Terrible reviews will not stop Atlas Shrugged 3

The producer of the first two movies is unfazed by poor box office showings, and hopes for a summer 2014 release

Published March 13, 2013 5:00PM (EDT)

      (YouTube/atlasshruggedmovie)
(YouTube/atlasshruggedmovie)

If you missed the first two big screen adaptations of Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" (which judging from their box office performances, you did), have no fear: You still have part three to look forward to in 2014.

John Aglialoro, the producer of the series, says he hopes to have the third installment ready for a release in the summer of 2014, Politico reports, adding that he is looking to make this version “something closer to the book." The second movie, Aglialoro says, was rushed so that it would be ready by October 2012, before Election Day.

"I wanted to get some things in that Ayn Rand said of her characters,” Aglialoro said. “I want to take the time so that the screenplay can say things, so that it’s a conversation.”

The first film, released in April, 2011, was pushed by Tea Party groups like Freedomworks, natural fans of Ayn Rand, whose original work mirrors Tea Party lines about individual responsibility, capitalism, and opposition to big government.

Despite the bump from conservatives, though, Part One only took in $4.6 million at the box office, and scored an 11 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. The second film, armed with a totally different cast, did even worse, taking in just $3.3 million and scoring a 5 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Aglialoro was unfazed.“We’re not going to get critics coming on board,” he told Politico. “The academic-media complex out there doesn’t want to like the work, doesn’t want to understand it, fears the lack of government in their lives, wants the presence of government taking care of us. … The MSNBC crowd doesn’t like us.”

Watch the very melodramatic preview for the second movie:


By Jillian Rayfield

Jillian Rayfield is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on politics. Follow her on Twitter at @jillrayfield or email her at jrayfield@salon.com.

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2012 Elections Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand John Aglialoro Tea Party Video