Why Gene Hackman’s Final Film Bombed at the Box Office

The entertainment community recently lost an icon when the legendary Gene Hackman died at the age of 95. While there are still some unknowns surrounding his death, no one is disputing his status as a Hollywood legend. The French Connection, Superman, The Poseidon Adventure, Unforgiven, Hoosiers, The Firm, and The Royal Tenenbaums are just a few of his acclaimed works. But there’s one title that’s far less well-known, and it was Hackman’s final film prior to retirement.

Hackman’s last onscreen appearance was in 2004’s Welcome to Mooseport. He played a former President of the United States who retired to a small town in Maine and befriended a local handyman, played by Ray Romano. Welcome to Mooseport was a critical and commercial failure, and it did not deserve to be Hackman’s last outing. But was its underperformance the reason for his retirement? Or were there other factors that led to him leaving the spotlight? Whatever the case, Gene Hackman was Hollywood royalty. He deserved a better film to cap his successful five-decade career. Let’s look at what we know about Welcome to Mooseport, why it failed, and how it shaped the remainder of Hackman’s life.

‘Welcome to Mooseport’s Plot and Underperformance

So what happens in this movie? Some spoilers for the 20-year-old dud to follow. Hackman plays Monroe “Eagle” Cole, a retired former President. After leaving office, Cole moves to his vacation home in the town of Mooseport, Maine, to get away from his ex-wife, Charlotte (Christine Baranski). When Mooseport’s mayor dies, Cole expresses an interest in running for the position. That way, his home can serve as his official office and cannot be sold or taken by his ex-wife. Cole’s opponent in the race is local hardware store owner Harold “Handy” Harrison (Ray Romano), who enters to win back his estranged girlfriend Sally (Maura Tierney).

Cole brings his established Washington insiders to assist his Mooseport campaign, while Handy refuses to resort to cheating or dirty politics. Cole realizes he is running against a truly honest person for the first time, and both men end up encouraging the voters to cast their ballots for the other. Handy and Cole each learn something about themselves, the politics of winning, and what’s truly important in life.

In addition to Romano, Hackman, Baranski, and Tierney, the film also starred Fred Savage, Rip Torn, June Squibb, and Edward Herrmann, among others. But how did it all go so wrong? Welcome to Mooseport grossed just $14.6 million after its initial 12-week theatrical run. That was less than half of its $30 million budget. The critics weren’t too kind either, as it sits at an unimpressive 13% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Reviewers highlighted the toothless political satire, bland comedy, and dull writing. Hackman’s performance was praised by some, noting that he did what he could with the weak script. But it wasn’t up to par with his past filmography. Romano, who was primarily known for his sitcom work at that time, couldn’t match Hackman’s power as a co-leading man. Though the most shocking review easily came from Roger Ebert himself, who actually awarded three out of four stars. He noted that the story worked due to the inherent charm of Romano and Hackman.

Hackman’s Retirement After ‘Welcome to Mooseport’

President Monroe Cole wound up being Gene Hackman’s last role before retirement. So, did Welcome to Mooseport‘s failure kill Hackman’s entire career? No, not directly. Shortly after its release, Hackman gave an interview where he outlined that he had no upcoming projects lined up and was effectively retired. He would later explain that he officially retired for health reasons, citing the stress that acting placed on him.

Despite this, he didn’t leave the industry entirely. Hackman narrated four episodes of the NFL series America’s Game: The Super Bowl Champions in 2007. The next year, he made his last onscreen appearance as a restaurant patron on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Hackman briefly paused retirement to narrate the Marine Corps documentaries The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima (2016) and We, the Marines (2017). He permanently ended his career after that, only making sporadic public appearances until his 2025 death.

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There’s no doubt that Gene Hackman was a staple of Hollywood for decades. Did he deserve a more well-received swan song? Yes, but Welcome to Mooseport didn’t take away from the career he had. His decision to step away also represented something rare in the industry: an actor prioritizing their own well-being above all else. So many famous faces work themselves into the ground, so it’s refreshing to see an A-lister recognize when it’s time to step away.

Hackman managed to live to 95, an impressive run for anyone. But now that he’s gone, maybe some Hackman fans want to take another look at his final big-screen escapade. Has Welcome to Mooseport gotten better with age? Maybe, but it’s practically impossible for any satire to out-crazy the current political climate. Welcome to Mooseport is streaming on Prime Video.