From 'The Flash to 'Mulan': 6 biggest box office bombs of all time
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In the enticing realm of Hollywood, the big screen is ruled by stunning visuals, fascinating narratives, and renowned stars.
However, behind those extravagant red carpets and glittering premieres comes the harsh reality that not every movie is a box office juggernaut; some even fail to recoup their production expenditures, leaving the studios with significant financial losses.
So, let's take a look at six of the biggest box-office duds.
John Carter (2012)
Disney's 'John Carter', which had an estimated $306.6 million budget, only made $284.1 million at the box office—much less than expected considering the film's strong anticipation.
The movie starring Taylor Kitsch was not well received by the public due to its inadequate marketing strategy, which made it difficult for the intended audience to understand the genre of the film.
The exploits of a Civil War vet on a barren planet seemingly inhabited by 12-foot-tall barbarians failed to the audience glued to the big screen.
Fans and critics alike criticized the premise of the science fiction action-adventure film, claiming it was heavily influenced by former films in the genre.
Dolittle (2020)
Despite having a staggering budget of $175–192.4 million, the Robert Downey Jr. film only managed to make $251.5 million at the box office, falling short of the $500 million global threshold needed to break even.
The film, which intended to modernize the character of Dr. Dolittle, a physician with the special ability to talk to animals, failed to impress the audience due to its overreliance on CGI and problematic depictions of the animals, which led to its collapse.
Further, the storyline, which sees the protagonist embark on a mission to find a legendary island with a young apprentice and a crew of strange pets, received negative reviews for its lackluster pacing.
The Lone Ranger (2013)
Despite having a $225–250 million budget, the Western action film only managed to make $260.5 million during its dismal run.
With Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer in the lead roles, Gore Verbinski's film aimed to bring beloved Western themes back to life for a new audience.
It chronicles the tales of John Reid, a lawman more famously known as the Lone Ranger, through the lens of his old companion, Tonto, who is a Native American warrior.
However, the movie's enormous budget and unresolved production concerns behind the scenes proved too heavy, ultimately leading to its demise.
The Flash (2023)
The DC Extended Universe's much-hyped title, which James Gunn supposedly labeled as one of the greatest superheroes ever made, emerged as one of 2023's biggest box office disappointments.
Ezra Miller's popularity (or lack thereof), a weak storyline, and seemingly half-backed CGI work led to a significant loss at the box office for DC Studios.
The film, which was budgeted between $200 and $220 million only grossed $271.3 million at the box office.
Gemini Man (2019)
Directed by Ang Lee, the science fiction film 'Gemini Man' is considered one of the biggest flops of Will Smith's prolific career.
The movie's production budget ballooned to $138 million, but it only grossed $173.5 million globally, resulting in a substantial loss of $111.1 million in the end.
The story of an over-the-hill hitman's battle against a younger clone of himself received poor reviews from critics for its inability to properly deal with the complicated issue of cloning.
Mulan (2020)
The Walt Disney film, which was made with an extravagant budget of $200 million, only made $69.9 million.
The Yifei Liu-starring film, which sheds light on a fearless young woman, who disguises herself as a man and battles northern invaders in China, suffered a disappointing fate as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak since it evaded traditional theatre releases in most regions and instead moved straight to the streaming platform Disney+.
In addition, the film received backlash for its inaccurate portrayal of Chinese culture.