total of $115,229,890. All this on a $30 million dollar budget. It is still a musical cult classic and the Blues Brothers are still a known image everywhere! I fail to see how this "underperformed"....nowhere is this considered a "flop"! The SEQUEL indeed flopped, but not the original!

Google "How 'The Blues Brothers.' blends comedy,music,and ultimate action ".

The Blue Lagoon made more money in the US that year than TBB.

The Blue Brothers was only #10 in American box receipts in 1980. It was almost out of the top 10 biggest films of the year.

The Blues Brothers grossed more internationally than domestically, and Universal was happy to have that money. "Underperformed" depends on what they were expecting to make. The Blues Brothers did better business domestically than The Shining, Caddyshack, Raging Bull, and Ordinary People, and was a bigger hit worldwide than The Blue Lagoon.

I found one website (ultimateactionmovies.com) claiming it underperformed, citing a 2000 Empire article by Kim Newman where what he actually said was The Blues Brothers "didn't immediately click" with audiences in 1980, https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-blues-brothers-review/ he contradicted himself in his 2013 review of it. https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/blues-brothers-review/

@Benton12 said:

The Blue Lagoon made more money in the US that year than TBB.

The Blue Lagoon was huge that year; I was around then and I remember it. I mean, it stayed around forever.

So what it was behind even Stir Crazy in US sales that year.

@Quincey_Morris said:

The Blues Brothers grossed more internationally than domestically, and Universal was happy to have that money. "Underperformed" depends on what they were expecting to make. The Blues Brothers did better business domestically than The Shining, Caddyshack, Raging Bull, and Ordinary People, and was a bigger hit worldwide than The Blue Lagoon.

I found one website (ultimateactionmovies.com) claiming it underperformed, citing a 2000 Empire article by Kim Newman where what he actually said was The Blues Brothers "didn't immediately click" with audiences in 1980, https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-blues-brothers-review/ he contradicted himself in his 2013 review of it. https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/blues-brothers-review/

Pardon me. He used the word "underperformed". I stated the accurate truth.

@Benton12 said:

Lastly!Beating out "Raging bull" at the BO was no compliment. RB was a highly critically acclaimed but cuss-ridden trash film!

Look! They expected the film to be number 1 or 2 at BO and it was bad at #10. International sales are slightly less important. AND it was lower than number 2 there too. International ratings are less ih important for TV too. Mike Hammer starring Stacy Keach did great in the UK but not in the USA and it was soon 86'd!