From the animated films of our childhoods to the fast-paced action flicks that we love to enjoy, there’s no shortage of awesome movies from Hollywood. However, despite being the home to some of the biggest studios, not every movie made is set out be a blockbuster.
Making a movie isn’t cheap, but producers always hope that their work is going to be the next big hit. As for these movies, let’s just say they lost money for their respective studios. A lot of money. Like millions.
Titan A.E – loss of $100 million
20th Century Fox has a reputation for producing some of the biggest blockbusters of our time. No wonder critics were surprised when Titan A.E., which came out in 2000, flopped.
The film had an all-star cast, including Drew Barrymore and Matt Damon. The animated adventure was expected to be one of the highest grossing films of that year, but despite its $90 million production budget and a huge marketing budget, the film grossed just $37 million, losing over $100 million so far.
The Adventures of Pluto Nash – loss of $96 million
The Adventures of Pluto Nash was intended to be a fun sci-fi/comedy flick with Eddie Murphy in the lead. He plays a moon-dwelling alien who is robbed at a nightclub then goes on an adventure to find those crooks who stole from him.
The movie has an epic battle in which he confronts them towards the end. Warner Bros Studios had huge expectations, pumping over $100 million in production. However, it turned out to be a major dud at the box-office, earning only $7 million.
Jupiter Ascending – loss of $90-$$110 million
Lilly and Lana Wachowski are the creators of legendary sci-fi film series The Matrix, and they were desperate to prove that they could continue making such hits. They had high expectations so critics expected them to replicate the magic they were famous for.
The film, Jupiter Ascending, had an ensemble of superstars including Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum, plus one of the biggest CGI budgets of 2015. But despite the name, the film hardly ascended and created a hole in the studio’s budget of between $90 and $110 million.
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas – loss of $125 million
Animated flicks based on tried and tested plots, always tend to do very well with families across the world who want something fun to watch with their kids. So no wonder DreamWorks had high hopes for this film.
Some people liked the movie, but it was largely panned by critics and audiences. Many were cringing in their seats and surely they told their friends all about it. DreamWorks lost over $125 million on this movie. Who knew that Sinbad the sailor would flop?
Jack the Giant Slayer – loss of $125 million
New Line Cinema released Jack the Giant Slayer in 2013, and they expected fans to warm up to the fairytale movie.It was based on Jack and the Beanstalk with Nicholas Hoult in the titular role while Stanley Tucci played the enemy.
Hoult generated publicity for the movie thanks to his previous work in the X-Men movies. Despite director Bryan Singer’s $200 million production budget, the film flopped at the box office. Insiders say the studios lost over $125 million.
47 Ronin – loss of $98 million
It’s unusual for Hollywood studios to give a huge budget to new and unknown directors. So when it does happen, it generates a lot of publicity. So critics were surprised when Universal Studios announced Carl Rinsch as the director for the fantasy action flick 47 Ronin.
The film had internet darling Keanu Reeves in the lead role. But neither Keanu nor his samurai friends were able to save the film. It was widely panned by critics and audiences, with a loss of $98 million.
Mortal Engines – loss of $174.8 million
Peter Jackson’s huge success with the Lord of the Rings franchise had everyone thinking he could do nothing wrong. However, even Jackson has his fair share of duds. For example, the 2018 post-apocalyptic film Mortal Engines, which was one of the biggest box office flops of all time.
It did not have any huge names in its cast, but the final cost of production was estimated to be upwards of over $100 million. People attribute the film’s poor performance to the fact that Philip Reeve’s book series wasn’t as popular in North America.
Cutthroat Island – loss of $89 million
Considering how much money the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise made, you would think that it’s impossible to lose money when there are pirates in a film.
Cutthroat Island came out in 1995, starring Geena Davis and Matthew Modine and it would turn out to be a huge disappointment. The film grossed just $10 million against its budget of over $98 million. People have said the film flopped due to a lack of recognizable names in the cast.
Monster Trucks – loss of $120 million
The 2016 flick Monster Trucks was a hit with many of the franchise’s biggest fans, but critics across the board gave this film a cold reception. It’s a film that divided opinion: critics hated it, but fans loved it.
Paramount Pictures spared no expenses when it came to production. They cast Lucas Till and Jane Levy in the lead roles but the studio was left with a huge loss to recover with insiders estimating it to be over $120 million.
The BFG – loss of $100 million
Legendary Hollywood producer and director Steven Spielberg needs no further introduction. After all, he is the man behind hits like E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Jaws and Schindler’s List. He seems to have the Midas Touch when it comes to success at the box office.
It’s no wonder that THE BFG, which was adapted from Roald Dahl’s famous novel of the same name, had high expectations when it was first announced. Unfortunately, the film was a huge dud when it was released in 2016, losing over $140 million.
How Do You Know – loss of $85-$$118 million
Sony Pictures’ 2010 release How Do You Know faced an uphill battle at the box office even before being released. The studio spent over $100 million securing Reese Witherspoon and Jack Nicholson for the lead roles.
It also starred Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson and was directed by James L. Brooks. Executives were confident they had a golden goose on their hands. However, you need a good story to make a hit, which the film did not have. So it made a loss of between $85 and $118 million.
The Lone Ranger – loss of $100 million
A movie has to be really bad if even Johnny Depp can’t turn into an instant hit. Disney’s The Lone Ranger seems to have been plagued by bad luck with many injuries on set. In addition, conditions on set were poor to the point that the studio considered scrapping production before going ahead with it.
In addition to Depp, the film starred Helena Bonham-Carter and Ruth Wilson. The film grossed just $260 million and was reported to have made a loss of over $150 million according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Delgo – loss of $39 million
Animated flick Delgo is popular for all the wrong reasons. The movie is actually the lowest grossing animated film of all time. It had a high-profile cast including Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr and Val Kilmer, but was a huge disappointment for fans and critics.
The studio spent $40 million on production but didn’t even gross a million dollars when it was released in December 2008. No one would be surprised if audiences asked for a refund.
Alice Through the Looking Glass – loss of $70 million
Legendary director Tim Burton has the reputation when it comes to extravagant budgets. Most of his films have gone on to achieve enormous success though so studios are more than happy to let Burton have his way.
But Burton has also had a few flops in his career. His most notable one was Alice Through the Looking Glass, the sequel to Alice in Wonderland. Burton’s creative choices divided opinion and even Johnny Depp couldn’t save the film which lost over $70 million.
Fantastic Four – loss of $80-$$100 million
Reboots of cult classics have studios facing an uphill battle. While fans are delighted to check out a new take on a classic, these films will still have extremely high expectations.
Unfortunately, Fantastic Four just did not live up to what fans and critics expected. Many say it’s because of Fox Studios’ decision to create a cast that consisted of newcomers. Even Chris Evans himself couldn’t save the film. The movie lost between $80 and $100 million.
R.I.P.D. – loss of $100-$$120 million
Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges’ on-screen chemistry was not enough for zombie adventure R.I.P.D. to get its viewers excited. The movie was widely panned by both critics and audiences thanks to its poorly rated CGI effects, predictable storyline and awkward jokes.
Director Robert Schwentke had a budget of over $130 million but the film would gross only $78 million. It was a huge loss for Universal Pictures. However, Reynolds has gone on to have several hits since so it’s all okay.
Cowboys and Aliens – loss of $63-$$75 million
Cowboys and Aliens doesn’t leave much to the imagination. The title makes it obvious but fans were expecting something fun, and they were mostly disappointed.
The film boasted a star-studded cast including Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde. The film would do much better abroad, but it is still considered a dud. Some estimates say it grossed $174 million worldwide against a budget of $163 million, however, it is estimated to have lost as much as $75 million.
Ben-Hur – loss of $76-$$120 million
It is common practice for studios to cast up and coming newcomers in lead roles for big budget films ito help generate publicity. So that’s exactly what the studio did when they cast Jack Hudson as the lead in this biblical tale.
Unfortunately, Hudson’s performance was hindered by several issues including delays and issues in production. The film also starred Morgan Freeman, but it was rated negatively by both critics and fans. The film is estimated to have made a loss of over $76 million.
Deepwater Horizon – loss of $60 million
Mark Wahlberg is one of the biggest superstars in Hollywood. It’s not surprising to see his name attached to several blockbusters. But being cast in the 2015 disaster flick Deepwater Horizon alongside Gina Rodriguez and Kate Hudson wasn’t exactly his proudest moment.
The movie lost a whopping $60 million. Many people say it’s because the movie was released around Oscar season, though the film has earned its fair share of positive reviews with an IMDB score of 7.1/10.
Tomorrowland – loss of $80-$$155 million
You’d think that a Disney film with George Clooney in the lead role would be a moneymaker no matter what the acting or plot is like.
In fact, the studio had so much confidence that the total budget for the film is estimated to be around $190 million. Despite a glitzy marketing campaign, the film just didn’t catch on and is estimated to have made a loss of over $80 million. In fact, it only grossed $93 million in North America.
The Promise – loss of $94-$$102 million
Making a biopic is not an easy task. In addition to casting, the studio has to ensure attention to detail while keeping the story entertaining. The 2016 flick The Promise is set towards the end of the Ottoman Empire, starring Tom Hollander, James Cromwell, Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac.
Audiences loved the film, but critics did not rate it highly. FilmNation Entertainment is estimated to have grossed only $12 million against a budget of over $90 million. Even Christian Bale isn’t always making hits.
Pan – loss of $130-$$150 million
The story of Peter Pan is so popular that the people at Berlanti Productions and Ratpac-Dune Entertainment must have thought Pan was a guaranteed hit. The film starred Hugh Jackman, Rooney Mara and Amanda Seyfried.
Director Joe Wright was rumored to have had a budget of over $200 million, but critics found the plot predictable and fans weren’t too impressed with the CGI. It was a huge loss estimated at over $130 million.
Sahara (2005) – loss of $78-$$105 million
Movies adapted from popular books always benefit from the enthusiasm of fans. They just can’t wait to watch the movie. The studio spared no expense, casting A-listers Matthew McConaughey, William H Macy and Penelope Cruz.
Director Breck Eisner was given a budget of $130 million but the movie was a flop at the box office. It made a loss of between $78 and $105 million, and even the Los Angeles Times listed it as one of the most expensive flops of all time.
John Carter – loss of $200 million
You probably haven’t heard of sci-fi adventure flick John Carter. That’s because the movie flopped big time. Taylor Kitsch was cast to play the lead in the film which was a civil war veteran who somehow ended up on the red planet.
Insiders shared that Disney executives fell out after numerous disagreements with director Andrew Stanton. It’s weird becaus they invested over $200 million in the movie, but it’s like they wanted it to flop. Interestingly, they spent over $100 million for marketing and promotion.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword – loss of $150 million
The legend of King Arthur is a story that has been part of folklore for a thousand years now. Is it any surprise that studio executives thought it would be a great film? Now on paper, Legend of the Sword had everything going on for it.
It was directed by Guy Ritchie, with Charlie Hunnan of Sons of Anarchy taking the lead role. The studio pumped over $175 million into production and marketing. The problem was it was released on the same date as other blockbusters which this film could not compete with.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – loss of $75 million
DC Comics’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise has to be one of its most popular ones. It’s impossible not to find these superheroes at toy stores, video game stores or even the TV.
Fans were used to seeing the turtles in their animated form so they must have pretty excited to see a more realistic depiction. Unfortunately, many of them weren’t too fond of the movie, resulting in a loss of over $75 million. The studio scrapped plans for a third film that was slated to release later on.
Power Rangers – loss of $76 million
Like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers was another TV classic studio executives thought would make it big at the box office. It shows how often studios forget what makes stories so good in the first place.
Fans loved the show because while it was very unrealistic, it was also easily predictable and fun to watch. So it’s no surprise that they didn’t respond well to the live-action adaptation from 2017. The saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Mars Needs Moms – loss of $100-$$144 million
Walt Disney Studios had high expectations from Mars Needs Moms when it first came out in 2011. The studio even pumped over $150 million into production and advertising.
They hired some of the best animation artists in the world while trying their best to come up with a new and engaging concept fans would love. It backfired, leading many believe that it was the production techniques used. That cost the studio over $100 million in losses.
Speed Racer – loss of $73-$81 million
Speed Racer is another established storyline that Hollywood heads thought was guaranteed to make them millions. It did, but it made them millions in losses.
They cast Emile Hirsch in the lead role and had a supporting cast that included Christina Ricci and Matthew Fox. People say the crew focused too much on stunning visuals instead of creating a coherent storyline. The studio lost over $70 million against a production budget of over $120 million.
Gigli – loss of $72 million
Fans can’t get enough of celebrity couples in the tabloids, so maybe seeing them together in the same movie is a guaranteed hit. It does work in certain cases, but Gigli wasn’t one of those movies.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are one of the hottest couples out there, and they played the lead roles in this film. Unfortunately, fans didn’t warm up to the storyline. The movie lost over $70 million.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
