- Thread Author
- #1
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2011
- Messages
- 98,119
10. Bullet to the Head
Production budget of $55 million, worldwide gross of $9.5 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $45m.
Two weeks after Schwarzenegger delivered a dud, Sylvester Stallone’s standalone film from Warner Bros. became the actor’s lowest box-office opening since 2000′s “Get Carter.”
Audiences seemed to have had their fill of Stallone in the “Expendables” films by the time “Bullet” hit after being delayed by almost a year. Despite its curiously high budget, the rote action film had a cheap look that failed to distinguish it from countless other titles already collecting dust in discount bins in the few remaining video stores.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. OLDBOY (2013)
Production budget of $35 million, worldwide gross of $4 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $30m. Josh Brolin and Samuel L. Jackson couldn’t make a hit out of Spike Lee’s remake of the 2003 classic. Newcomers may have been turned off by the relentlessly bleak trailer and the film’s widely-reported ultraviolence and taboo sexual themes. Curiously, it was moved from its original release date near Halloween to the overcrowded Thanksgiving frame, where it was utterly destroyed by the competition.
It probably didn’t help that around the film’s release a designer came out accusing Lee of stealing his poster designs to promote “Oldboy.” The movie’s Facebook page quickly became overrun by negative feedback.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. 47 Ronin (2013) – $149m
Production budget of $225 million, worldwide gross of $105.9 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $149m. Keanu Reeves’ return to the box-office Christmas was a huge box-office flop. There were so many movies that came out on and right before the holiday.
“The Wolf of Wall Street,” “The Hobbit” sequel, “Anchorman 2,” “American Hustle” and more were all vying for audience attention.
No one has time to see THAT many movies. When options are limited, you need to decide which to see and “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “American Hustle” along with “Her” (if you’re in NY or LA) have been receiving all the word-of-mouth buzz
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Mars Needs Moms (2011) – $130 Million
Production budget of $150 million, worldwide gross of $38 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $130m. Disney’s computer-animated Mars Needs Moms is text-book overspending on a film whose ceiling wasn’t all that high to begin with. With a budget that dwarfs some of the biggest films of all-time, live-action or animated, Mars Needs Moms would have been tough for even an animation studio like Pixar to profit from. The film’s performance ultimately led Disney to lose $136 million in 2011, which goes up to about $138.8 million when adjusted for inflation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Jack the Giant Slayer (2013) – over $86m
Production budget of $200 million, worldwide gross of $197.6 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $86m.
Why it bombed: With a huge price tag, “Jack” arrived on screens after audiences had already O.D.’d on “re-imagined” fairy tale films, from “Alice in Wonderland” to “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters” to two different takes on “Snow White.” The lack of major stars and a confusing marketing campaign (is it a fun family film? A gritty action fantasy? Both?) helped seal its fate.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Sahara (2005) — $100 Million
Production budget of $160 million, worldwide gross of $119.2 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $100m. The story of Sahara’s financial failure is the subject of many detailed reports that outline the complexities of so-called Hollywood accounting and even some potentially illegal financial transactions between Hollywood and the Moroccan government where the film was shot. But when it comes down to it, Sahara was simply too expensive. The problem was that Sahara really had no shot at making its money back, losing $160 million despite earning over $100 million at the box office — when adjusted for inflation, Sahara’s losses rise to $100 million. In many ways, Sahara should have been a huge red flag when it comes to tentpole filmmaking, but instead the film has been largely forgotten.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. The Lone Ranger – over $95m
Production budget of $250 million, worldwide gross of $239.1 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $95m.
After several delays, shutdowns and attempted budget cutbacks, pre-release hype quickly turned to irreversibly bad buzz, mixed reviews and bitter finger-pointing. With such a massive budget (and a rumored $100 million marketing campaign), the “Pirates of the Caribbean” reunion became the poster child for blockbuster excess even before it opened.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. White House Down – over $91m
Production budget of $150 million, worldwide gross of $138.2 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $91m.
The Channing Tatum- and Jamie Foxx-starring Sony tentpole became the studio’s second box-office disappointment when it opened to just $24.8 million in the U.S. Its dismal worldwide take of $134.6 million means it will lose money.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. R.I.P.D. – over $50m
Production budget – $130m. Wordwide gross – $78m. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $50m.
Why it bombed: It all starts with the off-putting title and the over-inflated budget. Furthermore, critics universally panned the film’s uneven tone and performances (even stars Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges), while pointing out the story’s naked similarities to past successes such as “Ghostbuster” and “Men in Black.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Cutthroat Island (1995) — $145.4 Million
Before the Guinness Book of World Records retired the record of “largest box office loss,” MGM’s Cutthroat Island was firmly entrenched in the spot with $18.5 million earned at the box office against a budget of $98 million along with $17 million in marketing expenses. Adjusted for inflation, Cutthroat Island lost the studio a total of $145.4 million and remains the worst financial disaster in film history.
Production budget of $55 million, worldwide gross of $9.5 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $45m.
Two weeks after Schwarzenegger delivered a dud, Sylvester Stallone’s standalone film from Warner Bros. became the actor’s lowest box-office opening since 2000′s “Get Carter.”
Audiences seemed to have had their fill of Stallone in the “Expendables” films by the time “Bullet” hit after being delayed by almost a year. Despite its curiously high budget, the rote action film had a cheap look that failed to distinguish it from countless other titles already collecting dust in discount bins in the few remaining video stores.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. OLDBOY (2013)
Production budget of $35 million, worldwide gross of $4 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $30m. Josh Brolin and Samuel L. Jackson couldn’t make a hit out of Spike Lee’s remake of the 2003 classic. Newcomers may have been turned off by the relentlessly bleak trailer and the film’s widely-reported ultraviolence and taboo sexual themes. Curiously, it was moved from its original release date near Halloween to the overcrowded Thanksgiving frame, where it was utterly destroyed by the competition.
It probably didn’t help that around the film’s release a designer came out accusing Lee of stealing his poster designs to promote “Oldboy.” The movie’s Facebook page quickly became overrun by negative feedback.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. 47 Ronin (2013) – $149m
Production budget of $225 million, worldwide gross of $105.9 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $149m. Keanu Reeves’ return to the box-office Christmas was a huge box-office flop. There were so many movies that came out on and right before the holiday.
“The Wolf of Wall Street,” “The Hobbit” sequel, “Anchorman 2,” “American Hustle” and more were all vying for audience attention.
No one has time to see THAT many movies. When options are limited, you need to decide which to see and “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “American Hustle” along with “Her” (if you’re in NY or LA) have been receiving all the word-of-mouth buzz
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Mars Needs Moms (2011) – $130 Million
Production budget of $150 million, worldwide gross of $38 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $130m. Disney’s computer-animated Mars Needs Moms is text-book overspending on a film whose ceiling wasn’t all that high to begin with. With a budget that dwarfs some of the biggest films of all-time, live-action or animated, Mars Needs Moms would have been tough for even an animation studio like Pixar to profit from. The film’s performance ultimately led Disney to lose $136 million in 2011, which goes up to about $138.8 million when adjusted for inflation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Jack the Giant Slayer (2013) – over $86m
Production budget of $200 million, worldwide gross of $197.6 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $86m.
Why it bombed: With a huge price tag, “Jack” arrived on screens after audiences had already O.D.’d on “re-imagined” fairy tale films, from “Alice in Wonderland” to “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters” to two different takes on “Snow White.” The lack of major stars and a confusing marketing campaign (is it a fun family film? A gritty action fantasy? Both?) helped seal its fate.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Sahara (2005) — $100 Million
Production budget of $160 million, worldwide gross of $119.2 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $100m. The story of Sahara’s financial failure is the subject of many detailed reports that outline the complexities of so-called Hollywood accounting and even some potentially illegal financial transactions between Hollywood and the Moroccan government where the film was shot. But when it comes down to it, Sahara was simply too expensive. The problem was that Sahara really had no shot at making its money back, losing $160 million despite earning over $100 million at the box office — when adjusted for inflation, Sahara’s losses rise to $100 million. In many ways, Sahara should have been a huge red flag when it comes to tentpole filmmaking, but instead the film has been largely forgotten.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. The Lone Ranger – over $95m
Production budget of $250 million, worldwide gross of $239.1 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $95m.
After several delays, shutdowns and attempted budget cutbacks, pre-release hype quickly turned to irreversibly bad buzz, mixed reviews and bitter finger-pointing. With such a massive budget (and a rumored $100 million marketing campaign), the “Pirates of the Caribbean” reunion became the poster child for blockbuster excess even before it opened.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. White House Down – over $91m
Production budget of $150 million, worldwide gross of $138.2 million. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $91m.
The Channing Tatum- and Jamie Foxx-starring Sony tentpole became the studio’s second box-office disappointment when it opened to just $24.8 million in the U.S. Its dismal worldwide take of $134.6 million means it will lose money.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. R.I.P.D. – over $50m
Production budget – $130m. Wordwide gross – $78m. Estimated Losses (includes some marketing costs) – over $50m.
Why it bombed: It all starts with the off-putting title and the over-inflated budget. Furthermore, critics universally panned the film’s uneven tone and performances (even stars Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges), while pointing out the story’s naked similarities to past successes such as “Ghostbuster” and “Men in Black.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Cutthroat Island (1995) — $145.4 Million
Before the Guinness Book of World Records retired the record of “largest box office loss,” MGM’s Cutthroat Island was firmly entrenched in the spot with $18.5 million earned at the box office against a budget of $98 million along with $17 million in marketing expenses. Adjusted for inflation, Cutthroat Island lost the studio a total of $145.4 million and remains the worst financial disaster in film history.
Last edited: