10 Biggest Box Office Bombs of the Last 25 Years, Ranked

by

For the past 25 years, movie production companies in Hollywood have been consistently creating movies with extraordinarily high costs. They invest hundreds of millions of dollars into these productions, striving to create the most impressive visual experiences. Such large investments enable the hiring of well-known actors, construction and location shooting of sets, advertising and marketing campaigns, top-notch computer-generated imagery, and numerous other aspects.

Occasionally, the risk doesn’t yield a return as anticipated. These films, despite high expectations, might disappoint at the box office and wind up as flops instead of successes, causing producers substantial financial losses. It could be that the movie was universally panned by critics or failed to resonate with audiences. Alternatively, the film’s commercial failure might have been due to unfortunate timing and factors beyond the control of the production team. Regardless of the reason, here’s a list of the most significant box office flops from the past 25 years, arranged according to the amount of money they lost.

10
‘Tomorrowland’ (2015)

Lost $193 Million

Disney repeated their success formula when they transformed their popular theme park ride, Pirates of the Caribbean, into a hit movie. With this success under their belt, they decided to try again, believing they had discovered the secret recipe for a successful film. The 2015 film, Tomorrowland, falls into this category. This movie is based on one of the themed areas in Disney Parks, and it’s an exciting sci-fi adventure about a curious teenage science enthusiast and a brilliant inventor who are transported to an alternative dimension called Tomorrowland.

It appears that moviegoers had grown weary of Disney’s theme-park ride-focused formula, and this was reflected in the film’s box office performance. Unfortunately, Tomorrowland underperformed significantly at the box office, earning just $209 million globally against a budget of $190 million. When inflation is taken into account, it ended up losing approximately $193 million.

9
‘Mars Needs Moms’ (2011)

Lost $195 Million

The movie titled “Mars Needs Moms” is a family-oriented animated film, which narrates the journey of a nine-year-old boy trying to rescue his mother who was taken by Martians. With a production cost of $150 million, it only managed to earn $39.2 million globally, translating into a potential loss of approximately $195 million when considering inflation.

Despite Disney releasing the movie, it was actually ImageMovers Digital who created it. The animated film “Mars Needs Moms” happens to be their final production.

8
‘Battleship’ (2012)

Lost $199 Million

As a movie enthusiast who’s seen it all, let me tell you about my experience with “Battleship.” Just as the title suggests, this flick is not only what it says but also as disappointing as it might seem. Drawing inspiration from the classic board game Battleship, this film takes a dramatic turn by having naval ships fight against an extraterrestrial threat instead of enemy battleships. Frankly, it’s so far removed from its original concept that it feels like a stretch to even link it to the board game at all.

The movie titled “Battleship” received unfavorable critiques from critics and lacked audience appeal. Its repetitive plotline and lack of originality led to its failure at the box office, with losses estimated to be around $199 million after accounting for inflation.

7
‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ (2024)

Lost $200 Million

The sequel to the 2019 hit movie “Joker,” titled “Joker: Two Madnesses,” brings back Joaquin Phoenix’s award-winning portrayal of the Joker alongside Harley Quinn, played by Lady Gaga. Despite an impressive cast and Todd Phillips returning as director, “Joker: Two Madnesses” didn’t quite match up to its predecessor, receiving less favorable reviews and earning fewer box office sales.

Compared to the original Joker movie, which had a budget of just $70 million but made over $1 billion globally, the sequel, titled Joker: Folie à Deux, had an inflated budget of $200 million. However, it only managed to earn $206 million worldwide. This extravagant follow-up is estimated to have cost Warner Bros. anywhere from $125 to $200 million, making Joker: Folie à Deux the most expensive flop of 2024.

6
‘Strange World’ (2022)

Lost $205 Million

The film titled “Strange World” narrates an extraordinary tale about the Clade family, renowned explorers who embark on a journey to uncover a hidden land, with the ultimate goal of rejuvenating the energy source that sustains their civilization. Prominent actors like Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Gabrielle Union, and Lucy Liu headline the cast in this production.

Critics generally liked the movie “Strange World,” but many viewers felt that Disney took it too far with the progressive themes in its plot and characters. The film cost between $135-$180 million to produce, yet it only made $73.6 million at the box office. This means Disney lost somewhere between $187-$205 million on this movie, making “Strange World” one of the biggest box office flops in history.

5
‘Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas’ (2003)

Lost $207 Million

Around the turn of the millennium, Dreamworks was rapidly gaining prominence in the realm of animation, propelled by their successful film, Shrek. Following this success, they produced Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, an action-packed movie that opted for traditional 2D animation over the burgeoning 3D computer graphics. This film tells the tale of the legendary sailor, Sinbad, and boasts a prestigious cast including Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Michelle Pfeiffer.

The movie titled “Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas” flopped at the box office, resulting in a staggering loss of approximately $207 million when accounting for inflation. This colossal defeat came close to bankrupting DreamWorks. Despite this setback, the studio persisted and survived, but their enthusiasm for 2D animation waned significantly as a result. “Sinbad” marked the end of Dreamworks’ era of 2D animated films.

4
‘Mortal Engines’ (2018)

Lost $212 Million

Mortal Engines is an action movie set in the steampunk genre, derived from the young adult novel with the same title. The film rights were acquired by Peter Jackson, the renowned director known for the highly successful The Lord of the Rings series. However, despite their efforts, neither Jackson nor his team managed to recreate the magic of a second lightning-in-a-bottle moment.

Although Mortal Engines received praise for its stunning visuals, it faced criticism for its weak storyline and poor execution. Consequently, the movie proved to be a significant commercial failure, incurring losses of approximately $212 million after accounting for inflation.

3
‘The Marvels’ (2023)

Lost $237 Million

The Marvels”

“The Marvels,” released subsequent to 2019’s blockbuster hit, “Captain Marvel,” brings together Captain Marvel (portrayed by Brie Larson) alongside two other characters who share the Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel aliases. These superheroes are compelled to collaborate to protect the universe from an impending threat. Regrettably, “The Marvels” has not been as successful at the box office as its forerunner. The original film holds a significant place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), having grossed $1.1 billion globally, making it the 11th highest-grossing film within this franchise.

Contrasting with this, The Marvels managed to earn just $206 million globally, which is a significant shortfall compared to its production cost of $374 million. This means that it suffered a massive loss of approximately $237 million. Interestingly, this figure places The Marvels as the lowest-grossing film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and among the rare MCU movies that didn’t recoup their costs during its cinematic release.

2
‘The Lone Ranger’ (2013)

Lost $249 Million

As a devoted movie enthusiast, I can’t help but reflect on the enduring legacy of “The Lone Ranger,” a character that was first brought to life through radio broadcasts in the 1930s. Over the years, this masked cowboy has graced numerous platforms, from books and comic strips to television series and films. However, in 2013, Disney’s ambitious attempt to reintroduce this iconic figure to the silver screen didn’t quite hit the mark, falling short of the expectations set by its illustrious past.

The film “The Lone Ranger” faced criticism due to its excessive duration, inflated plotline, and the controversial portrayal of a Native American character played by Johnny Depp, which was perceived as whitewashing. As a result, it incurred losses of around $249 million, leading Disney to abandon their aspirations for a franchise based on this production.

1
‘John Carter’ (2012)

Lost $265 Million

It was anticipated that John Carter would become Disney’s next major success, as it was based on the influential Barsoom novels and planned to kick off a series of science fiction adventure films about a Civil War veteran who gets transported to Mars. With an enormous budget of $300 million, John Carter is one of the most costly movies ever produced. Unfortunately, it incurred a massive loss at the box office, approximately $265 million when adjusted for inflation.

John Carter isn’t merely known as the most significant failure from the past 25 years; it stands as one of the largest financial disasters in cinema history. That’s a legacy you certainly wouldn’t aspire to possess.

Read More

2025-02-19 03:03