Summary
- Big-budget films like
The Lone Ranger
flop due to poor execution, misdirected marketing, and critical reception. - The financial success of a film doesn’t always guarantee success – some huge flops like
John Carter
and
Battleship
prove it. - Movies like
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
and
Fantastic Four
failed to make a profit despite star power, causing studios to rethink big-budget projects.
The summer blockbuster season is usually when studios roll out their most ambitious and expensive films, hoping to capture large audiences and rake in substantial profits. However, for every Avengers or Jurassic Park, there are monumental misfires that leave studios and audiences alike scratching their heads. Such films come in with huge budgets and star-laden casts, yet end up bombing at the box office.
These films, with all their invested resources, fail to recover the money from theaters and incur heavy financial losses. Factors such as poor timing, misdirected marketing strategies, or audience fatigue are to blame. These flops are interestingly striking case studies of how the best-laid plans can go wrong. Some of these movies have since gained cult followings or been reevaluated as more meritorious, but when they came out, they were considered nothing less than disastrous.
Related 10 Box Office Flops From The 1990s That Everyone Loves
Financial success has never been a dependable measure of a movie’s success, and some of the best movies of the 1990s failed to turn a profit.
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10 The Lone Ranger (2013)
Budget: $225 Million | Box Office Gross: $260.5 Million
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The Lone Ranger PG-13WesternAction Where to Watch
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Based on the character of the same name, The Lone Ranger follows John Reid (Armie Hammer), A.K.A. The Lone Ranger, and his Native American companion Tonto (Johnny Depp). Narrated by Tonto, The Lone Ranger recounts the duo’s early efforts to bring peace and justice to the Old West, apprehending various unscrupulous characters. Alongside Depp and Hammer, The Lone Ranger stars Tom Wilkinson, William Fichtner, Barry Pepper, James Badge Dale, and Helena Bonham Carter.
Director Gore Verbinski Release Date July 3, 2013 Distributor(s) Disney Cast Armie Hammer , Helena Bonham Carter , Johnny Depp , Ruth Wilson , William Fichtner , Tom Wilkinson Runtime 2h 29m
Disney’s The Lone Ranger was an ambitious attempt to reboot the classic Western hero for modern audiences. The film, with Johnny Depp playing Tonto and Armie Hammer as the titular character, was supposed to be a big hit. With production delays and a ballooning budget plaguing it, coupled with a lukewarm critical reception, it did not quite find its way into audiences, leaving the action-humor-bizarre tonal shifts brew rather disappointing at the box office.
The monetary loss of The Lone Ranger was so severe that it prompted Disney to reconsider its strategy regarding big-budget films. This resulted in the studio putting a hold on the development of comparable blockbuster projects for a while. Although it grossed over $260 million worldwide, the massive budget of $225 million, along with marketing, practically broke it even, and Disney lost an estimated $160 million. It also got panned by the critics, with too much of a disjointed plotline and relying on Depp’s eccentric performance.
|
Category |
Details |
|---|---|
|
Production Budget |
$215 million |
|
Marketing Costs |
Estimated $160 million (part of total $375 million) |
|
North America Gross |
$89.3 million |
|
International Gross |
$171.2 million |
|
Worldwide Total Gross |
$260.5 million |
9 John Carter (2012)
Budget: $263 Million | Box Office Gross: $284.1 Million
John Carter PG-13Adventure Sci-FiAction Where to Watch
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Adapted from Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars, Disney’s John Carter brings the author’s Barsoom series to life. When American Confederate Civil War captain John Carter accidentally transports himself to Mars, he soon becomes entangled in the planet’s own internal power struggles. Using the increased strength and speed afforded to him by Mars’ atmosphere, Carter fights to achieve peace on the distant planet known by the natives as Barsoom.
Director Andrew Stanton Release Date March 9, 2012 Cast Mark Strong , Willem Dafoe , Taylor Kitsch , Lynn Collins , Bryan Cranston Runtime 132 minutes Distributor(s) Disney Writers Michael Chabon , Mark Andrews , Andrew Stanton Expand
Adapted from the Edgar Rice Burroughs science fiction series, John Carter was the canceled would-be franchise launcher for Disney — a film about a whisked-away Civil War veteran to Mars and embroiled in a conflict between warring factions. For all of its epic scope and visual effects innovation, John Carter simply never found an audience, and its overall marketing campaign was arguably best described as confusing and off-putting for most.
The film grossed $284.1 million worldwide, but against a staggering budget of $263 million plus marketing costs, it fell far short of profitability, leading to an estimated loss of more than $200 million. This flop was a significant blow to Disney, with the resignation of then-studio head Rich Ross in its wake.
8 Battleship (2012)
Budget: $209 Million | Box Office Gross: $303 Million
Battleship PG-13ActionAdventureSci-FiThriller Where to Watch
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Rihanna, Liam Neeson, and Taylor Kitsch star in the 2012 action movie adaptation of the board game Battleship. They play a group of Navy SEALs who confront an invading fleet of alien ships. As humanity’s only hope, they must use all their training and resources to fight the alien invasion and save the planet.
Director Peter Berg Release Date April 11, 2012 Cast Taylor Kitsch , Alexander Skarsgard , Rihanna , Brooklyn Decker , Tadanobu Asano , Hamish Linklater Runtime 131minutes Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Jon Hoeber , Erich Hoeber Expand
Battleship, loose as it was, represents Universal Pictures’ attempt at churning out a blockbuster franchise by way of merging naval warfare with alien invasion. The movie sported a really nice cast, featuring Liam Neeson and pop star Rihanna, and had really impressive special effects. It has, however, been widely panned for its flimsy plot, lack of character development, and over-the-top action sequences.
Battleship raked in $303 million worldwide, which, by some estimates, may sound respectable, but against the budget of $209 million and marketing, that simply wasn’t enough to avert loss. Something big, like missing this mark on such an expectedly large film franchise, was a miss for Universal.
7 King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
Budget: $175 Million | Box Office Gross: $148.7 Million
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword PG-13AdventureDramaAction Where to Watch
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King Arthur: Legend of the Sword is a 2017 action-adventure movie directed by Guy Ritchie. After being robbed of his birthright, Arthur, played by Charlie Hunnam, is able to pull a sword from the stone and restart his journey toward his true legacy. Along the way, Arthur goes up against King Vortigern, who is played by Jude Law.
Director Guy Ritchie Release Date May 12, 2017 Cast Annabelle Wallis , Katie McGrath , Eric Bana , Tom Wu , Djimon Hounsou , eline powell , Aidan Gillen , Charlie Hunnam , Jude Law , Astrid Bergès-Frisbey Runtime 2h 6m Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Lionel Wigram , Guy Ritchie , Joby Harold Expand
Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword was an ambitious take on the legend of Arthur, blending medieval tradition with his trademark modern flair. With Charlie Hunnam in the lead as Arthur, it was to be the first of six films that would explore the lore of Camelot. It came into a crowded marketplace and received poor reviews, being met with general disinterest in the reimagined tale.
King Arthur
partially flopped due to its release just one week after
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
., which dominated at the box office.
With a worldwide gross of only $148.7 million against a $175 million budget, the movie qualified as one of the largest flops of the year. This underperformance was so severe that it killed any ideas concerning future installments for the proposed series.
Related Why King Arthur: Legend of the Sword Bombed at the Box Office
Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword has bombed at the box office – was it bad timing, too big a budget, or just plain lack of interest?
6 The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
Budget: $100 Million | Box Office Gross: $7.1 Million
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The Adventures Of Pluto Nash (2002) PG-13ComedySci-Fi
The Adventures of Pluto Nash is a science-fiction comedy starring Eddie Murphy as Pluto Nash, a nightclub owner on the Moon. Released in 2002, the film follows Nash as he battles to protect his nightclub from the mafia while uncovering a larger conspiracy. Rosario Dawson and Randy Quaid co-star in this futuristic adventure set in a 2087 lunar colony.
Director Ron Underwood Release Date August 16, 2002 Cast Eddie Murphy , Randy Quaid , Rosario Dawson , Joe Pantoliano , Jay Mohr , Luis Guzman , James Rebhorn , Peter Boyle , Pam Grier , John Cleese Runtime 95 Minutes Main Genre Comedy Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Neil Cuthbert Expand
Eddie Murphy’s The Adventures of Pluto Nash is a sci-fi comedy that has gone down in history as one of the largest box office bombs ever. Set in the year 2087, it is about a nightclub owner on the moon who gets embroiled in a fight against the mob. Despite the futuristic setting and the presence of stars within the film, Pluto Nash was a critical and commercial disaster.
Pluto Nash
has often been cited as an example of a film that seemed to be doomed right from its conception, given the troubled production and a premise that was ill-conceived.
Coming in with a budget of $100 million and only pulling in $7.1 million at the box office, The Adventures of Pluto Nash lost nearly $100 million, making it one of the largest flops financially in cinematic history. This hit Eddie Murphy hard in his career, and it would take years for him to recover from the failure.
5 Fantastic Four (2015)
Budget: $120-155 Million | Box Office Gross: $167.9 Million
Fantastic Four (2015) PG-13ActionSci-Fiq Where to Watch
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Fantastic Four is a 2015 superhero film directed by Josh Trank. It follows four young individuals who gain extraordinary abilities after a quantum experiment goes awry. Miles Teller stars as Reed Richards, Kate Mara as Sue Storm, Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm, and Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm. The group must harness their new powers to prevent a catastrophic event orchestrated by the villainous Victor Von Doom, played by Toby Kebbell.
Director Josh Trank Release Date August 4, 2015 Cast Miles Teller , Michael B. Jordan , Kate Mara , Jamie Bell , Toby Kebbell , Reg E. Cathey , Tim Blake Nelson Runtime 100 Minutes Main Genre Action Distributor(s) 20th Century Fox Writers Jeremy Slater , Simon Kinberg , Josh Trank Expand
The 2015 reboot of Fantastic Four was to breathe new life into Marvel’s first family following two campy, lackluster feature-film adaptations. This time, under Josh Trank’s helm, it would lean into the darkness with a little bit of grounding. But for some reason, the fans just didn’t take it very well; in fact, the critics were pretty harsh. The troubled production, with rumored on-set feuds and last-minute reshoots, must have translated badly into a disjointed final product that left audiences unsatisfied.
The failure was an enormous blow to 20th-century Fox and obliterated any chances of a sequel.
Fantastic Four opened to $167.9 million worldwide, which was way below expectations for a movie in the $120-155 million budget range. The failure was an enormous blow to 20th Century Fox and obliterated any chances of a sequel.
|
Film |
U.S. Release Date |
North America Gross |
Other Territories Gross |
Worldwide Gross |
Production Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Fantastic Four (2005) |
July 8, 2005 |
$154,696,080 |
$178,839,854 |
$333,535,934 |
$87.5–100 million |
|
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) |
June 15, 2007 |
$131,921,738 |
$169,991,393 |
$301,913,131 |
$120–130 million |
|
Fantastic Four (2015) |
August 7, 2015 |
$56,117,548 |
$111,765,333 |
$167,882,881 |
$120–155 million |
4 The 13th Warrior (1999)
Budget: $160 Million | Box Office Gross: $61.7 Million
The 13th Warrior
The 13th Warrior is a historical action film starring Antonio Banderas as Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan, an Arab emissary who joins a group of Viking warriors to combat an ancient threat. Directed by John McTiernan and based on Michael Crichton’s novel “Eaters of the Dead,” the film explores cultural clashes and alliances as the protagonists confront formidable enemies in a medieval setting.
Director John McTiernan , Michael Crichton Release Date August 27, 1999 Cast Antonio Banderas , Diane Venora , Omar Sharif , Vladimir Kulich , Tony Curran , Richard Bremmer , Dennis Storhøi , Anders T. Andersen Runtime 102 Minutes
Based on Michael Crichton’s novel entitled Eaters of the Dead, starring Antonio Banderas, the action-adventure epic film was described as an amalgamation of Viking history with fantasy and horror elements. It placed a Muslim ambassador accompanying a band of Norse warriors to do combat with a mysterious enemy. With a very intriguing plot and scope of action, this movie nevertheless had more than its fair share of problems in the making: reshoots, editing wars, and an inflated budget.
Having had its final box office gross of only $61.7 million, The 13th Warrior was a huge financial flop, losing over $100 million. The poor performance of the film led to it almost being forgotten; however, recently, it has gained a minor cult following.
3 Cutthroat Island (1995)
Budget: $98 Million | Box Office Gross: $10 Million
Cutthroat Island (1995) PG-13ActionAdventure
Cutthroat Island is a 1995 action-adventure film directed by Renny Harlin. Geena Davis stars as Morgan Adams, a swashbuckling pirate who teams up with con man William Shaw, played by Matthew Modine, to uncover a hidden treasure. As they navigate treacherous waters and face off against rival pirates, their alliance is tested by danger and deception. The film showcases high-seas adventure and daring exploits.
Director Renny Harlin Release Date December 22, 1995 Cast Geena Davis , Matthew Modine , Frank Langella , Maury Chaykin , Patrick Malahide , Stan Shaw Runtime 124 Minutes Main Genre Adventure
Cutthroat Island is the Renny Harlin swashbuckler starring Geena Davis, notorious for having turned into a spectacular flop. The movie followed a female pirate in her quest for hidden treasure but suffered production problems from script rewrites to cast changes and budget overruns. Borne with high-octane action and loaded with all the trimmings of production, Cutthroat Island was a box office disaster, according to Comic Book Resources.
The commercial failure of
Cutthroat Island
really killed the trend of pirate films in Hollywood until
Pirates of the Caribbean
revived the genre in 2003.
Having cost $98 million to make and taken in a paltry box office total of only $10 million, the picture stands as one of the largest flops ever in the history of Hollywood movies. In fact, it was the huge failure of Cutthroat Island that formed the chief reason behind Carolco Pictures going bankrupt.
Related Why Pirates of the Caribbean Succeeded Where Cutthroat Island Failed
Cutthroat Island was disastrous enough to kill the pirate genre, so why was Pirates of the Caribbean a runaway success where this movie failed?
2 Tomorrowland (2015)
Budget: $190 Million | Box Office Gross: $209.2 Million
Tomorrowland PGMysteryAdventure Sci-Fi Where to Watch
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George Clooney and Britt Robertson star in Brad Birds’ take on Tomorrowland – a sci-fi action-adventure movie based around the idea from Disney’s attractions. Clooney plays Frank, a rough-around-the-edges jaded man who is teaming up with the equally bright but optimistic teen Casey (Britt Robertson) to find Tomorrowland, a mysterious place full of wonder and futuristic technology with the power to change the world.
Director Brad Bird Release Date May 22, 2015 Cast Hugh Laurie , Kathryn Hahn , George Clooney , Tim McGraw , Britt Robertson , Judy Greer Runtime 130 Minutes Studio(s) Disney Writers Damon Lindelof , Jeff Jensen , Brad Bird Expand
Tomorrowland, a sci-fi adventure film directed by Brad Bird and starring George Clooney, was adapted from the futuristic theme park the Same-named land. The movie followed a disillusioned genius and a curious teenager as they set out on their journey to unravel the secrets of a mysterious utopian world. Despite its ambitious premise and the Disney marketing machine, Tomorrowland struggled to really connect with audiences.
The film grossed $209.2 million worldwide but, against a $190 million budget with hefty marketing costs, failed to turn a profit. The poor showing was a letdown for Disney, especially with the star power and talent in the film.
1 The BFG (2016)
Budget: $140 Million | Box Office Gross: $183.3 Million
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The BFG PGFantasyFamilyAdventure Where to Watch
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The talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg – finally unite to bring Dahl’s beloved classic “The BFG” to life. Directed by Spielberg, Disney’s “The BFG” tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country.
Director Steven Spielberg Release Date July 1, 2016 Cast Mark Rylance , Bill Hader , Penelope Wilton , Rebecca Hall , Jermaine Clement , Ruby Barnhill Runtime 117 minutes Distributor(s) Disney Writers Melissa Mathison Expand
Steven Spielberg’s The BFG was an adaptation of a beloved children’s book by Roald Dahl, so by all appearances, it would have been a sure thing. It delivers a story about a young girl who befriends a giant and their escapades across Giant Country with a visually stunning presentation and heartfelt performances. However, with Spielberg behind the wheel and the popular source material, The BFG turned out not to impress at the box office.
The film pulled in $183.3 million worldwide, which, although not exactly a bad result, was still disappointing compared to its budget of $140 million and comprehensive marketing drive. It was a surprising miss from Spielberg, who never seems to miss at the box office.
|
Category |
Details |
|---|---|
|
Production Budget |
$140 million |
|
North America Gross |
$55.5 million |
|
International Gross |
$139.7 million |
|
Worldwide Total Gross |
$195.2 million |
Source: Comic Book Resources