The Lowdown's Ethan Hawke Made His Acting Debut in This Box Office Bomb
The director said the studio "ruined" the sci-fi film.
Ethan Hawke’s Early Career
Ethan Hawke has enjoyed a four-decade career in Hollywood and is currently experiencing a strong resurgence. He stars in FX’s The Lowdown, which recently completed its first season, and the popular Black Phone film franchise. Although many recognize Hawke from his breakthrough role in the 1989 classic Dead Poets Society, his actual film debut happened four years earlier in a lesser-known movie called Explorers, which was loosely inspired by E.T. and did not perform well at the box office.
About Explorers
Directed by Joe Dante, Explorers was a sci-fi film overshadowed by expectations and studio interference, which reportedly led to its failure. The film also featured River Phoenix alongside Hawke.
“The studio ruined the sci-fi film,” said the director, expressing frustration over how Explorers was handled.
Legacy
Despite its lack of commercial success, Explorers represents an important early milestone in Hawke’s enduring career.
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Summary: Ethan Hawke’s debut in the box office flop Explorers marked the start of a long Hollywood career, despite the film’s troubled production and reception.