Resume: Karen Gillan

Karen Gillan has been appearing in films for LRF since Season 2. She has appeared in two separate franchises and a total of nine films heading into the release of her 10th film for the studio, Red Sonja, which could very well lead to a third franchise. For the latest edition of Resume, we will take a look at the filmography of the latest female action star....

















Season 2

Splinter Cell
Director: Doug Liman
Writer: D.R. Cobb


Budget: $170,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $323,799,037
Foreign Box Office: $569,968,400
Total Profit: $559,810,149



While the film was a Tom Cruise vehicle, Gillan held her own against the legendary star in a major supporting role in the first Splinter Cell film. The film was a huge box office hit and critics were generally favorable toward it.

Dino Crisis
Director: Matt Reeves
Writer: Billy Cruder



Budget: $99,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $76,139,537
Foreign Box Office: $238,727,392
Total Profit: $56,796,380


Later in Season 2, Gillan starred in another video game film, this time in the lead role. Critics were not fans of the film, and it did not do well domestically at the box office, but international audiences were big fans of the property.


Season 3

Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow
Director: Joe Carnahan
Writer: D.R. Cobb





Budget: $200,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $388,928,087
Foreign Box Office: $599,581,182
Total Profit: $577,546,211


Gillan's role in the second Splinter Cell film was smaller than the first time around, but the film was still a giant box office hit. Critics, however, were not as found of this entry.


Season 4

Synthetic
Director: Francis Lawrence
Writer: Mark Newton



Budget: $68,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $97,686,046
Foreign Box Office: $120,132,807
Total Profit: $19,043,757

Gillan finally appeared in a film not based on a video game series, with the original sci-fi film Synthetic from writer Mark Newton and director Francis Lawrence. She starred as a female android trying to protect humanity. The film was a solid success and the box office and most of the critics liked it. It was a surprise come awards season, racking up five GRA nominations, including one for Gillan and co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt for Best Starring Couple.

Dino Crisis 2
Director: Frank Darabont
Writer: Billy Cruder




Budget: $80,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $65,753,931
Foreign Box Office: $171,277,293
Total Profit: $35,803,667



Gillan once again took center stage later in Season 4 with the sequel to Dino Crisis. The film was once again savaged by critics, but it was also once again a box office hit overseas.


Season 5

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Writer: D.R. Cobb



Budget: $202,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $370,799,122
Foreign Box Office: $555,600,883
Total Profit: $488,795,575




Gillan had a little more to do in the third Splinter Cell film, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. Like the previous two films, it was a huge box office hit, but critics were once again only lukewarm on this entry.


Season 10

Splinter Cell: Conviction
Director: Jose Padilha
Writer: D.R. Cobb



Budget: $240,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $439,782,199
Foreign Box Office: $542,668,483
Total Profit: $228,990,221


After sitting out the fourth Splinter Cell film, Gillan returned for Splinter Cell: Conviction in Season 10 with her biggest role in the franchise to date. Critics responded well to the film, and to her return.


Season 13

Before and After
Director: David O. Russell
Writer: Jack Slipter



Budget: $29,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $47,309,483
Foreign Box Office: $30,900,551
Total Profit: $7,040,189


For the first time in her LRF career, Karen Gillan finally starred in something smaller. She played the female lead in the lower budgeted drama-fantasy-romance Before and After. The film received mixed reviews from critics, but did manage a slight profit at the box office.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist
Director: Tom Cruise
Writer: D.R. Cobb



Budget: $265,000,000
Domestic Box Office: $450,478,223
Foreign Box Office: $545,565,328
Total Profit: $188,445,934


Gillan once again returned as Anna Grimsdottir for what appears to be the final Splinter Cell film. Her long-time co-star Tom Cruise took over the directorial reins for this entry, and gave her plenty to do. The film grossed just under a billion dollars at the box office, and critics were favorable to the film.


Up Next: Karen Gillan has a few projects lined up after her upcoming starring role in Red Sonja. She has a Ridley Scott-directed big budget period piece set for Season 16, and if Red Sonja is a success it could lead to sequels.

Review:

• Highest Grossing Film: Splinter Cell: Blacklist ($996,043,551)
• Most Profitable Film: Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow ($577,546,211)
• Most Awarded Film: Synthetic (5 nominations)
• Best Reviewed Film: Splinter Cell: Blacklist (Metascore: 76)