Movie studios analyze the market to determine which movies to bet big on, but sometimes the market throws a surprise and a surefire hit turns into a box office bomb. Even movies with great casts, big franchise recognition, and exciting ideas can still disappoint. In the most extreme cases, this could have a ripple effect, forcing studios to cancel other films or shut down entirely.
Even if it’s a huge franchise, star wars And the MCU isn’t immune to the odd box office bomb either. These are often some of the most expensive failures due to the large budget and marketing costs involved. While some box office bombs can restore reputations, money matters in the movie industry. Even if the odds seem to be stacked against you, one major misfire can cause financial turmoil for the studios involved.
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20 biggest box office hits of all time
From Pixar failures to western disasters to CGI messes and unsuccessful series, these are the 20 biggest box office failures of all time.
10 Cats (2019)
Box office revenue: $75.5 million
cat “Les Misérables” has been a popular musical since it premiered in London’s West End in 1981, so it was made into a star-studded film. Director Tom Hooper seemed destined for box office success. However, hopes for a blockbuster hit were dashed the moment fans saw the first images and trailer. cat ‘ was ridiculed long before it was released in theaters, with its creepy visuals turning away audiences.
Hopes for a blockbuster hit were dashed the moment fans saw the first images and trailer.
cast of cat It stars A-list actors like Judi Dench and Ian McKellen, but even Taylor Swift’s star power wasn’t enough to save the movie. cat It had the potential to become Hollywood’s next big musical, but it ended up being a huge flop, never recouping its budget and becoming infamous as one of the worst films of all time. A great cast and a popular musical somehow became a historical bomb.
9 Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Box office revenue: $393.2 million
For almost every other movie, Solo: A Star Wars Story‘ was a box office success, but the film’s huge budget and marketing costs made it a huge failure. of star wars The franchise has been consistently profitable for decades. This is the reason Of course Disney could have predicted that. solo Raise $1 billionas well as the sequel trilogy and all of the 2016 films. Rogue One.
solo
‘s commercial failure forced the franchise to rethink its future plans, and several
star wars
The film was quickly shelved.
solo‘s commercial failure forced the franchise to rethink its future plans, and several star wars The film was quickly shelved. if solo Had it been a success, there could have been a Boba Fett movie, a Jabba the Hutt movie, and many more spin-offs and prequels. At present, star wars Since the spin-off movie solo. The Mandalorian and Grogu will end this streak, but after three seasons of the Disney+ show, this is considered a safe bet.
8 Last Duel (2021)
Box office revenue: $30.6 million
the last duel Despite having a top-notch director, an original idea, and some A-list stars, it was still a huge flop. With a budget of $100 million, the last duel It was an economic disaster. Part of this may be due to the lingering effects of the pandemic, but it does not explain how this happens. the last duel Performance has decreased significantly. Critics have criticized the film’s vague running time and subject matter.
the last duel
Despite having a top-notch director, an original idea, and some A-list stars, it was still a huge flop.
the last duel This film is based on a true story, but it’s not one that most people have heard of. The fact that it is a historical drama may also have affected its box office revenue, as it is not the most fashionable genre in the current film industry. Despite these problems, the last duel Still, much better results were expected than they actually were. The fact that this movie was a hit on streaming proves that there was an audience that liked it after all.
7 The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
Box office revenue: $4.8 million
meanwhile the last duel Although this work was made in an era when historical dramas were lame, the same cannot be said for historical dramas. collapse of the Roman Empire. The 1950s and 1960s were the golden age of sword-and-sandal epics such as: ben howe and El Cid. collapse of the roman empire seemed poised to capitalize on this trend. It was one of the most expensive films ever made at the time.featuring gorgeous sets and an all-star cast.
This financial crisis caused Oscar-nominated producer Samuel Bronston to file for bankruptcy.
collapse of the roman empire It was supposed to be too big to fail, but it fell well short of its $16 million budget. This financial crisis caused Oscar-nominated producer Samuel Bronston to file for bankruptcy, and his career never fully recovered. Although the look and feel were similar to other blockbuster movies, collapse of the roman empire It was criticized by critics due to its weak script.
6 The Mummy (2017)
Box office revenue: $410 million
Even a star as big as Tom Cruise isn’t immune to strange box office slumps.. Due to its very high budget and marketing costs, it was estimated at the time of its release as; mummy We needed to make $450 million just to break even. Despite Universal’s high hopes, Cruise was forced to accept a rare box office loss. mummy before release. Negative reviews ultimately killed that chance.
Universal planned an entire Dark Universe starting with:
mummy.
Universal planned an entire Dark Universe starting with: mummy, Breathe new life into classic movie monsters like Frankenstein’s Monster, Dracula and the Invisible Man. This whole concept has since been scrapped mummyperformance is poor. Few bombshells have ever generated such huge box office success. mummy The hope was to create a long-term franchise.
5 Indiana Jones & the Dial of Destiny (2023)
Box office revenue: $384 million
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny The film was conceived as a last hurray for the film icon, and Disney expected it to surpass its 2008 gross of £786.6m. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Harrison Ford returns for one last epic adventure, logan Directed by James Mangold dial of destiny We were hoping for a much better result than it actually was. It ended up being one of the most expensive bombs of all time.
Disney expects profit to beat 2008’s £786.6m profit
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
dial of destiny one of the most expensive movies ever madeThis is also thanks to the CGI de-aging used in Ford’s first scene. We needed to hit huge numbers to break even, and the mixed reviews didn’t help. the best indiana jones The movie is a toss-up between raiders of the lost ark and the last holy war, It depends on personal preference. dial of destiny It doesn’t even belong to the discussion.
4 Lightyear (2022)
Box office revenue: $226.4 million
Pixar movies typically cost around $200 million to make, which is a lot of money for an animated film. However, studios consistently justify these numbers with huge box office receipts. light year It had a big budget, but another movie was expected. toy story This franchise will be just as successful as the others. For context, in 2019 toy story 4 It earned over $1 billion.
light year
It had a big budget, but another movie was expected.
toy story
This franchise will be just as successful as the others.
Unfortunately for Pixar, light year It had everything it needed to be a huge hit, and yet it failed. Estimates suggest it cost the studio more than $100 million, factoring in marketing costs. light year It seemed like a sure thing, but there weren’t enough factors to make it possible. toy story franchise. Other characters, such as Woody, do not appear at all, and Tim Allen does not provide the voice for Buzz. light year It might have been more successful if it was reimagined as an original science fiction movie without any mention of it. Toy Story.
3 Marvels (2023)
Box office revenue: $206.1 million
The MCU has dominated the box office for years, with nearly every film in the series ultimately making huge profits. 2023 marvels ‘ was a rare box office flop, leading to renewed debate about so-called ‘superhero fatigue’. Numerous theories have been proposed as to the exact reason. marvels It was the lowest-grossing film in the MCU.
marvels
” was a rare box office flop, leading to renewed discussion about so-called “superhero fatigue.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger blamed the film’s failure on the studio’s lack of directors, but the reasons for this are hotly debated, with speculation that Iger may have intended to disparage director Nia DaCosta. Some people argue. Other possible reasons include: marvelsHistorical failures include the fact that the film requires a deeper knowledge than other MCU films to enjoy, the lack of a recognizable first-rate hero, or the fact that some fans were disappointed in the all-female team of heroes. This may include things that you feel disgusted with. Whatever the reason, Other MCU movies with mediocre reviews have fared much better.
2 First Man (2018)
Box office revenue: $105.7 million
first man It had all the ingredients for a big hit. Director Damien Chazelle later stepped down. la la landwas a success starring A-list celebrity Ryan Gosling, and the pair teamed up on a biopic about Neil Armstrong. For some reason, star power and the allure of a famous story turned out to be insufficient. first man It struggled at the box office, especially considering its lofty goals.
first man
It seemed poised to capitalize on the 2010s astronaut movie trend.
first man It seemed poised to capitalize on the 2010s astronaut movie trend. gravity, interstellar and hidden person Both were huge financial hits, but first man I may have missed the boat. One year later, Brad Pitt ad astra This suggests that astronaut movies are going out of fashion as quickly as they came out. first man Although it received positive reviews, it wasn’t enough.
1 The Man from UNCLE (2015)
Box office revenue: $110 million
the biggest problem facing The man from Uncle It was an adaptation of a largely forgotten 1960s TV show. However, the marketing didn’t lean into this angle, instead focusing on a stylish period thriller directed by Guy Ritchie and led by an attractive cast. Henry Cavill in his prime superman fame. Some positive reviews weren’t enough to prevent The man from Uncle Don’t fall far short of expectations.
The man from Uncle
Had it been more successful at the box office, it could have launched an entire series.
The man from Uncle It has been reevaluated since its release. With a large fan base on streaming platforms and a restoration of critical consensus, people are finally starting to recognize the quality of this retro spy thriller. The man from Uncle Had it been more successful at the box office, they might have been able to launch an entire series, but with a budget of $75 million, Warner Bros. was hoping for more.