2023 Box Office Flop, Based on Iconic 1970 Book, Ranked Among 'Best Movies of All Time'

It wasn’t a box office hit, but Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret has been named one of the best movies of all time. The 2023 coming-of-age comedy-drama film ranked on Rotten Tomatoes’  greatest films rundown, on an eclectic list that also includes The Godfather, Casablanca, and Jaws.

Written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret starred Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Benny Safdie, and Elle Graham. It was based on  Judy Blume’s iconic 1970  YA book of the same name.

The movie received praise from critics—and from Blume herself. It followed 11-year-old Margaret Simon (Fortson) navigating puberty, family issues, and new friendships while also struggling to find her religious identity.

Movie critic Marya E. Gates described Craig’s adaptation of Blume’s classic novel as “exhilarating.” “Fortson is fantastic as the iconic Margaret, channeling her conflicting moods with aplomb,” the reviewer added, before praising McAdams’ “incandescent performance” as “perhaps her most accomplished performance yet.”

Despite positive reviews, in 2023, Deadline reported that Lionsgate’s feature adaptation of the Judy Blume classic “fell greatly short” at the box office with a $6.8 million opening weekend. According to Box Office Mojo, Margaret earned just $20.3 million at the box office.

 Judy Blume said the movie was better than the book

Blume’s book is one of the most beloved YA books of all time. It has never gone out of print in the 56 years since it was published.

Speaking with the Today Show in 2023, Blume said the long-overdue film adaptation of her book felt “wonderful.” “And the reason that it feels wonderful is because I love the movie,” she said. “And how many authors of the book can say that? I think the movie is better than the book.”

Blume admitted she never intended to sell the rights to her classic novel. “It was the right team, is what it was,” she shared.

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Blume changed her mind about not selling after receiving a “remarkable and passionate” letter from Craig. The legendary author was actively involved in the production of the movie and even made a cameo in a neighborhood scene.

“Yes. I think for a long time the feeling in L.A. was, ‘Don’t bother because she’s not going to sell any of her work,’” Blume told Entertainment Weekly of her movie deal. “Then, the agents changed. I had a new agent, and I said, ‘I love movies, I would love to do something, but Margaret‘s off the table.’  … Kelly came with credentials. I don’t think anyone else had ever come to me with that kind of credential. …So, here we are with Margaret, and I’m so, so happy that we did it.”

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