But it looks like this isn’t really true. Looks more like they both need each other for their projects to be big hits. Robin Padilla no doubt included his popular Teen King nephew in the two movies he helped produce, “Sa Ngalan ng Ama, Ina at Mga Anak” at the start of the year, and “Bonifacio, Unang Pangulo” at the end of 2014. As we now all know, Daniel’s presence in both films was not enough to attract audiences to watch it, resulting in very lukewarm box office results, unlike Daniel’s movies with Kathryn, “Pagpag” and “She’s Dating the Gangster”, that are both big hits.
Well, Daniel’s fans can argue, though, that these cannot really be claimed as his movies as he was just playing a supporting role in both of them. But still and all, the fact remains that he didn’t serve his purpose in beefing up the box office returns of his Uncle Robin’s films. But we have no doubt that the Kathniel love team’s reunion and first project for this year, the remake of “Pangako Sa’Yo”, will a be a huge toprater.
Robin laments the fact that they’ve spent P100 million no less for the budget of “Bonifacio”. But then, he and his business partners should have been advised before giving it the green light that, as a rule, period and costume films do not make at the local box office. And also, their aim to retell the Bonifacio story has already been told in the Alfred Vargas-Richard Somes earlier version, “Supremo”, which sadly also didn’t make money.
What a pity, though. Since “Bonifacio” is an epic failure at the tills, we doubt very much if his plan to do a filmbio on Gregorio del Pilar starring Daniel in the title role will still pull through. There’s another period film about to be shown this year, Jerrold Tarog’s biopic on Gen. Antonio Luna starring John Arcilla. The trailer looks interesting and it’s very brave of Tarog to produce and direct this movie with no name actor in it. We can only wish him well and pray that his “Heneral Luna” won’t suffer the same fate of “Bonifacio”, who’s an even bigger hero than Luna.
