List of biggest box-office bombs

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the film and media industry, if a film released in theatres fails to break even by a large amount, it is considered a box office bomb (or box office flop), thus losing money for the distributor, studio, and/or production company that invested in it. Due to the secrecy surrounding costs and profit margins in the film industry, figures of losses are usually rough estimates at best, and there are often conflicting estimates over how much a film has lost. To accommodate this uncertainty, the losses are presented as ranges where this is the case, and the list is ordered alphabetically in the absence of a definitive order. Because the films on the list have been released over a large span of time, currency inflation is also a factor that must be considered, so the losses are adjusted for inflation using the United States Consumer Price Index to enable an accurate comparison.

Some films on this list grossed more than their production budgets yet are still regarded as flops. This can be due to Hollywood accounting practices that typically manipulate profits or keep costs secret to circumvent profit-sharing agreements,[1] but it is also possible for films to lose money legitimately even when the theatrical gross exceeds the budget. This is because a distributor does not collect the full gross, and the full cost of a film can substantially exceed its production budget once distribution and marketing is taken into account. For example, tax filings in 2010 for Cinemark Theatres show that only 54.5 percent of ticket revenues went to the distributor, with the exhibitor retaining the rest. While the distributor's cut will vary from film to film, a Hollywood studio will typically collect half the gross in the United States and less in other parts of the world. Marketing often represents a substantial share of the overall cost of the picture too: for a film with an average sized budget the promotion and advertising costs are typically half that of the production budget, and in the case of smaller films it is not unusual for the cost of the marketing to be higher than the production budget.[2] In some cases, a company can make profits from a box office bomb when ancillary revenues are taken into account, such as home media sales and rentals, television broadcast rights, and licensing fees, so a film that loses money at the box office can still eventually break even.[3]

There are some films notorious for large production budgets that are commonly thought to be box-office bombs, but have either broken even or turned a profit. Cleopatra nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox with production and marketing costs of US$44 million and numerous delays.[4][5] Despite becoming the highest-grossing film of 1963 it failed to recoup its investment during its theatrical release,[4] and eventually broke even in 1966 when Fox sold the television broadcast rights to ABC for $5 million.[6] The total costs for Waterworld (1995) exceeded $300 million and it was perceived as a disaster at the time, despite grossing $264 million worldwide. It also eventually broke even through other revenue streams.[7][8] Such films are still cited as high-risk examples in evaluating the prospects of future film productions.[7] For example, Cleopatra was considered the film that killed big-budget epic films in the 1960s.[9]

Biggest box office bombs[]

The following list is a partial list of box-office bombs, based on known production budgets (which can include marketing and distribution costs), gross box office receipts, and either estimated losses from these figures or documented losses. The list is limited to films that are potentially among the top one hundred box office losses, adjusted for inflation (approximately upper-bound losses of $80 million or higher as of 2021).

  film currently playing Background shading indicates films playing in the week commencing 27 August 2021 in theaters around the world.
Biggest box office bombs
Title Year Net production budget
(millions) 		Worldwide gross
(millions) 		Estimated loss (millions) Ref.
Nominal Adjusted for inflation [nb 1]
The 13th Warrior 1999 $100–160 $61.7 $69–129 $107–200 [# 1]
47 Ronin 2013 $175–225 $151.8 $97 $108 [# 2]
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen 1988 $46.6 $8.1 $38.5 $84 [# 3]
The Adventures of Pluto Nash 2002 $100 $7.1 $96 $138 [# 4]
The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle 2000 $76–98.6 $35.1 $63.5 $95 [# 5]
The Alamo 2004 $107 $25.8 $94 $129 [# 6]
Alexander 2004 $155 $167.3 $71 $97 [# 7]
Ali 2001 $107 $87.7 $63 $92 [# 8]
Allied 2016 $85 $118.6 $75–90 $81–97 [# 9]
Around the World in 80 Days 2004 $110 $72.2 $74 $101 [# 10]
The Astronaut's Wife 1999 $75 $19.6 $65 $101 [# 11]
Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever 2002 $70 $19.9 $70.1 $101 [# 12]
Battlefield Earth 2000 $73–103 $29.7 $73.3 $110 [# 13]
Battleship 2012 $209–220 $303 $150 $169 [# 14]
Beloved 1998 $80 $22.9 $68.5 $109 [# 15]
Ben-Hur 2016 $100 $94.1 $75–121.7 $81–129 [# 16]
The BFG 2016 $140 $179.6 $71–100 $77–108 [# 17]
Blackhat 2015 $70 $19.7 $68–90 $74–98 [# 18]
Blade Runner 2049 2017 $150–185 $260.5 $80 $84 [# 19]
The Call of the Wild 2020 $125–150 $107.6 $50–100 $50–100 [# 20]
Cats 2019 $90–100 $73.7 $71–113.6 $72–115 [# 21]
Chill Factor 1999 $70 $11.8 $64 $99 [# 22]
A Christmas Carol 2009 $175–200 $325.3 $50–100 $60–137 [# 23]
The Chronicles of Riddick 2004 $105–120 $115.8 $47–73 $64–100 [# 24]
The Cotton Club 1984 $47 $25.9 $32.1 $80 [# 25]
Cutthroat Island [nb 2] 1995 $98 $18.3 $105 $178 [# 26]
Dark Phoenix 2019 $200 $252.4 $79–133 $81–137 [# 27]
Deepwater Horizon 2016 $110–120 $119.5 $60–112 $65–121 [# 28]
Doctor Dolittle 1967 $17 $9 $10.8 $84 [# 29]
Dolittle 2020 $175 $227.9 $50–100 $50–100 [# 30]
Driven 2001 $94 $54.7 $67 $98 [# 31]
Dudley Do-Right 1999 $70 $10 $65 $101 [# 32]
Evan Almighty 2007 $175 $173.4 $88 $110 [# 33]
The Fall of the Roman Empire 1964 $18.4 $4.8 $14.3 $119 [# 34]
Fantastic Four 2015 $120–125 $168 $80–100 $87–109 [# 35]
Fathers' Day 1997 $85 $35.7 $67 $108 [# 36]
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 2001 $137 $85.1 $94 $137 [# 37]
The Finest Hours 2016 $70–80 $52.1 $75 $81 [# 38]
Gemini Man 2019 $138 $173.5 $111.1 $112 [# 39]
Ghostbusters 2016 $144 $229.1 $75 $81 [# 40]
Gigli 2003 $75.6 $7.3 $72 $101 [# 41]
Gods of Egypt 2016 $140 $150.7 $76–90 $82–97 [# 42]
The Good Dinosaur 2015 $175–200 $332.2 $85 $93 [# 43]
The Great Raid 2005 $80 $10.8 $75 $99 [# 44]
The Great Wall 2016 $150 $332 $75 $81 [# 45]
Green Lantern 2011 $200 $219.9 $75 $86 [# 46]
Hard Rain 1998 $70 $19.9 $60 $95 [# 47]
Hart's War 2002 $70–95 $32.3 $62.7 $101–137 [# 48]
Heaven's Gate 1980 $44 $3.5 $40.5 $127 [# 49]
How Do You Know 2010 $100 $48.7 $105 $125 [# 50]
Hudson Hawk 1991 $65 $17.2 $47.8 $91 [# 51]
Hugo 2011 $150–170 $185.8 $91 $105 [# 52]
The Huntsman: Winter's War 2016 $115 $165 $75 $81 [# 53]
Inchon 1982 $46 $5.2 $40.8 $109 [# 54]
Instinct 1999 $80 $34.1 $63 $98 [# 55]
The Invasion 2007 $80 $40 $71 $89 [# 56]
Ishtar 1987 $51–55 $14.4 $40.6 $92 [# 57]
Jack Frost 1998 $40–85 $34.6 $68 $108 [# 58]
Jack the Giant Slayer 2013 $185–200 $197.7 $105 $117 [# 59]
John Carter 2012 $263.7 $284.1 $114–200 $129–225 [# 60]
Jupiter Ascending 2015 $175 $184 $95–120 $104–131 [# 61]
K-19: The Widowmaker 2002 $100 $65.7 $67 $96 [# 62]
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword 2017 $175 $148.7 $114–153.2 $120–162 [# 63]
Krull 1983 $27 $16.5 $33.5 $87 [# 64]
Live by Night 2016 $65 $22.3 $75 $81 [# 65]
Lolita 1997 $62 $1.1 $61 $98 [# 66]
The Lone Ranger 2013 $225–250 $260.5 $160–190 $178–211 [# 67]
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. 2015 $75 $109.8 $80 $87 [# 68]
Mars Needs Moms 2011 $150 $39 $100–144 $115–166 [# 69]
Missing Link 2019 $102.3 $26.2 $101.3 $103 [# 70]
Monkeybone 2001 $75 $7.6 $71 $104 [# 71]
Monster Trucks 2016 $125 $64.5 $109–123.1 $118–133 [# 72]
Mortal Engines 2018 $110 $83.7 $174.8 $180 [# 73]
Mulan 2020 $200 $66.8 $147 $147 [# 74]
The Mummy 2017 $195 $410 $60–95 $63–100 [# 75]
The Nutcracker in 3D 2010 $90 $20.5 $82 $97 [# 76]
Onward 2020 $175–200 $142 $135 $135 [# 77]
Osmosis Jones 2001 $70 $14 $63 $92 [# 78]
Pan 2015 $150 $128.4 $85–150 $93–164 [# 79]
Peter Pan 2003 $130.6 $122 $70 $98 [# 80]
Pixels 2015 $88 $244.9 $75 $82 [# 81]
Poseidon 2006 $160 $181.7 $77 $99 [# 82]
The Postman 1997 $80 $20.8 $70 $113 [# 83]
Power Rangers 2017 $100 $142.3 $76 $80 [# 84]
The Promise 2016 $90 $10.6 $93–102.1 $100–110 [# 85]
R.I.P.D. 2013 $130–154 $78.3 $91–93 $101–103 [# 86]
Red Planet 2000 $80 $33.5 $63 $95 [# 87]
Rise of the Guardians 2012 $145 $306.9 $87 $98 [# 88]
Robin Hood 2018 $100 $85.7 $83.7 $86 [# 89]
Sahara 2005 $160 $119.2 $78.4 $104 [# 90]
Seventh Son 2015 $95 $114.2 $85 $93 [# 91]
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas 2003 $60 $80.8 $125 $176 [# 92]
Soldier 1998 $60–75 $14.6 $60 $95 [# 93]
A Sound of Thunder 2005 $80 $11.7 $74 $98 [# 94]
Speed Racer 2008 $120 $93.9 $80 $96 [# 95]
Sphere 1998 $73–80 $50.2 $61 $97 [# 96]
Stealth 2005 $135 $79.3 $96 $127 [# 97]
Supernova 2000 $90 $14.8 $83 $125 [# 98]
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows 2016 $135 $245.6 $75 $81 [# 99]
Tenet 2020 $200 $363.7 $50–100 $50–100 [# 100]
Terminator: Dark Fate 2019 $185–196 $261.1 $110–130 $113–134 [# 101]
Titan A.E. 2000 $75–90 $36.8 $100 $150 [# 102]
Tomorrowland 2015 $180–190 $209 $90–150 $98–164 [# 103]
Town & Country 2001 $90 $10.4 $85 $124 [# 104]
Transformers: The Last Knight 2017 $217 $605.4 $100+ $106+ [# 105]
Treasure Planet 2002 $140 $109.6 $85 $122 [# 106]
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets 2017 $177.2–180 $225.9 $82 $87 [# 107]
Windtalkers 2002 $115–120 $77.6 $76–81 $109–117 [# 108]
The Wolfman 2010 $150 $139.8 $76 $90 [# 109]
Wonder Woman 1984 2020 $200 $166.5 $100 $100 [# 110]
A Wrinkle in Time 2018 $125 $133.4 $130.6 $135 [# 111]
xXx: State of the Union 2005 $113.1 $71 $78 $103 [# 112]
Zoom 2006 $75.6 $12.5 $69 $89 [# 113]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ 1634 to 1699: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy ofthe United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700-1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How much is that in real money?: a historical price index for use as a deflator of money values in the economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  2. ^ Cutthroat Island was once listed as having the "largest box office loss" by Guinness World Records,[10][11] but the category has since been retired.

References[]

  1. ^ Susman, Gary (April 14, 2015). "The 19 Biggest Box Office Bombs in Movie History". Moviefone. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  2. ^ Anders, Charlie Jane (January 31, 2011). "How much money does a movie need to make to be profitable?". io9. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  3. ^ Davidson, Adam (June 26, 2012). "How Does the Film Industry Actually Make Money". The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Galloway, Stephen (September 9, 2019). "Hollywood History Questions Answered: What Movie Was the Biggest Bomb Ever?". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  5. ^ Hall, Sheldon; Neale, Stephen (2010). Epics, spectacles, and blockbusters: a Hollywood history. Wayne State University Press. p. 166. ISBN 978-0-8143-3008-1. With top tickets set at an all-time high of $5.50,Cleopatra had amassed as much as $20 million in such guarantees from exhibitors even before its premiere. Fox claimed the film had cost in total $44 million, of which $31,115,000 represented the direct negative cost and the rest distribution, print and advertising expenses. (These figures excluded the more than $5 million spent on the production's abortive British shoot in 1960–61, prior to its relocation to Italy.) By 1966 worldwide rentals had reached $38,042,000 including $23.5 million from the United States.
  6. ^ Block, Alex Ben; Wilson, Lucy Autrey, eds. (2010). George Lucas's Blockbusting: A Decade-by-Decade Survey of Timeless Movies Including Untold Secrets of Their Financial and Cultural Success. HarperCollins. pp. 434 & 461. ISBN 9780061778896.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b Fleming, Mike Jr. (August 7, 2013). "Isn't It Time To Take 'Waterworld' Off The All-Time Flop List?". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015.
  8. ^ Stewart, Andrew (August 11, 2012). "B.O. reality gets lost in perception". Variety. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
  9. ^ Patterson, John (July 15, 2013). "Cleopatra, the film that killed off big-budget epics". The Guardian. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  10. ^ "Largest Box Office Loss". Guinness World Records. HIT Entertainment. Archived from the original on November 27, 2005. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  11. ^ McClintock, Pamela (July 8, 2013). "Why 'Mars Needs Moms' bombed for Disney". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 16, 2013. Other infamous financial flops include Renny Harlin's pirate pic Cutthroat Island -- listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest bomb of all time -- Sahara, The Adventures of Pluto Nash and Gigli.

Chart sources[]

  1. ^ The 13th Warrior
  2. ^ 47 Ronin
  3. ^ The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
  4. ^ The Adventures of Pluto Nash
  5. ^ The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle
  6. ^ The Alamo
  7. ^ Alexander
  8. ^ Ali
  9. ^ Allied
  10. ^ Around the World in 80 Days
  11. ^ The Astronaut's Wife
  12. ^ Ballistic
  13. ^ Battlefield Earth
  14. ^ Battleship
  15. ^ Beloved
  16. ^ Ben-Hur
  17. ^ The BFG
  18. ^ Blackhat
  19. ^ Blade Runner 2049
  20. ^ The Call of the Wild
  21. ^ Cats
  22. ^ Chill Factor
  23. ^ A Christmas Carol
  24. ^ The Chronicles of Riddick
  25. ^ The Cotton Club
  26. ^ Cutthroat Island
  27. ^ Dark Phoenix
  28. ^ Deepwater Horizon
  29. ^ Doctor Doolittle
  30. ^ Dolittle (2020)
  31. ^ Driven
  32. ^ Dudley Do-Right
  33. ^ Evan Almighty
  34. ^ The Fall of the Roman Empire
  35. ^ Fantastic Four
  36. ^ Father's Day
  37. ^ Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
  38. ^ The Finest Hours
  39. ^ Gemini Man
  40. ^ Ghostbusters
  41. ^ Gigli
  42. ^ Gods of Egypt
  43. ^ The Good Dinosaur
  44. ^ The Great Raid
  45. ^ The Great Wall
  46. ^ Green Lantern
  47. ^ Hard Rain
  48. ^ Hart's War
  49. ^ Heaven's Gate
  50. ^ How Do You Know
  51. ^ Hudson Hawk
  52. ^ Hugo
  53. ^ The Huntsman
  54. ^ Inchon
  55. ^ Instinct
  56. ^ The Invasion
  57. ^ Ishtar
  58. ^ Jack Frost
  59. ^ Jack the Giant Slayer
  60. ^ John Carter
  61. ^ Jupiter Ascending
  62. ^ K-19: The Widowmaker
  63. ^ King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
  64. ^ Krull
  65. ^ Live by Night
  66. ^ Lolita
  67. ^ The Lone Ranger
  68. ^ The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
  69. ^ Mars Needs Moms
  70. ^ Missing Link
  71. ^ Monkeybone
  72. ^ Monster Trucks
  73. ^ Mortal Engines
  74. ^ Mulan
  75. ^ The Mummy
  76. ^ The Nutcracker in 3D
  77. ^ Onward
  78. ^ Osmosis Jones
  79. ^ Pan
  80. ^ Peter Pan
  81. ^ Pixels
  82. ^ Poseidon
  83. ^ The Postman
  84. ^ Power Rangers
  85. ^ The Promise
  86. ^ R.I.P.D.
  87. ^ Red Planet
  88. ^ Rise of the Guardians
  89. ^ Robin Hood
  90. ^ Sahara
  91. ^ Seventh Son
  92. ^ Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas
  93. ^ Soldier
  94. ^ A Sound of Thunder
  95. ^ Speed Racer
  96. ^ Sphere
  97. ^ Stealth
  98. ^ Supernova
  99. ^ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows
  100. ^ Tenet
  101. ^ Terminator: Dark Fate
  102. ^ Titan A.E.
  103. ^ Tomorrowland
  104. ^ Town & Country
  105. ^ Transformers: The Last Knight
  106. ^ Treasure Planet
  107. ^ Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
  108. ^ Windtalkers
  109. ^ The Wolfman
  110. ^ Wonder Woman 1984
  111. ^ A Wrinkle in Time
  112. ^ XXX: State of the Union
  113. ^ Zoom

Bibliography[]

Retrieved from ""