Gas Prices Rise at Same Rate Wesley Snipes' Career Declines

At the end of the 1980s, a gallon of gas cost $1.02 and Wesley Snipes was in the hit comedy "Major League." 29 years later, fuel costs have tripled and Snipes is battling legal troubles and appearing in direct-to-DVD movies.

Throughout the first half of the 1990s, gas prices hovered around $1.10; Snipes was in "New Jack City" and "Jungle Fever." But by 1996 the average cost per gallon surpassed $1.20 and Snipes was appearing in the box office bomb "One Night Stand" -- a far cry from previous blockbusters like "Demolition Man."

As fuel prices continued climbing past $2 a gallon, Snipes' Hollywood career remained on a decline. In 1998 he starred in the made-for-TV movie "Futuresport" in which a sport combining basketball, baseball and hockey is created to reduce gang warfare. In 2002 he appeared in "ZigZag" which, according to IMDB.com, grossed $2,418 at the box office.

Now, with crude oil prices topping a record $100 a barrel, researchers say demand is simply overwhelming supply. Many Hollywood insiders feel the same phenomenon is occurring with Wesley Snipes.

"It's simple supply and demand," said Gary Landers, Associate Editor at Entertainment Weekly. "We have guys like Steven Seagal, Val Kilmer and Wesley (Snipes). Is there really a demand for all of them? Is there even a demand for one of them?"

Snipes was charged with conspiracy and tax fraud in 2006. He faced over 16 years in prison, but this week was acquitted of the most serious charges. He still, however, faces up to three years imprisonment and must pay $17 million in back taxes plus penalties and interest.

While gas prices have tumbled slightly in recent weeks, there is no evidence that Snipes' career will rebound any time soon. He just completed work on "Gallowwalker" -- a horror western film; not exactly a genre that has been known to produce successful films.