Robert Wagner's first major blockbuster arrived in the form of 1954's "Prince Valiant." Based on Hal Foster's long-running comic strip of the same name, the picture promised swashbuckling action and adventure as Wagner took on the lead role of Prince Valiant himself. As per Tor, the film was a big deal at the time, as 20th Century Fox secured the rights for the property and invested $3 million in it. While that figure might not even be enough for the costumes in a Marvel film in the modern era, it was a major investment in the 1950s.
Despite having Henry Hathaway as a director and featuring established cast members such as James Mason and Janet Leigh, "Prince Valiant" didn't do well at the box office, and plans for the sequel, "Valiant and Aleta," were quickly canceled after accounting crunched the numbers. Years later, Wagner revealed to interviewer Tom Cottle that a lot of people still bring up the movie to him. "I get a lot of people calling me the Prince, especially in Hollywood," he said, "because I did a picture years ago called 'Prince Valiant.' And it was not a very good movie, and I have taken a lot of bad raps on that picture, so the people always say, 'Hi, how are you, Prince?'"
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