This iconic film with Morgan Freeman was considered a flop, but is now recognized as Hollywood gold

They refused to go to the premiere for a reason.

The prison drama “The Shawshank Redemption” was released in 1994 and remains deservedly part of the golden classics of Hollywood cinema. However, few know that audiences initially refused to attend Frank Darabont's premiere.

Ultimately, with a substantial budget of $25 million, the film earned only $16 million. It might have faded into obscurity if critics hadn't recognized it as a truly brilliant work. “The Shawshank Redemption” received seven Oscar nominations, and the film was re-released. Audiences flocked to theaters to see Darabont's creation starring , and it eventually became one of the top-grossing films of 1995.
A man in a prison jumpsuit and beret sits on a bench in the prison yard, with a metal fence behind him, his gaze thoughtful
Morgan Freeman in 'The Shawshank Redemption'
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After the film's triumphant rise, experts understood why the initial screening was ignored by the public. Firstly, two other significant premieres were released at the same time: Quentin Tarantino's “Pulp Fiction” and Robert Zemeckis' “Forrest Gump.” “The Shawshank Redemption” simply could not compete.

Additionally, audiences were not ready for the prison theme, which seemed dark and burdensome to them. Only thanks to “Shawshank” did the genre of "prison films" revive and secure a strong niche. Furthermore, the cast was predominantly male, which is atypical for Hollywood cinema, and women were reluctant to see a "prison drama."
The title change can also be mentioned as a reason. The film is based on Stephen King's novella “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption”, but it was changed for a more concise title, losing its connection to the original source.

Meanwhile, as noted by zoomboola.com, King himself called “The Shawshank Redemption” a good adaptation, although he usually dislikes films based on his books.