Rock of Ages (2012 film)

Rock of Ages
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAdam Shankman
Screenplay by
Based onRock of Ages
by Chris D'Arienzo
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyBojan Bazelli
Edited byEmma E. Hickox
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • June 15, 2012 (2012-06-15)
Running time
123 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$75 million[2]
Box office$59.4 million[2]

Rock of Ages is a 2012 American jukebox musical comedy film directed by Adam Shankman from a screenplay by Chris D'Arienzo, Allan Loeb, and Justin Theroux, based on the rock jukebox Broadway musical Rock of Ages by D'Arienzo. Produced by New Line Cinema and Corner Stone Entertainment in association with Offspring Entertainment and Material Pictures, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, the film stars Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta (in his film debut), leading an ensemble cast that includes Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin, Paul Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Malin Åkerman, Mary J. Blige, Bryan Cranston and Tom Cruise. Like the stage musical, the film features the music of many 1980s rock artists including Def Leppard, Journey, Scorpions, Poison, Foreigner, Guns N' Roses, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Bon Jovi, Twisted Sister, Whitesnake, REO Speedwagon, and others.

After the success of the stage musical, the film rights were sold to Warner Bros. and New Line in early 2009. Shankman was confirmed as director in October, with D'Arienzo announced to be adapting his book into the screenplay, later joined by Loeb and Theroux. Originally scheduled to enter production in summer 2009 for a 2011 release, it eventually commenced production in May 2011, with Hough, Boneta, Cruise, Brand, Baldwin, Giamatti, Zeta-Jones, Blige, Cranston, and the rest of the cast already filled out.

Principal photography took place between May and August of that year, with locations including Miami, Hollywood, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as well as Los Angeles. Aside from the songs, the duo of Adam Anders and Peer Åström composed the film's incidental score.

Rock of Ages premiered at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on June 8, 2012, and was released in the United States on June 15, by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film received mixed critical reviews and was a box-office bomb, grossing only $59 million worldwide on a $75 million budget. However, Cruise's performance was praised, particularly for his performances of "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Wanted Dead or Alive". The related film soundtrack was also well-received, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Top Soundtracks chart.

  1. ^ "Rock of Ages (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. May 22, 2012. Archived from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Rock of Ages (2012) - Box Office Mojo". Archived from the original on August 31, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2012.