Rosamund Pike calls 2005 Doom movie 'worst film ever made' that could have ended her career

According to Rosamund Pike's interview on the How to Fail podcast, the 2005 Doom movie was 'probably one of the worst films ever made' — and she should know, she starred in it. The British actress didn't hold back when discussing the video game adaptation that paired her with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, calling it 'an absolute bomb' that could have ended her career before it truly began.

What did Pike say about the Doom disaster?

Speaking with Elizabeth Day on the How to Fail podcast, Pike was refreshingly honest about her experience on the Martian zombie film. 'The film was an absolute bomb,' she said. 'It probably could have ended my career. It was probably one of the worst films ever made. I mean, it was a catastrophe.'

The actress, who had just finished filming Pride & Prejudice, thought she could easily transition from period dramas to action films. 'I think, in my bonnet, in my field of hay bales, "Yeah, I can do anything. I can jump on this hay bale in my crinoline, so I can certainly go and kill some zombies on Mars,"' she recalled with characteristic self-deprecation.

But reality hit hard when she arrived on set with Dwayne Johnson. 'I realize how utterly ill-equipped I am to be an action star,' Pike admitted. 'I was just out of my comfort zone, out of my league, out of my depth.'

How badly did Doom perform?

The numbers tell the brutal story. According to box office reports, Doom made just $58 million worldwide against its production budget, whilst earning a devastating 18% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film often appears alongside 1993's Super Mario Bros. and 1994's Street Fighter on worst video game movie adaptation lists.

Pike understood the scale of the disaster. 'You get the sense like, you're lucky to have survived that one,' she reflected. The failure was particularly stinging because, as she put it, 'if loads of guys say that film is s**t, your part in it is to play your character but also look hot. And I don't think I got that or took that seriously.'

What was it like working with The Rock?

Originally, Ray Winstone was set to lead the marine squad, but Dwayne Johnson replaced him during development. Pike found herself completely out of her element alongside the WWE star-turned-actor.

'The first day I meet Dwayne Johnson, who couldn't be nicer but is just a completely different beast from 24-year-old RP,' she said. 'There were weights on the set. Every time a gun was brought out it was like a holy relic for the Doom fans. There was the routine before a take. It felt more like a sort of Māori, All Blacks kind of pre-game warm up.'

Why video game movies struggled in 2005

Pike's experience highlights the broader challenges of video game adaptations in the mid-2000s. The actress admitted she 'didn't know enough about video games' and wasn't prepared for the fan expectations or the physical demands of the role.

'I wasn't the right kind of girl to be in that. I didn't want to be the sex symbol,' she explained. 'Nowadays, I'm sure an actress cast in that would have a personal trainer. There would be a conversation about, you're playing Lara Croft, this is how she should look.'

How Pike's career recovered from Doom

Despite the disaster, Pike's career not only survived but flourished. She went on to star in Johnny English Reborn (2011), Jack Reacher (2012), and The World's End (2013) before earning an Academy Award nomination for Gone Girl in 2014.

Her later successes include winning a Golden Globe for I Care a Lot (2020) and an Emmy for State of the Union. Most recently, she starred as Moiraine in Amazon Prime's The Wheel of Time, which was cancelled after Season 3.

'It wasn't career ending for The Rock, or me as it turned out,' Pike noted. The experience taught her valuable lessons about preparation and understanding the projects she takes on.

What happened to the Doom franchise?

The original Doom movie's failure didn't kill the franchise entirely. A second attempt, Doom: Annihilation, was released direct-to-video in 2019 but also received negative reviews. The 2005 film remains a cautionary tale about rushing video game adaptations into production without proper understanding of the source material or audience expectations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Rosamund Pike say about the Doom movie?

Rosamund Pike called the 2005 Doom movie 'an absolute bomb' and 'probably one of the worst films ever made,' stating it could have ended her career. She made these comments on Elizabeth Day's How to Fail podcast.

Who starred in the 2005 Doom movie?

The 2005 Doom movie starred Rosamund Pike as scientist Samantha, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson as squad leader Sarge, and Karl Urban as marine John Grimm. Ray Winstone was originally attached to Johnson's role.

Was the Doom movie a commercial success?

No, the Doom movie was a commercial disaster. It made only $58 million at the global box office and received an 18% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the worst-reviewed video game adaptations.

How did the Doom movie affect Pike's career?

Despite Pike calling it a potential career-ender, she recovered to win Academy Award nominations, Golden Globes, and Emmy awards. The experience taught her to research projects more thoroughly and understand audience expectations.

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