Wondering what the biggest box office flops are? We’ll tell you right here.
Just because a film has a star-studded cast, a critically acclaimed director, and a flashy budget doesn’t mean it can’t bomb. Dive into Hollywood’s biggest misses in this article.
What Does Box Office Flop Mean in the Film Industry?
Films that make less money than the production budget during their theatrical runs get the dreaded title of box office flop. Even if a film grosses 200 million, it can still flop if the production budget and other costs are higher.
Usually, you’ll have savvy analysts who predict the financial success of a film. For example, they compare box office earnings adjusted for inflation to the original budget and costs.
10 Biggest Box Office Flops
There are loads of movies that had high hopes but didn’t quite hit expectations. Here are the biggest box office bombs in cinematic history:
1. John Carter (2012)
Estimated Loss: $250 – $255 Million
John Carter was an adaptation of the classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, A Princess of Mars. The budget was massive, and they lacked a recognisable face for the lead role, which left Disney drowning in around $250 – $255 million.
2. The Lone Ranger (2013)
Estimated Loss: $230 – $240 Million
Despite bagging A-list star Johnny Depp, The Lone Ranger still plummeted at the box office. It most likely bombed because of the ever-growing production, which racked up to around $225 million. And, let’s not forget about the marketing, which cost about $150 million.
3. The Marvels (2023)
Estimated Loss: $237 Million
While everyone thought The Marvels was going to be a huge hit, it wasn’t. With a budget rumoured to be $250+ million, on top of marketing costs, this superhero blockbuster had a major loss. The CEO of Disney, Bob Iger, blamed the flop on Marvel for their poor oversight.
4. The 13th Warrior (1999)
Estimated Loss: $220 – $227 Million
Despite having action film royalty John McTiernan as the main character, The 13th Warrior was a mega flop. Loads of odds were stacked against this movie, including an astronomical production budget, delayed release date, loads of criticism.
5. Mortal Engines (2018)
Estimated Loss: $204 Million
Adapting a book into a movie carries its risks of flopping — and that’s what happened with Mortal Engines. Unfortunately, fans and critics didn’t think the writing, performances, or storytelling did Phillip Reeve’s sci-fi novel justice, leading to backlash.
6. Cutthroat Island (1995)
Estimated Loss: $202 Million
Cutthroat Island is one of Danny Harlin’s biggest embarrassments when it comes to his directorial work. This movie was a laughing stock in the ‘90s, mainly due to its ludicrous budget and behind-the-scenes drama.
7. Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003)
Estimated Loss: $199 Million
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas was such a major flop that it nearly bankrupted the whole studio at DreamWorks. But just because it was a box office flop doesn’t make it a bad film. It’s actually got a lot of love since its release — it just didn’t get enough during the theatrical run.
8. Strange World (2023)
Estimated Loss: $197 Million
Not only was Strange World a box office bomb, but it also became the first Disney animated film to not get nominated for an Oscar in over a decade — ouch!
It had an all-star cast, with the likes of Jaboukie Young-White, Jake Gyllenhall, and Dennis Quaid. But, Disney fumbled on the marketing, which cost this movie its success.
9. Battleship (2012)
You’d think that an action-adventure starring Rihanna, Liam Neeson, and Taylor Kitsch would dominate the box office, but it didn’t. In fact, Battleship did the exact opposite and lost around $199 million.
But why? Well, it got loads of criticism, targeted the wrong audience during marketing, and had a terrible opening weekend.
10. Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
Estimated Loss: $150-200 Million
Unlike Joker (2019) which was a huge hit, its sequel Joker: Folie à Deux didn’t have the same success. DC Studios took an ambitious leap and tried to fuse musical theater, romance, and courtroom drama all together. This turned out to be a recipe for disaster because the movie experienced endless criticism.
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Find Out More About Box Office Flops
Explore these ready-answered FAQs for more information about box office flops:
The Lone Ranger (2013) was Disney’s biggest flop. It had an estimated loss of around $100 million. Other famous Disney flops include Tomorrowland (2015), John Carter (2012), and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018).
Don’t let a box office flop put you off watching a movie — there are loads of terrific ones out there. Just because a film didn’t make enough money during its theatrical run doesn’t make it bad. Lots of things can go wrong, like poor budgeting, a delayed release date, and a lack of marketing.
Take Blade Runner (1982) for instance. It’s a cult classic sci-fi that simply didn’t make enough in the box office.
Just because a film didn’t do great in the cinema doesn’t mean it won’t come out on streaming platforms. Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more have box office flops that you can stream.
