Mark Wahlberg’s 2025 slate left critics blasting him on multiple titles, with three high‑profile releases drawing sharp reviews and modest box office. He now bets on a different ride for 2026: Balls Up, a sports‑comedy from Peter Farrelly that teams him with Paul Walter Hauser and Sacha Baron Cohen, timed to the World Cup bustle.
Early chatter around Balls Up has been chilly. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film sits around 30% from critics and roughly 27% from moviegoers, signaling a notable split between press sentiment and audience response.
The setup follows two marketing execs who push a bold World Cup sponsorship for a condom brand after a Brazil‑set night out spirals into a global controversy. As a web of fans, criminals, and officials closes in, they race to salvage their careers and get home.
Even with a stacked cast, the reception has been cool, with critics arguing the premise outshines the execution and, in some takes, dubbing the title a fitting omen for the film’s fate.
Looking ahead, Wahlberg shifts back toward crime thrillers with By Any Means, a Paramount project co-starring Yahya Abdul‑Mateen II and Giancarlo Esposito. Set for a Labor Day release, the period piece centers on a volatile alliance as a ruthless pursuit for justice unfolds across Mississippi with a strong supporting cast.
Balls Up is currently streaming on Prime Video. More coverage will follow as the response to the film solidifies.
Source: Original article
