There’s really nothing worse than being super excited to see a new film only for it to totally let you down once you do. In the world of Hollywood, this happens all too often. A box-office flop accounts for millions of dollars lost and hundreds of hours of work that no one can get back.
Zoolander 2 (2016)
Even though the original Zoolander developed something of a cult following, the sequel, released 15 years later, was a critical flop, with a rating of only 4.7/10 on IMDb. Zoolander 2’s failure was perhaps due to the length of time between the original film and the sequel.
Alexander (2004)
With the exception of Gladiator and Braveheart, medieval action films rarely perform well at the box office. The three-hour Alexander failed in part due to Colin Farrell’s laughable blonde locks and Angelina Jolie, who is only one year older than Farrell, playing his mother. Estimated losses were $71 million.
Beloved (1998)
Based on Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, Beloved featured some of the best names in Hollywood, including Danny Glover, Thandie Newton, and Oprah Winfrey herself. Unfortunately, it hit the theaters the same weekend as the release of “Chucky.” Winfrey remembers getting the phone call: “[T]hey said, ‘It’s over. You got beat by Chucky.’ And I said, ‘Whose Chucky? What do you mean it’s over? It's just Saturday morning!'”
Cowboys & Aliens (2011)
Cowboys and Aliens went through fourteen years of production, but it ultimately turned out to be a waste of time, money, and energy. Despite headliners like Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig, the movie came in second to The Smurfs on its opening weekend. In the end, the film lost $63 to $75 million at the box office.
Death Wish (2018)
Although the 2018 Death Wish reboot didn’t perform as badly as other films, it only grossed $34 million on a $30 million budget. In the movie industry, a $4 million profit is essentially nothing. It didn’t help that the film was released less than three weeks after the Parkland mass shooting and mere days after the Las Vegas mass shooting.
Ben-Hur (2016)
Ben-Hur‘s losses amounted to anywhere between $75 to $121.7 million. The 2016 remake received flak from critics and audiences alike, including awards for “Sequel or Remake That Shouldn’t Have Been Made” and “Worst Remake,” respectively.
The Happytime Murders (2018)
The Happytime Murders failed in part due to the film’s vulgar humor which was panned by critics and even sparked a lawsuit by the company behind Sesame Street for sullying their child-friendly brand. Estimated losses racked up to be $12.5 million.
Heaven’s Gate (1980)
This western film chronicling the Johnson County War changed the film industry forever, irreparably damaging director Michael Cimino’s career. Heaven’s Gate lost around $123 million at the box office after Cimino’s “vision” for the film quadrupled the production budget. The studio, United Artists, was driven to bankruptcy. The film itself was subject to allegations of animal abuse on set and had also been described by critics as “one of the greatest injustices of cinematic history.”
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Expectations for this Star Wars spinoff were high, after all, it was associated with one of the most successful film franchises in history and the plot centered around a beloved hero. However, when the reviews began pouring in, it was revealed that the film lacked something. People blamed “Star Wars fatigue” for the film’s $100 million losses since it came out only five months after The Last Jedi.
The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
The Fall of the Roman Empire featured killer performances from Hollywood legends like Christopher Plummer, Alec Guinness, and Sophia Loren. While the film is considered one of the best “sword-and-sandal” movies in cinema history, the box office saw losses up to $126 million dollars (adjusted for inflation) due to the extravagant set costs, as it was the largest outdoor film set ever.
Battleship (2012)
Although “Transformers” also initially began as a kid’s franchise and slowly grew into something larger, Battleship didn’t have the same luck. The film was deemed one of the worst Naval war movies in history, and it cost studios $220.4 million in losses.
Conan the Barbarian (2011)
Although Jason Momoa gave it his all, critics agreed that Arnold Schwarzenegger just set the initial bar very high. The original film, released in 1982, garnered a cult following, but those unfamiliar with it gave the reboot “generally unfavorable” reviews. In total, estimated losses are between $60 and $66 million.
Green Lantern (2011)
Before Ryan Reynolds took on the role of Deadpool, he tried his hand at another hero: DC Comics’ Green Lantern. Critics suggested its poor reception was due to inconsistencies in the tone, the way in which villains were portrayed, and mediocre CGI. Warner Bros. ended up losing $98 million at the box offices.
Gigli (2003)
Not even J-Lo could save Gigli from its inevitable fate. Gigli has earned a top spot on the “Worst Movies of All Time” list. Production cost $75.6 million, but the film grossed a mere $7.3 million, losing out to brutal criticism.
Red Planet (2000)
This Val Kilmer sci-fi flick was about astronauts stranded on mars with a killer robot. Reportedly, there were more than just financial losses ($93 million). One of the many casualties of Red Planet was Kilmer’s friendship with co-star Tom Sizemore over the fact that Sizemore’s elliptical machine was shipped to Australia where they filmed. Why? Who knows…
A Sound of Thunder (2005)
Based on a Ray Bradbury short story of the same name, the film did the original text a huge disservice, amounting to $96.3 million in losses. The studio financing the time travel film went broke, meaning production was left with a minuscule budget to make the dinosaurs look realistic.
The Astronaut’s Wife (1999)
The Astronaut’s Wife starred bigshot celebrities like Johnny Depp and Charlize Theron, but it still managed to bomb at the box offices. The movie has earned an embarrassing 33% on Rotten Tomatoes and was criticized for being a melodramatic snoozefest with losses totaling $114.4 million.
Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
Jackie Chan and Steve Coogan’s Around the World in 80 Days was bad enough to win two Razzie awards. Based on Jules Verne’s novel of the same name, the film “consists almost entirely of people falling down and/or being hit on the head,” and led to losses of $99.6 million.
Father’s Day (1997)
This big-budget comedy had the potential to be a hit. Starring Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, audiences and critics alike condemned the script for falling flat. Losses for Father’s Day totaled $106 million.
Battlefield Earth (2000)
John Travolta’s Battlefield Earth about space invaders with huge heads force-feeding the human race rats is akin to The Room in terms of terrible comedic gold. It’s considered one of the best-worst movies of all time, having lost $108 million at the box office.
Windtalkers (2002)
Nicholas Cage’s Windtalkers bombed so badly that it nearly destroyed MGM. The film was actually the fourth consecutive flop for MGM, so it wasn’t entirely Cage’s fault, but the studio still lost around $110 million.
Pan (2015)
Despite its enormous budget, Pan received scathing reviews. Roger Ebert said, “Why do filmmakers continue to feel the need to squeeze all the joy and magic out of such a remarkably enduring figure?” In the end, Pan cost the studio somewhere between $89 and $155 million in losses.
A Wrinkle in Time (2018)
A Wrinkle in Time was promising at first due to its stellar cast, enormous advertising budget, and Ava DuVernay’s directorial skills. The film was anticipated to do well at the box office, but that wasn’t the case. A Wrinkle in Time ended up costing the studio $86 to $186 million in losses.
Power Rangers (2017)
If you grew up in the ’90s, The Power Rangers was one of the most popular TV shows around. Critics liked the 2017 cast, which starred Dacre Montgomery of Stranger Things fame, Naomi Scott, R.J. Cyler, and Becky G. However, the directing and editing, combined with an opening weekend pitted against Guardians of the Galaxy, doomed the film to rake in a mere $1.2 million on its first day in theaters and it ended up losing $76 million.
How Do You Know (2010)
How Do You Know was more than a flop, it ended James Brooks’s career. Brooks, who had directed a number of comedy-drama hits like Terms of Endearment, As Good As It Gets, Broadcast News, and Taxi, just couldn’t pull this one off. Despite the powerhouse cast it lost about $100 million.
Tomorrowland (2015)
Not even George Clooney could save Tomorrowland from its terrible fate. The film lost somewhere between $79 and $150 million. Despite Brad Bird’s directorial efforts, its failure was said to actually be a result of poor marketing.
The Wolfman (2010)
The Wolfman, starring Benicio Del Toro and Emily Blunt, lost between $85 and $90 million despite winning an Oscar. The Wolfman featured all the classic elements of a werewolf story, but at the end of the day, it lacked a certain punch when compared to the Twilight franchise, which was also popular at the time.
xXx: State of the Union (2005)
The estimated losses for xXx: State of the Union clock in at a whopping $98 million. The original 2002 film, xXx, managed to turn a profit, but headlining the film with big names didn’t stop the negative reviews from rolling in.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
The rights to The Man From U.N.C.L.E. were secured by producer John Davis back in 1994, but the film wasn’t released until August 2015, more than two decades later. The Cold War spy thriller stars Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer. Unfortunately, the film lost out on $83 million.
Sahara (2005)
The movie is never as good as the book. Clive Cussler, the author of Sahara, was given $10 million and creative control over the script in exchange for handing the rights over to Paramount. However, despite Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz’s performances, the film lost $100 million at the box office. Cussler even ended up filing a lawsuit against the studio for breach of contract because of how poorly executed the film was.
Fantastic Four (2015)
Critics agree that although Fantastic Four begins with promise, the film’s storytelling grew weak, the characters were severely underdeveloped, and the dialogue was corny. The film lost between $83 and $103 million.
Gods of Egypt (2016)
Gods of Egypt lost $92 million at the box office, and for good reason—critics steamrolled director Alex Proyas the night before opening weekend. At the end of the day, Rotten Tomatoes awarded Gods of Egypt a measly 15%.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Ryan Gosling stars in the sequel to the original cult classic, Blade Runner, based on Philip K. Dick’s book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Even though Blade Runner 2049 was considered one of the best films of 2017, receiving 5 Academy Award nominations and winning two Oscars, the film did not do well at the box office. Estimated losses are around $80 million.
Supernova (2000)
Supernova began back in 1990 as a sci-fi B-movie. One decade later, it became MGM’s financial downfall, losing $83 million at the box office. The film’s director is officially credited as Walter Hill, but Hill actually quit halfway through and demanded his name be stricken from the project.
The Nutcracker in 3D (2010)
According to Rotten Tomatoes, The Nutcracker in 3D was a pitiful excuse for a film. Coming in with a hot 0% on the Tomatometer. The movie lost an estimated $82 million at the box office.
Town & Country (2001)
The cast of Town & Country was a veritable treasure trove of comic legends: Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, Andie MacDowell, and a laundry list of others. Still, after 12 delayed releases, the weak script made this film one of the biggest flops of the 2000s, with estimated losses rounding up to $85 million.
Treasure Planet (2002)
Treasure Island is the Disney adaptation of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. It ranks as one of the least successful Disney animated features in history, having only made $13 million during its opening weekend on Thanksgiving and lost a total of $82 million.
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
Although this movie somehow grossed $226 million, it still managed to bomb at the box office, losing $84 million. Mixed reviews began to pour in, calling it everything from “deliriously entertaining to “a punishing 137 minutes.”
Seventh Son (2015)
Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore couldn’t save this film from bombing at the box office. Seventh Son, based on The Spook’s Apprentice series by British author Joseph Delaney, lost $85 million.
The Good Dinosaur (2015)
It finally happened: a Pixar film tanked at the box office. The Good Dinosaur is estimated to have lost $85 million, making it Pixar’s lowest-grossing movie in history and also their first-ever box office failure. The Good Dinosaur was adorable and charming but people just didn’t show up for it.
Rise of the Guardians (2012)
DreamWorks and Paramount worked together to produce this enormous flop, funneling $125 million into marketing alone. Although the film itself was received well, its estimated loss was $87 million.
Jack the Giant Slayer (2013)
This dramatized olde English fairytale starring Stanley Tucci, Nicholas Hoult, Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy, and Ian McShane was supposed to serve as a backstory for the age-old tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, however, all it managed to serve was a $120 million loss at the box office.
Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Jupiter Jones, played by Mila Kunis, believes she’s destined for greatness in Jupiter Ascending, but the film was awarded a pitiful 26% on the Tomatometer and lost $120 million at the box offices.
CutThroat Island (1995)
There’s no shortage of explosions in this 1995 pirate movie. Critics had mixed reviews, but the film lost an estimated $143 million.
Evan Almighty (2007)
According to Rotten Tomatoes, this one was severely lacking some much-needed laughs. Morgan Freeman tried to salvage this hot mess, but the film still lost $88 million at the box office.
The Promise (2016)
Negative political feedback regarding the Armenian Genocide affected The Promise‘s critical reception. The movie only brought home a measly $10.5 million at the box offices. In total, the estimated losses were about $102 million.
R.I.P.D. (2013)
Critics loathed R.I.P.D., with Time magazine citing it was “Too Awful to Review.” Universal lost out on an estimated $115 million on R.I.P.D. More like rest in pieces.
The Alamo (2004)
Estimated losses for The Alamo, starring Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton, are $94 million. In this case, it’s better to not remember the Alamo.
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)
This sci-fi film will someday be remembered, not for its stunning visuals, but for the outstanding worldbuilding. Unfortunately, Square Company’s animation house took the hit for this one and the studio was forced to close.
Stealth (2005)
This summer “blockbuster” was meant to be a fun, easy-going summertime release. Instead, critics reviled the film for playing out like a hyper-corny military recruitment ad.Stealth crashed and burned at the box office, losing around $120 million in the end.
The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
This movie placed third on the list of the “10 biggest money-losers of all time” from Time magazine after it lost $96 million. It’s so bad that Eddie Murphy has admitted to breaking down in tears when he thinks about the role.
47 Ronin (2013)
Keanu Reeves’ uninspired performance as Kai, a ronin, or half-breed Samurai, was largely responsible for the minimal interest in this disappointing money-suck. Budget estimates rose as high as $225 million, squandering between $102 to $158 million by the end of its run.
The Lone Ranger (2013)
Johnny Depp and Disney did their best to make the wild wild West profitable, but the wild west just didn’t want to be. Estimated losses for The Lone Ranger clock in anywhere from $95 million to $190 million.
Titan A.E. (2000)
Titan A.E. suffered when its original director and producer were fired $30 million into the production budget. The film forced FOX Animation Studios to close its doors. Rupert Murdoch himself blamed the atrocious box office sales for the 14% loss at News Corp. Titan A.E. racked up $100 million in estimated losses.
Monster Trucks (2016)
Nickelodeon and Paramount pulled some serious strings for Monster Trucks, and while Danny Glover and Rob Lowe brought some life to the film, it still lost big time at the box office: $109 to $123 million.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
Guy Ritchie’s extremely loose King Arthur adaptation bombed terribly at the box offices because it wiped out too much of what made it a classic in the first place. It was intended to be a huge hit for Warner Bros., but alas, the studio lost $115 to $153 million on the project.
Mars Needs Moms (2011)
Mars Needs Moms was one of the biggest flops in history. Based on a children’s book by Berkeley Breathed, this animated kid’s flick lost between $100 and $144 million dollars at the box office.
John Carter (2012)
The budget alone for John Carter was a red flag. The film lost up to $214 million at the box offices. The film had no notable names on the bill and was based on an obscure science fiction novel called A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
Robin Hood (2018)
Estimated losses for Robin Hood were $100 million. When the trailer was released, many wondered whether it was even necessary for the tale to be retold yet again. The 2018 version took a darker path than the original, but the public didn’t find it appealing.
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003)
Sinbad was met with mixed reviews, but it was one pricey failure. The studio lost out on $125 million. Even though the movie was voiced by Hollywood elites like Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer, the nail in the coffin was truly the fact that it opened against Finding Nemo.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
One of the most shocking features to be considered a “flop” is The Wizard of Oz, but when it made its debut, MGM was disappointed to find that the now-classic was far less of a hit than expected, costing the studio $1.1 million in losses. Today, that would be the same as about $15 million. However, when the film was re-released ten years later in 1949, it earned tremendous recognition. The film became an instant sensation when it was aired on television in 1956.
The 13th Warrior (1999)
This is just another example of how the book is always better than the movie. In total, the estimated losses amounted to $129 million. One of the actors, Omar Sharif, was so distraught by the movie’s failure that he went on a 3-year hiatus.
Ali (2001)
This biopic illustrating the life of Cassius Clay, more famously known as boxer Muhammad Ali, was highly anticipated, unfortunately, the film fell victim to its production budget, which director Michael Mann claimed was responsible for its poor box office turnout. In total, Ali cost the studio $63 million in losses.
Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016)
The original Ghostbusters in 1984 was number one at the box office for 7 straight weeks. However, the 2016 reboot’s enormous marketing budget alone could only be offset if the movie were to gross at least $300 million. Sony didn’t come close, suffering a $75 million loss.