The box office is a notoriously riotous realm of chaos – unpredictable and ever-defying expectation, it’s as hard to chart as the weather. The numbers that emerge from it each week are used as a benchmark for when a film is either performing well or underperforming – but many mistakenly use it to determine a film’s quality. If a movie performs badly, it can be dismissed just as quickly as it arrived on the market. But this often leads to one singular pathway: it leaves a hidden gem buried under a sea of numbers, only for it to resurface years later as a cult classic.
In the last several years, we’ve seen the likes of Mickey 17, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and The Running Man bomb at the box office – but be generally well-received. Prompted by the recent failure of Masters of the Universe – which was also met with generally good reviews and even better fan reactions – I am going to highlight ten films that bombed at the box office – but later flourished under immense critical and public acclaim.
Some honorable mentions outside of the list include Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate, Terry Gilliam’s Brazil, fantasy classic Labyrinth, Pete Travis’ Dredd, Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy, Brian de Palma’s Blow Out, Andrew Dominik’s The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin, and, the ultimate bomb-become-sensation The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Here is my list of the ten greatest movies that flopped at the box office:
The Iron Giant was born from tragedy. Originally based on a novel by Ted Hughes, “The Iron Man” was written to comfort his children after the suicide of Sylvia Plath. It was equally comforting to the director of the 1999 film, who pitched the story after the loss of his sister. And its heart would lead it to be known as one of the greatest animated movies of all time.
Despite its starry cast and blended animation style, The Iron Giant’s downfall was its marketing plan. Warner Bros, let down by the previous failings of Quest for Camelot, pushed back the film’s release date and invested more money in its summer blockbusters. As a result, the movie pulled in $31.3 million worldwide, against a budget of $50 million.
To counteract this remarkable misstep, Warner Bros threw their all into the promotion of the home video release of the film. And it was this, combined with incredible reviews from critics, that led to the film’s delayed success.
Much like his movies, director Edgar Wright was running the 2000s box office with a joyful freneticism. Leapfrogging from the success of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, he adapted the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series; with renewed creativity, he imbued the film with advice from Tarantino, Del Toro and Raimi.
Much like The Iron Giant, Scott Pilgrim vs the World suffered a similar fate. This was an incredibly hard film to condense into one line of promotion. Universal struggled to broaden the film to mainstream audiences, despite the use of interactive trailers and a video game. It would go on to only gross $48 million, against a budget of $60-$85 million.
After praise from many critics and outlets, the film would later earn a cult following. Due to the changing tastes of Gen-Z and young Millennials, the topic of Scott Pilgrim vs the World became more appealing than ever. Video games, nerd subcultures and alt-rock were booming, making Wright’s movie a blossoming success.
The fondant-soft delights of Roald Dahl’s original story made their way onto the big screen in 1971 – with many plot changes. In deviations that Dahl hated, director Mel Stuart supplied the sinister Slugworth with a bigger role, as well as giving more focus to Charlie. However, the world of Wonka (played by the legendary Gene Wilder) had never been more immersive, with many props being edible.
The film pulled in $3 million at the box office against a budget of $4 million – but it by no means compared to its later success. The 70s were rife with adult-leaning movies, such as Carnal Knowledge, meaning family films were scarce. On top of this, the film was financed to promote a new Quaker Oats bar, putting off many cinema-goers.
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory would find renewed life in home video media. After debuting on TV during Thanksgiving in 1974, the film was later available on VHS and Betamax in December 1984. This drove the popularity sky-high, with later anniversary re-releases being issued throughout the decades.
Damien Chazelle’s fans are fierce champions of his work, but even his staunchest supporters were divided by his 2022 release. The film rested on the dazzling talents of Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, in a tale of excess. Shot after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the story is concerned with identity and morality, as well as the history of cinema itself.
Before release, Babylon was put through the wringer. It faced the surging threat of Covid-19 and flu cases, which swept the world – and its release was initially delayed for an entire year. Needing $250 million to break even, Babylon grossed only $65 million, costing Paramount $87 million in damages.
The film divided both critics and fans alike, as its hedonistic exuberance proved too much for some. But, since its release, many have returned to it, lauding Babylon for its commitment to cinematic richness. For many younger film fans, it has become a symbol of just why films should be so beloved.
David Lynch – puppet master of the incongruous – placed a career-best effort into Mulholland Drive. Originally conceived for TV, the tale of Rita and Betty took a long time to come to fruition. After ABC cancelled the proposed series, Lynch received funding from StudioCanal to give it a fresh life.
Mulholland Drive was a hard sell to the average cinema-goer. Refusing to divulge plot details, Lynch kept the tagline simple – “A love story in the city of dreams.” However, audiences were confused by its non-linear narrative and complex metaphors. Scraping a small profit, the film made $20.1 million, against a budget of $15 million.
What Lynch objected to most ended up saving the film’s spiralling life. After its release on VHS and DVD in 2002, the film came with special features, including guidelines to understand the film. It gave the film a fresh wave of positive reception, which would later see it known as one of the greatest films of all time.
Not many films have punched a hole in the cultural zeitgeist quite like Fight Club. David Fincher’s thriller became the most controversial film of the 90s, aiming to be a coming-of-age movie for people in their thirties. The film leaned upon the apathy of Generation X – and brought violence to the silver screen with bloody effect.
The effect that Fight Club had was instantaneous. Studio executives were definitely against the film; they considered marketing it as an art movie and pitching it to an all-male audience. They also delayed the film’s release multiple times due to the summer schedule and post-production. Eventually, the film made $102 million against a budget of around $64 million.
Fincher was later given complete control over the DVD packaging – and his vision led to the film achieving legendary status. Releasing in 2002 with bonus content on a second disc, Fight Club’s home video sales went through the roof – leading many to see it beyond the graphic violence.
Frank Capra’s gift to the world was the warmth and honesty of his heart – and this was epitomised by his 1946 release. Based on a short story, the film tells the American tale of how one man can change the world. It was Capra’s third collaboration with James Stewart, whose performance was emboldened by his recent service in the Second World War.
It’s a Wonderful Life reportedly lost RKO Studios $250,000. Its debut at theatres was moved around, so as to make it eligible for the upcoming Academy Awards. This was a poor choice, as the competition in the 1947 Ceremony was much weaker. On top of this, many believed it to be too sentimental, and that it was released much too close to the War.
Much like the beaten-down George Bailey, Capra’s motivation took a similar thrashing; the film needed $6.3 million to break even and only took in $3.3 million. The film entered the public domain – and then it soared. After broadcasting, the film became a Christmas classic three decades after its initial release. Reappraisals showed how timeless the film’s message was, and even Capra was shocked at the film’s delayed success.
The world wasn’t ready for John Carpenter’s 1982 release. Renowned for its disturbing tone, the film blew its budget way out of the water; what was supposed to be $200,000 reserved for special effects turned into $1.5 million.
The Thing was hit by a deluge of issues around its release. It was released during the recession, leading audiences away from this apathetic alien movie – and right into the arms of its more positive twin, E.T.– and it also had further competition from Poltergeist. Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, released around the same time that year, also bombed. The total budget spent was $15 million, with a box office pull of $20.9 million.
Initially, The Thing was handled with disgust by critics; Ebert dismissed its characterisation, saying it had little value beyond its visual impact. But, much like other entries on this list, it found its home on VHS and DVD. Various versions had bonus content, and eventually it led to the film being a staple of the genre.
Ingenue Orson Welles was only 26 when he directed, produced and starred in the greatest film of all time. In his first-ever feature film, he taught himself filmmaking techniques after receiving a handmade textbook from production advisor Miriam Geiger. He absorbed the nectar of the gods from people such as Capra and Lang and created a film with an innovation yet unseen.
The film’s predication on real-life events was a significant factor in its box office failure. Citizen Kane was majorly influenced by the life of American media baron William Randolph Hearst – who was unhappy with the film’s release. He made sure to ban his papers from ever mentioning the film, as well as having many theatres ban it, too. General audiences spread negative views far and wide, but Hearst’s disruption cost the film $160,000.
Initially, the film received every possible flavour of review. And, perhaps like Carpenter, Welles was a little too ahead of his time. But when the 1950s arrived, after a period of neglect, the film began appearing on TV – and then was re-released in theatres. Critics and film lovers alike were able to reassess the film, recognising its immense modernity and skill. And it went on to receive praise from industry titans like Steven Spielberg, who remarked, “It means everything to me.”
You would never expect that such a towering tale of endurance and the human spirit would have initially failed at the box office – but even Shawshank itself fell before it soared. Frank Darabont’s first-ever feature was always destined for greatness; in its blood ran the influence of Stephen King’s original novella, as well as the works of Capra and Goodfellas.
Everything that resided on the surface of Shawshank seemed incredibly surface-level to the general market. There were no female characters, the title was confusing, and prison movies were no longer popular. Its bleak marketing, which strayed away from King’s name, pushed audiences toward its competition, like Pulp Fiction. A lacklustre LA Times review further isolated the film – and it drew in $16 million, on a budget of $25 million.
Much like the ailing Andy Dufresne, Shawshank endured over time and emerged victorious. Darabont’s emotional first feature hit home video and never looked back; by the time it reached the UK on Film4 in 2006, it had been watched by 1.11 million viewers. The cultural influence of the film was insurmountable, with the prison site becoming a tourist attraction. But lead actor Tim Robbins best summed up the movie’s impact, explaining that, “All over the world… wherever I go, there are people who say, ‘That movie changed my life.’”
Let us know in the comments what you think of our list – is it who you would have picked? Know any we have missed? Let us know your thoughts!
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