Actor Matthew Lillard mused about a movie he thought would put him on the A-list, but it actually made his career “insignificant.”
The film he was referring to was, perhaps unsurprisingly, the 2004 sequel. Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. Lillard perfectly took on the role of Shaggy in the live-action remake of the popular Hanna-Barbera cartoon. The 2002 original overcame disastrous reviews to gross $275 million worldwide; This amounted to $481.9 million when adjusted for inflation. A sequel was almost guaranteed, with Lillard earning his biggest salary to date. In his mind, he had achieved this.
“I thought I would be No. 1 on the call sheet for the next 10 years of movies,” Lillard said in a recent interview. Business Content. “And the truth is, it was just the opposite.”
Monsters Unleashed Excluding press and marketing costs, it grossed a relatively paltry $181 million worldwide against a reported budget of $80 million. It was such a disaster that Warner Bros. canceled plans for a third film. Disappointing returns brought Lillard's career to a swift and unexpected halt.
“I was caught up in the success of what I was doing, I was caught up in the pieces I was getting, I was caught up in the urge to be quote-unquote famous,” Lillard admitted. “I was going to do it. Dancing with the Stars. And I was like, if I do Dancing with the StarsI'll never win an Academy Award. if i do Dancing with the Stars“I'm going to be famous and not be a great actor, and I really just wanted to be a great actor.”
Lillard wasn't so hot before Scooby Doobut he had enough successful, youth-centered credits: To shout (1996) and That's All (1999) being on the path to leading man opportunities. Unfortunately after this Monsters Unleashedhis career remained dormant for the better part of a decade. Instead, he voiced Shaggy in a number of animated series. Scooby Doo he made installments and had frequent guest roles on network shows and low-budget movies.
“I've had good patches and bad patches. Lillard admitted that I was being dismissive and thought I would never work again.
His next major theatrical release won't come until 2011, when he plays a major role in Alexander Payne's Oscar-winning drama. Grandchildren. Lillard received rave reviews for his portrayal of the man who has an affair with the title character's comatose wife (George Clooney). This role revitalized Lillard's career and bequeathed him acting opportunities he would not have considered in his career. Scooby Doo days.
He went on to star in David Lynch's films. Twin Peaks revival and as a largely successful villain Five Nights at Freddy's movie adaptation. Lillard is currently filming the sequel, which will be released next year.
The actor said that his career prospects changed only when his perspective on work changed and stopped focusing only on recognition and salary. “I said, 'I just want to be an actor. I just want to act in movies. I want to reset my expectations,'” he decided.