Rosamund Pike Reflects on ‘Doom’ Movie: A Career Near-Miss?

Rosamund Pike recently shared her candid experience filming the 2005 science fiction horror film Doom, based on the popular video game series by id Software. In a recent appearance on Elizabeth Day’s How to Fail podcast, Pike described the film as a pivotal moment that revealed her limitations as an action star and potentially threatened her career.

A Challenging Role

Following her role as Miranda Frost in the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day, Pike took on the role of Sam Grimm in Doom, alongside Karl Urban and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. However, she quickly realized she was out of her depth. “I was just out of my comfort zone, out of my league, out of my depth, and the film was an absolute bomb,” Pike told Day. She went on to call the film “probably one of the worst films ever made” and expressed relief at having “survived” the experience.

Box Office and Critical Reception

Pike’s assessment aligns with the film’s reception at the time of its release. Doom premiered on October 21, 2005, and grossed $58.7 million worldwide against a production budget of $60–70 million, making it a box office disappointment [Source: Wikipedia]. The film also received largely negative reviews from critics.

From Action to Acclaim

Despite her negative experience, Doom did not derail Pike’s career. She has since found success in a variety of roles, including her recent work in the television series The Wheel of Time. She also revisited action roles, though with a different perspective.

The Future of ‘Doom’ Adaptations

While the 2005 film adaptation of Doom proved unsuccessful, the video game franchise remains popular. Id Software released a new Doom game in 2025. However, given the reception of the first film and the release of a direct-to-video sequel, Doom: Annihilation, in 2019, another major adaptation appears unlikely in the near future.