Predicting which movies will set the box office Alighting might appear simple, yet there’s a good reason why studios receive substantial payments for accomplishing this task.
Nevertheless, from time to time, a highly praised movie may flop when released to the audience.
Throughout the years, numerous films have faced difficulties or outright failures in recovering their production costs, leading them to be labeled as "box office flops." This summer alone has seen many such instances. has already accumulated quite a number of .
It's difficult to pinpoint precisely why movies like these - Children of Men and It’s a Wonderful Life , among others – initially have difficulty gaining a following. Thankfully, however, the movie’s excellence becomes evident, allowing it to eventually attract fans even after its theatrical run.
Due to the rise of streaming platforms, the importance of box office numbers has decreased gradually over time. Consequently, movies that initially had trouble attracting viewers might eventually gain popularity years later once they are included in these services. Netflix , Prime Video or some other streaming platform.
Here, we go over a list of movies that disappointingly and unjustly underperformed at the box office.
The assassination of Jesse James carried out by the cowardly Robert Ford (2007)
When Andrew Dominik’s acclaimed Western was initially released in theaters in 2007, it managed to recover only about half of its $30 million (£22 million) production cost. Nonetheless, it eventually gained popularity following its release on DVD and Blu-ray, likely due to its presence on various "top films of the year" rankings.
Babylon (2022)
It's difficult to be certain about the exact reasons behind this. Babylon’s lackluster performance at the box office. Was it due to inadequate promotion, or perhaps because the movie ran for 190 minutes? Regardless of the cause, it’s truly regrettable. her five-star Babylon review Clarisse Loughrey characterizes the "decadent drama" as one designed to polarize viewers, noting further that it "blows away any idea that the silent period in filmmaking was ever solemn or charming."
Blackhat (2015)
Michael Mann's underappreciated cyber-thriller failed to perform well at the box office, grossing only $19.7 million (£15 million) despite having a production cost of $70 million (£52.5 million). Harsh critiques likely contributed to its poor performance.
Blade Runner (1982)
It's difficult to picture a groundbreaking movie like Blade Runner Although it initially flopped upon its release, Ridley Scott’s science fiction movie ended up being successful due to international viewers and positive recommendations among audiences. Despite this success, it managed to recoup just an additional $10.5 million ($8 million pounds), above its production cost of $30 million ($22.5 million pounds).
Children of Men (2006)
Although it is now regarded as one of the finest movies of the 21st century, Alfonso Cuarón’s dystopian thriller featuring Clive Owen did not recoup its costs when it was first released in theaters in 2006.
Citizen Kane (1941)
While Orson Welles' movie has become a cherished classic today, things were quite different during the early 1940s; it did not manage to cover its expenses at the box office — and lost out on the Academy Award for Best Picture to (a surprisingly excellent) What Color Was My Valley .
Clockers (1995)
Spike Lee’s Clockers stands as one of the director’s most letdowns at the box office so far, earning only $13 million (£10 million) against a $25 million (£18.7 million) production cost.
Deepwater Horizon (2016)
Peter Berg’s realistic drama ended up being over $30 million (£22.6 million) under its $156 million (£117 million) budget, which is unfortunate given how well it was executed. Friday Night Lights the creator's finest movies so far (considering the filmmaker behind) Battleship and Mile 22 , we assume this isn't saying much).
Donnie Darko (2004)
Donnie Darko generated slightly above $7.5 million (£5.6 million) globally with a production cost of $4.5 million (£3.3 million). The movie's poor performance at the box office can largely be attributed to its promotional strategy focusing on the airplane engine crash scene shortly before September 11th, which may have dampened audience interest. However, the film later found success through DVD releases and has since become one of the most revered movies from the 2000s, gaining a dedicated fan base.
Event Horizon (1997)
Featuring B-movie-style thrills and absurd plot turns, Event Horizon possessed every element necessary to be a breakout success. However, it turned out to be both commercially and critically disappointing, earning $26.7 million (£20 million) against an impressive production cost of $60 million (£45 million).
The Fabelmans (2022)
Steven Spielberg's more recent projects haven't often achieved the same level of box office success as his earlier blockbusters. However, it was quite surprising to see such low attendance for his latest film. The Fabelmans , largely based on the filmmaker's life experiences, centers around their upbringing and their parents' relationship issues. The discrepancy might have been due to miscommunication in promotional efforts — trailers implied this would be an overly sentimental tribute to the magic of movies, but the movie itself presents a much more jaded and complex perspective.
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Heaven’s Gate (1980)
Michael Cimino’s grand-scale masterpiece stands out as one of the most significant financial failures of its period, causing studio United Artists to lose approximately $37 million (£27.7 million), equivalent to more than $114 million (£85.5 million) today after adjusting for inflation. Initially panned by critics upon release, the movie has since undergone a reassessment and is now regarded as one of the final films heavily influenced by directors during that particular phase in Hollywood history.
Hugo (2011)
Martin Scorsese’s charming family film was a commercial failure, grossing just $185m (£138.6m) against its $150–170m (£112m-127m) budget. Five years later, he’d have another flop with Silence , which consequently made studios hesitant about funding the director’s upcoming ventures. Instead, Scorsese turned to streaming, releasing The Irishman on Netflix In 2019, he plans to release his upcoming two films, one of which is from 2022. The Murderers of the Flower Moon , on Apple TV+.
The Insider (1999)
Although highly praised by critics, Michael Mann's film — featuring Al Pacino and Russell Crowe — failed to recoup its $68 million (£51 million) production cost.
The Iron Giant (1999)
Even though it stands as one of the most exceptional animated movies ever made, The Iron Giant fell prey to Warner Bros' doubt about the genre following the disappointment of their earlier attempt, Quest for Camelot . Future Pixar director Brad Bird’s film made $31.3m (£23.4m) worldwide against a budget of $70–80m (£52-£60m).
"It’s a Wonderful Life" (1946)
Although it wasn’t a significant failure, this timeless film failed to meet expectations during the holiday box office season because of tough competition from other prominent releases at the time, such as William Wyler’s Our Finest Moments and Powell and Pressburger’s It's a Question of Life and Death .
The King of Comedy (1982)
Despite critical acclaim for Martin Scorsese’s movie, it performed poorly at the box office. Lead actor Robert De Niro later commented that the film may have struggled due to projecting themes that audiences were not interested in confronting.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
David Lynch's mind-bending film is regarded as one of the best movies ever made, yet it proved extremely difficult to promote effectively, resulting in box office earnings that did not cover its $20 million (£15 million) production cost.
Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010)
Edgar Wright’s latest film, Last Night in Soho , failed at the box office – but it wasn’t the director’s first experience with disappointment. In 2010, Scott Pilgrim failed at the box office, earning only $47.7 million (£35.8 million), compared to its production cost of between $85 million and $90 million (£63.7 million-$67.5 million). Nevertheless, appreciation for the movie has grown over time, with the director frequently engaging on social media every time it airs on television, even 11 years later.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
While this Stephen King adaptation notably tops IMDb’s "top 250" list, it initially flopped at the box office, pulling in just $16 million (£12 million) when first released theatrically. However, it saw a resurgence with a subsequent re-release, grossing an additional $58.3 million (£43.7 million). We'll let it slide since it had a second chance.
A Simple Plan (1998)
The critically acclaimed yet underappreciated film, this Oscar-nominated neo-noir in the style of the Coen brothers directed by Sam Raimi and now available on BBC iPlayer, only managed to gross $17 million (£12.7 million) at the box office. This likely sealed its fate as one of the most overlooked movies of the 1990s.
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
It was not until its home entertainment release that Rob Reiner’s mockumentary gained attention. This Is Spinal Tap , chronicling the ascent of a fictitious band, grew into the cherished classic it is known as today.
Willy Wonka & theChocolate Factory (1971)
While it might stand out as an excellent adaptation of Roald Dahl’s work, the Gene Wilder film only managed to make a modest $1 million (£749K) profit when first released in 1971. Over time, however, it solidified its place among the most cherished family movies ever made, frequently appearing during holiday television broadcasts.
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