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Not every movie makes money and rocks the box office; some turn into financial catastrophes. Some films fail to connect with audiences despite meticulous planning, thorough market research, and occasionally even a star-studded cast, resulting in enormous financial losses. These films, which range from grandiose epics to superhero disasters, serve as a constant reminder that making movies is always a high-risk endeavor. Let’s examine 20 of the most notable box office busts that affected Hollywood.
- Carter, John (2012)
$284.1 million was the budget; $255 million was lost.
Disney made a significant investment on this science fiction epic, but John Carter was not able to captivate audiences. What was the outcome? a startling $255 million loss, making it one of the most well-known failures in recent memory. - (2013) The Lone Ranger
$240 million was the budget; $240 million was lost.
Not even Johnny Depp could avert tragedy for The Lone Ranger. Disney’s finances collapsed as a result of this revival of a classic Western, which saw production expenses soar and a lackluster reception. - 1999’s The 13th Warrior
$61.7 million was the budget; $227 million was lost.
This action-adventure movie, which was reshot and beset by production problems that cost $227 million, ultimately sealed the film’s fate as a big box office failure. It was adapted from a Michael Crichton novel. - 2018’s Mortal Engines
$83.7 million was the budget; $204 million was lost.
With this ambitious post-apocalyptic movie based on a well-known book series, expectations were high. But even with its original concept, it failed to make $204 million, demonstrating that big ideas don’t always translate into success. - Island of Cutthroat (1995)
The $18.3 million budget $202 million was lost.
$202 million was lost at the box office as a result of Cutthroat Island. In addition to ruining careers, the movie’s failure put off Hollywood’s interest in pirate-themed productions until Pirates of the Caribbean brought the genre back to life. - The 2003 film Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas
$80.8 million was the budget; $199 million was lost.
This animated adventure lost $199 million since it was unable to establish a viewership. Due to growing CGI productions, studios realized that conventional animation was losing market share as a result of its failure. - Unusual World (2023)
$73.6 million was the budget; $197 million was lost.
Despite fierce competition upon its release, Strange World did not make an impression. At the box office, the movie lost around $200 million despite having a great concept. - Pan (2015)
The $128.4 million budget $185 million was lost.
This prequel, which was expected to bring back the enchantment of Peter Pan, fell flat with viewers and ended up losing a depressing $185 million. - The 2015 film Tomorrowland
$209 million was the budget; $185 million was lost.
Tomorrowland appeared to be an obvious success because of its captivating science fiction concept and star power, namely George Clooney. But due to its convoluted storyline and expensive production, it was a huge commercial flop. - The 2017 film King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
The $148.7 million budget $183 million was lost.
Guy Ritchie’s effort to adapt the fable of King Arthur was a box office flop, costing Warner Bros. a regrettable $183 million. - A.E. Titan (2000)
$36.8 million was the budget; $170 million was lost.
Though it was ahead of its time, this animated science fiction adventure failed to find a market, which led to a significant financial loss and the closure of the animation company. - Going Red in 2022
$19.8 million was the budget; $167 million was lost.
Turning Red, a Pixar film, did not perform up to par during the epidemic, grossing significantly less than anticipated and running a $167 million deficit. - Pluto Nash’s Adventures (2002)
$156 million was lost on a $7.1 million budget.
The futuristic comedy starring Eddie Murphy turned into a cautionary tale, losing $156 million and going down in history as one of the biggest box office busts. - The Spirits Within: Final Fantasy (2001)
$85.1 million was the budget; $155 million was lost.
This grandiose computer-generated image movie, which was based on the adored video game series, lost $155 million and damaged the cinematic ambitions of the Final Fantasy franchise. - 2019’s Dark Phoenix
$252.4 million was the budget; $155 million was lost.
Even though Dark Phoenix was a part of the well-liked X-Men franchise, it received negative reviews from critics and did poorly at the box office, costing a staggering $155 million. - Mulan, the 2020 film
$66.8 million was the budget; $159 million was lost.
Due in part to the pandemic’s effect on its release plan, the live-action remake of Mulan lost $159 million, unable to relive the magic of the original animated hit. - Wonder Woman (2020) – 1984
$155 million was lost from the $166.5 million budget.
Warner Bros. lost $155 million on Wonder Woman 1984, which was simultaneously released in theaters and on streaming services during the epidemic but did not meet the same level of success as its predecessor. - (2018) A Wrinkle in Time
$133.2 million was the budget; $152 million was lost.
Despite having a stellar ensemble and being based on a well-loved children’s novel, A Wrinkle in Time lost $152 million because it was unable to connect with viewers. - The Gate of Heaven (1980)
$3.5 million was the budget; $144 million was lost.
Often regarded as the movie that put an end to Hollywood’s director-driven epic era, Heaven’s Gate lost $144 million and terminated Michael Cimino’s big-budget directing career. - The Year That Is (2010)
$48.7 million was the budget; $140 million was lost.
This romantic comedy ended with a shocking $140 million loss because it was unable to justify its expensive production costs, even with A-list stars like Reese Witherspoon and Jack Nicholson.
These movies serve as a helpful reminder that box office success isn’t always guaranteed, even with the largest budgets and the greatest of intentions. Hollywood keeps learning from previous mistakes, but every new endeavor carries the possibility of history being repeated.
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