Much Ado About Nothing (2012 film) film's opening weekend in the United Kingdom grossed $101,237 from having been screened at 64 locations. The box office numbers for Australia's opening weekend amounted to $78,196. The foreign box office contributed $971,794 to the film's final cume. "Much Ado About Nothing" has received generally positive reviews from critics, earning an 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 7.6/10, based on 161 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads: "Lighthearted to a fault, "Much Ado About Nothing"s giddy energy and intimate charm make for an entertaining romantic comedy—and a Shakespearean adaptation that's hard to resist". On Metacritic,
Much Ado About Nothing (1993 film) of the humor, the performances, and Branagh's lively direction, of which he wrote, "This film cements Branagh's status as a great director of Shakespeare, and perhaps of film in general, as well." Conversely, Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone" wrote the film a negative review, praising some moments as "invigorating fun", but ultimately calling it "overripe." Most of the negative criticisms focused on particular casting choices, notably Keanu Reeves as Don John, and Michael Keaton as Dogberry. For his performance in the film, Reeves was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor, where he lost to Woody Harrelson