With Jake Gyllenhaal’s new book The Secret Society of Aunts and Uncles being out and on bookshelves, it’s time to look at the subtle Easter eggs available. Funny enough, the actor’s children’s book gave a little nod to his famously flopped 2010 Disney action movie, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
While Disney adapted the famed video game of the same name and tried to make a hit series out of it, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, unfortunately, became a failed franchise starter upon hitting the theaters. Years later, it’s certainly humorous to find the reference to his flopped movie on his latest project. But guess what Gyllenhaal had to say about it?
Jake Gyllenhaal’s Children’s Book Hinted At His Disney Flop
After appearing in several big-budget movies, and being a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jake Gyllenhaal finally turned towards a more passionate field and delivered a children’s book, The Secret Society of Aunts and Uncles. Teaming up with one of his best friends, Greta Caruso, the actor wrote a sweet story of an adventure between a 10-year-old Leo and his Uncle Mo.
Inspired by the fulfilling relationship he has with his sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Peter Sarsgaard’s two kids, Jake Gyllenhaal turned it into a bookish adventure. However, his recently released book had some subtle hints at his $336M flop Disney movie, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. In the book, there is an illustration where Leo struggles to dance, and thus a skeleton is found holding a Playbill for the show titled “The Persians.”
Upon being asked about the little easter egg, Jake Gyllenhaal clarified this to Entertainment Weekly,
“That was Dan Santat. He snuck that in before printing, and I didn’t approve that. I don’t know where that came from. Dan likes to put in his bits of humor, even misspelling my name at the back and having to put a post-it, having two A’s at the end.”
Discussing further, the actor tried hard to clarify, before it offended anyone. However, the subtle hint at his 2010 Disney movie was rather hilarious, if anything.
“But no, when I described that space, it was the space where there was no farther down to go than the depths of where Leo is in that moment in the book. So I guess that was Dan’s joke on me.”
The Unfortunate Fate Of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Although Jake Gyllenhaal clarified that the illustration was nothing but an inside joke from Dan Santat, the actor’s 2010 movie was indeed a major disgrace for Disney. Willing to adapt the famed video game of the same name, Disney tried hard to turn Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time into a hit franchise. However, the movie became one of Disney’s failed franchise starters when it hit theaters.
Costing Disney studio a reported $200M to make Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, the movie had a box office haul equating to $336M worldwide. Although Disney hoped for the action movie to become their next Pirates of the Caribbean, the movie turned into a total nightmare, as it failed to impress critics and audiences. Further, it is believed that the movie majorly flopped because of its unnecessary whitewashing of an Iranian role.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, was thus remembered as one of the worst examples of Hollywood whitewashing for casting a white American actor instead of a genuine star of color. Although the movie did not derail Gyllenhaal’s career, it definitely turned out to be a big mistake, which led him to be more thoughtful while picking up roles in the future.
Watch Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time on Disney+
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Source: Entertainment Weekly, IndieWire
