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In 2005, Matthew McConaughey finally played the role he’d spent 10 years looking for. It lost $78,000,000
In 2005, Matthew McConaughey starred as adventurer Dirk Pitt in *Sahara*, a film based on Clive Cussler’s novels. McConaughey had spent a decade seeking a character who could combine action, intellect and charm, but the project became a major box-office flop and failed to launch the franchise he hoped for.
The film reportedly lost $78.3 million during its theatrical run, despite McConaughey earning $8 million. A two-million-dollar vintage aeroplane crash sequence lasted 46 seconds and was cut from the final film. Its production was also marked by disputes over the script, which later fed into a seven-year legal battle between Cussler and producer Philip Anschutz.
In short
- McConaughey’s long-awaited Dirk Pitt role was in *Sahara*.
- The film reportedly lost $78.3 million at cinemas.
- A costly aeroplane sequence was removed from the final cut.