The Biggest Box Office Bombs of All Time

Every year, Hollywood studios invest hundreds of millions of dollars on potential blockbuster films, hoping to create hits. However, despite massive budgets and huge marketing campaigns, some would-be blockbusters fail to resonate with audiences and become box office bombs, losing studios millions of dollars. In this slideshow we take a look at some of the biggest box office bombs of all time.

84. The Rhythm Section (2020)

'The Rhythm Section', starring Jude Law and Blake Lively, received negative reviews from critics and failed to perform well commercially. It struggled to recoup its production budget at the box office, leading to financial losses for the studio. Estimated loss: 40 million dollars (US dollars).

83. Charlie's Angels (2019)

The movie, directed by Elizabeth Banks and starring Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska was a huge failure. It was ranked as one of the biggest box-office disappointments of 2019. Estimated loss: 40 million.

82. Call of the Wild (2020)

'Call of the Wild', based on Jack London's novel, featured a CGI-animated dog alongside live-action characters, with Harrison Ford in a lead role. The movie was released in February 2020, just before the pandemic caused widespread theatre closures and disrupted the traditional movie release schedule. As a result, "The Call of the Wild" had a limited time to perform at the box office before many theatres shut down. Estimated loss: 60 million.

81. Ali (2001)

A biography of sports legend Muhammad Ali, focusing on his triumphs and controversies between 1964 and 1974. It was well received by critics (Will Smith and Jon Voight received Oscar nominations), but was a box-office bomb, grossing just $87 million against a production budget of approximately $118 million. Estimated loss: 63 million.

80. The Postman (1997)

A nameless drifter dons a postman's uniform and bag of mail as he begins a quest to inspire hope to the survivors living in post-apocalyptic America. The film made $20.8 million worldwide against a budget of $80 million. Estimated loss: 70 million.

79. Ghostbusters (2016)

While it didn't necessarily perform as disastrously as some other box office bombs, it did not meet the high expectations set for a major franchise revival. The production budget and marketing costs were significant and the estimated loss is 75 million.

78. The Wolfman (2010)

'The Wolfman' starred two Academy Awards winners: Benicio del Toro and Anthony Hopkins. Despite a significant budget and notable actors, the movie faced production issues and mixed critical reception. It had a troubled development process, which included director changes and reshoots, leading to an increase in production costs. Estimated loss: 76 million.

77. Power Rangers (2017)

'Power Rangers', based on the popular television series, aimed to reboot the franchise for a new generation. The studio lost an estimated $76 million when factoring in all revenues and expenses.

76. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

It became the first live-action Star Wars film to be a box office bomb, only grossing $393.2 million worldwide. Estimated loss: 77 million.

75. XXX: State of the Union (2005)

The movie is the sequel to the 2002 "xXx," and it starred Ice Cube in the lead role, taking over from Vin Diesel. It was criticized by reviewers, mainly for the performances, an illogical story, and overuse of CGI-based visual effects for most of the action sequences. Estimated loss: 78 million.

74. Sahara (2005)

'Sahara', starring Matthew McConaughey and Penélope Cruz, was based on a novel by Clive Cussler and was intended to launch a franchise centered around the main character, Dirk Pitt. Despite a significant production budget and a marketing campaign, "Sahara" failed to perform well at the box office. Estimated loss: 78 million.

73. Cats (2019)

'Cats', an adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics and audiences alike for its visual effects, storytelling, and overall execution. Estimated loss: 80 million dollars.

72. Ben-Hur (2016)

'Ben-Hur (2016)' was called by Hollywood observers the summer's biggest box office bomb, and one of the biggest flops of 2016. The movie was a reimagining of the classic 1959 film of the same name. However, it received generally negative reviews from both critics and audiences and struggled to attract viewers. Estimated loss: 80 million.

71. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

The film, directed by Guy Ritchie and based on the 1960s television series of the same name, starred Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer. The Hollywood Reporter estimated the movie lost at least $80 million when factoring together all expenses and revenues.

70. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

It's a great movie, but also a box-office bomb. It's a sequel to the 1982 science fiction classic 'Blade Runner' and was directed by Denis Villeneuve, starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford. While 'Blade Runner 2049' received critical acclaim for its visuals and storytelling, it faced challenges in attracting a wide mainstream audience. Estimated loss: 80 million.

69. Windtalkers (2002)

'Windtalkers', directed by John Woo and starring Nicolas Cage and Adam Beach, was set during World War II and focused on the Navajo code talkers who played a crucial role in the Pacific Theater. Estimated loss: 81 million.

68. Allied (2016)

'Allied', directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard, is a World War II romantic thriller. The Hollywood Reporter estimated the film lost the studio $82 million when factoring together all expenses and revenues, and was listed amongst the year's box office flops.

67. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

The movie, directed by Luc Besson and based on the French science fiction comics series "Valérian and Laureline," had a visually stunning and ambitious premise. It grossed $225 million worldwide but, due to its high production and advertising costs, was considered a box-office bomb. Estimated loss: 82 million.

66. The Nutcracker in 3D (2010)

The movie received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics and audiences alike, primarily due to its deviation from the traditional Nutcracker story and its dark and bizarre elements. Its reception contributed to its poor box office performance. It was a box office bomb, grossing only $20 million. Estimated loss: 82 million.

65. Supernova (2000)

"Supernova" faced a troubled production process, including reshoots and changes in direction, which impacted its final quality. It received negative reviews from critics and audiences, which contributed to its poor box office performance. Estimated loss: 83 million.

64. Robin Hood (2018)

'Robin Hood (2018)', starring Taron Egerton and Jamie Foxx, attempted to offer a new take on the classic Robin Hood tale with a more modern and action-oriented approach. Estimated loss: 84 million.

63. Gods of Egipt (2016)

'Gods of Egipt', with Gerard Butler and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, received negative reviews from critics and faced criticism for its casting choices and cultural representation. It received five nominations at the 37th Golden Raspberry Awards. It was a box-office bomb, losing the studio up to $85 million.

62. Treasure Planet (2002)

'Treasure Planet' would go down in history as one of the biggest animated box office bombs of all time. It had a high production budget and substantial marketing expenses. Estimated loss: 85 million.

61. Town and Country (2001)

The movie, starring Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, and Goldie Hawn, had a troubled production process, including delays and reshoots, which contributed to its challenges. It received negative reviews from critics and is one of the biggest box office flops in American film history, grossing a little over $10 million worldwide. Estimated losses: 85 million.

60. Seventh Son (2014)

'Seventh Son', starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore, faced a troubled production process, including delays and changes in release dates. Estimated loss: 85 million.

59. The Good Dinosaur (2015)

Despite being a Pixar production, known for their successful and critically acclaimed projects, 'The Good Dinosaur' did not perform as well as other films from the studio. Estimated loss: 85 million.

58. Babylon (2022)

'Babylon' features an ensemble cast that includes Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Tobey Maguire, Diego Calva, and Jean Smart. Deadline Hollywood calculated the film lost the studio $87 million when factoring together all expenses and revenues.

57. Rise of the Guardians (2012)

'Rise of the Guardians' received generally positive reviews from critics but faced challenges in terms of marketing and competition during its release window. It grossed $306.9 million worldwide against a budget of $145 million but lost an estimated $87 million due to marketing and distribution costs.

56. Speed Racer

'Speed Racer', directed by the Wachowskis and based on the 1960s anime and manga series of the same name, featured a unique visual style and an ensemble cast. 'Speed Racer' did not perform well at the box office, failing to earn enough to cover its production budget and marketing costs. Estimated loss: 88 million.

55. Evan Almighty (2007)

'Evan Almighty' starred Steve Carell and was a spin-off and sequel to "Bruce Almighty," which starred Jim Carrey. "Evan Almighty" had a high production budget, and its marketing costs were substantial as well. Estimated loss: 88 million.

54. Devotion

While it received positive reviews from critics and audiences, it was a post-COVID-19 box-office bomb, grossing only $21.8 million worldwide. Estimated loss: 89 million.

53. Fantastic Four (2015)

Awful movie directed by Josh Trank and starring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell. It received overwhelmingly negative reviews from both critics and audiences for its lackluster plot, characterization, and overall execution. Estimated loss: 90 million.

52. Peter Pan (2003)

The film received positive reviews from critics, with praise for the performances, visuals, and romantic feel but only grossed $122 million worldwide. Estimated loss: 90 million.

51. Hugo (2011)

'Hugo', directed by Martin Scorsese, is a family adventure drama based on Brian Selznick's novel 'The Invention of Hugo Cabret'. It received positive reviews from critics for its direction, visual effects, and storytelling. It won several awards, including multiple Oscars. Despite receiving acclaim from critics, 'Hugo' was a box office bomb, grossing just $185 million. Estimated loss: 91 million.

50. R.I.P.D.: Rest in Peace Department

The movie, starring Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges, received negative reviews from critics and faced difficulties in attracting audiences. Estimated loss: 92 million.

49. The 355

'The 355' is an action thriller film that follows a group of international female spies from different agencies who must work together to prevent a global threat. It stars Penélope Cruz, Jessica Chastain, Diane Kruger y Lupita Nyong'o. The movie received generally negative reviews from critics and bombed at the box office, only grossing $27.8 million worldwide. Estimated loss: 93 millions.

48. The Promise

'The Promise', directed by Terry George and starring Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, and Christian Bale, is set during the final years of the Ottoman Empire and focuses on the Armenian Genocide. It received mixed reviews from critics and was a box office bomb, grossing just $12 million. Estimated loss: 93 million.

47. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Despite its groundbreaking animation technology and connection to the popular "Final Fantasy" video game franchise, the movie faced significant challenges. Due to rising costs, the movie greatly exceeded its original budget toward the end of production. Estimated loss: 94 million.

46. The Alamo

'The Alamo', directed by John Lee Hancock and starring Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton, depicts the events of the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. Despite its historical significance and star-studded cast, it received mixed reviews from critics and faced challenges in attracting audiences during its release. Estimated loss: 94 million.

45. The Mummy (2017)

'The Mummy (2017)' was intended to launch Universal Pictures' Dark Universe, a cinematic universe centered around classic monster characters. However, the film received negative reviews from critics and faced competition from other releases during its opening. Estimated loss: 95 million.

44. The Adventures of Pluto Nash

The film, starring Eddie Murphy, received overwhelmingly negative reviews. Estimated loss: 96 million.

43. Stealth

'Stealth', directed by Rob Cohen and starring Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel, and Jamie Foxx was a critical and box-office failure. Estimated loss: 96 million.

42. 47 Ronin (2013)

Despite its potential as a fantasy action film with a historical and cultural basis, '47 Ronin' received mixed to negative reviews from critics and struggled to attract audiences during its release. Estimated loss: 97 million.

41. The Last Duel

'The Last Duel' is a historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott. It's a good movie, but it didn't sell tickets. Estimated loss: 99 million.

40. Black Adam

'Black Adam' follows the story of Teth-Adam (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson), an ancient Egyptian warrior who is granted incredible powers by the wizard Shazam. It was a box-office bomb and Warner Bros cancelled the sequel. Estimated loss: 100 million.

39. Jupiter Ascending

'Jupiter Ascending', directed by the Wachowskis and starring Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum, faced challenges both in terms of its production and its box office performance. Estimated Loss: $100 million.

38. Tenet

'Tenet' was released in theatres in late August 2020, during a time when many theatres around the world were operating at reduced capacity or were temporarily closed due to the pandemic. Estimated loss: 100 million.

37. Dolittle

While "Dolittle" had a significant budget and high production costs, it received mostly negative reviews from critics and audiences alike. Estimated loss: 100 million.

36. Titan A.E.

"Titan A.E." is an animated science fiction film released in 2000. Despite its ambitious premise and visual effects, it struggled to perform well at the box office. Estimated loss: 100 million.

35. Transformers: The Last Knight

While it grossed over $600 million worldwide, which might seem substantial, it was a significant drop in earnings compared to previous "Transformers" movies. Estimated loss: 103 million.

34. Jack the Giant Slayer

'Jack the Giant Slayer' is a fantasy adventure film released in 2013, directed by Bryan Singer. The movie is a modern retelling of the classic English fairy tale 'Jack and the Beanstalk'. Estimated loss: 103 million.

33. West Side Story

'West Side Story', directed by Steven Spielberg, failed at the box office, grossing only $76 million, but received acclaim for the cast performances. Estimated loss: 104 million.

32. Cutthroat Island

'Cutthroat Island', starring Geena Davis, had a notoriously troubled and chaotic production involving multiple rewrites and recasts. Estimated loss: 105 million.

31. How Do You Know

'How Do You Know' was directed by James L. Brooks and starred Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, and Jack Nicholson. Despite the presence of well-known actors and a respected director, it's financial results were underwhelming. Estimated loss: 105 million.

30. Amsterdam

The story is based on the Business Plot, a 1933 political conspiracy in the United States, and follows three friends—(Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington—who reunite and seek to uncover the act following the mysterious murder of a retired U.S. general. It received unfavourable reviews from critics, who criticized Russell's screenplay and direction for its over-ambition and tonal inconsistency. Estimated loss: 108 million.

29. Dark Phoenix

'Dark Phoenix' had a production budget estimated to be around $200 million. It received generally negative reviews from critics and audiences, citing issues with its plot, character development, and overall execution. Estimated loss: 110 million.

28. Gemini Man

In this movie we see Will Smith in two roles: as an assassin and as a younger clone of himself. It grossed 173 million dollars, a low figure for Will Smith's career. The studio lost 111 million.

27. Space Jam: A New Legacy

The movie, staring LeBron James, was released both in theatres and on the HBO Max streaming platform simultaneously. Estimated loss: 111 million.

26. Chaos: Walking

'Chaos: Walking' had a production budget of around $100 million and faced various challenges during its production, including reshoots and delays. Its release was also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted its potential audience reach and box office performance. Estimated loss: 112 million.

25. Wonder Woman 1984

'Wonder Woman 1984' had a unique release due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The movie was initially intended for a traditional theatrical release, but its release was delayed multiple times. Eventually, it was released in theatres where possible and simultaneously made available on the HBO Max streaming platform in the United States. Estimated loss: 115 million.

24. Snow White

Disney's 2025 live-action remake of "Snow White" has significantly underperformed at the box office. The film, starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, has struggled to meet expectations, despite a production budget exceeding $270 million plus marketing costs. Estimated loss: 115 million.

23. Haunted Mansion

A single mom named Gabbie hires a tour guide, a psychic, a priest and a historian to help exorcise her newly bought mansion after discovering it is inhabited by ghosts. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $118 million worldwide, failing to meet box office expectations and losing Disney an estimated $117 million.

22. Tomorrowland

The science fiction film directed by Brad Bird and starring George Clooney was a box office disappointment. It grossed $209 million and finished up being a commercial failure worldwide. Estimated loss: 120 million.

21. Mars Needs Moms

'Mars Needs Moms' grossed $39.2 million worldwide on a $150 million budget, becoming a box-office bomb, and losing an estimated $122 million.

20. Shazam: Fury of the Gods

The movie received mixed reviews from critics, who considered it inferior to its predecessor. Estimated loss: 122 million

19. Lightyear

Lightyear's box office gross of $226 million worldwide would be seen as a win for many films. But Pixar needed much more than that to break even. Estimated loss: 122 million.

18. Monster Trucks

'Monster Trucks' faced multiple challenges, including production delays and mixed marketing that left audiences uncertain about the film's concept. The movie had a production budget estimated at around $125 million, and it struggled to perform well at the box office. Estimated loss: 123 million.

17. Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas

DreamWorks' animated adventure film faced tough competition and failed to generate significant box office revenue. Estimated Loss: $125 million.

16. Terminator: Dark Fate

The movie, released in 2019 and directed by Tim Miller, was intended to be a direct sequel to 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day', ignoring the events of the intervening Terminator films. Estimated loss: 130 million.

15. The Matrix Resurrections

'The Matrix Resurrections' was released theatrically and via the HBO Max streaming. It was a box-office disappointment, grossing $159 million worldwide. Estimated loss: 130 million.

14. A Wrinkle in Time

Despite having a high-profile cast, including Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, and Chris Pine, the movie struggled to perform well at the box office. Estimated loss: 130 million.

13. Wish

A young girl named Asha wishes on a star and gets a more direct answer than she bargained for when a trouble-making star comes down from the sky to join her. The film received bad reviews and grossed roughly 255 million worldwide on a production budget of 200 million. Estimated loss: 131 million.

12. John Carter

'John Carter' faced several challenges and was one of the most expensive movies ever made. Additionally, the film's complex story and visual effects did not resonate strongly with audiences, resulting in disappointing box office returns. Disney cancelled plans for 'Gods of Mars' and 'Warlord of Mars', the rest of the trilogy they had planned. Estimated loss: 136 million.

11. Moonfall

'Moonfall' is a science fiction disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich, known for his work on disaster-themed movies like 'Independence Day' and '2012'. It was a very expensive film, with a budget of 138 million. Estimated loss: $139 million.

10. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

A film with an extremely high budget of $300 million. It received negative reviews from critics and audiences. Estimated loss: $143 million.

09. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Originally, the movie was meant to be the first in a six-film franchise, but the planned sequels were cancelled after it underperformed at the box office and lost Warner Bros. $150 million.

08. Battleship

'Battleship' is a great board game. But the movie with Alexander Skarsgard, Liam Neeson and Rihanna received negative reviews from both critics and audiences. Estimated loss: $150 million.

07. Jungle Cruise

An extremely expensive film, which needed to gross over 500 million to recoup costs. It failed to do so and the loss was $151 million.

06. Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)

The first 'Joker' was a huge success worldwide and grossed $1.079 billion. The sequel barely reached one-fifth of that figure: $205 million. Losses for the studio were estimated at $152 million.

05. The Flash (2023)

'The Flash' had numerous delays, controversies, recasting, and all sorts of problems. It is the worst box office flop in superhero movie history. Estimated loss: 155 million.

04. The Lone Ranger (2013)

Featuring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer, this western faced criticism and failed to generate the expected revenue. Estimated Loss: $165 million.

03. Mortal Engines (2018)

'Mortal Engines', staring Hera Hilmar and Hugo Weaving, was based on the novel of the same name by Philip Reeve. Despite its visually striking steampunk and dystopian world, the movie did not perform well financially. Estimated loss: 175 million.

02. Strange World (2022)

The film grossed only $73.5 million at the worldwide box office, against its massive production and marketing costs. This resulted in an estimated total loss of $197 million for Disney.

01. The Marvels (2023)

Carol Danvers gets her powers entangled with those of Kamala Khan and Monica Rambeau, forcing them to work together to save the universe. "The Marvels" grossed $206.1 million worldwide, making it the lowest-grossing film in the MCU and one of the few MCU films not to break even in its theatrical run. Estimated loss: 237 million.