It takes a hefty financial investment to create a feature film film , with modern blockbuster frequently go past $ 100 million in budget . On top of that , studios have statistical distribution and advertising costs , which can be almost as high as the production budget . This makes tumid - weighing machine movie releases almost unfathomably expensive . To make that money back , plus a tidy profit , studios have to get fanny into theater tooshie foropening weekend . Then , they hope that vital congratulations and word - of - mouth bombilation can support its popularity long enough to make fortune of money .
This programme does n’t always work out , and plenty of films engage at a loss . Some take years to split up even , trust on posterior showing on habitation media , cable television service and streaming royal house to get into the black . Some movies fall flat so hard that they become legendary . It ’s those mega - bombs that we ’ll be concentrate on in this article . Here are the top 16 , in reverse order . ( Box officefigures are taken from Box Office Mojo and are not adjusted for inflation . Advertising and marketing figure are take from Deadline . )
16. “Heaven’s Gate” (1980)
This 1980 Western featuring Kris Kristofferson , Christopher Walken , Isabelle Huppert and Jeff Bridges has become somewhat of a furor classic , but at the time it was released it was a stupendous failure that bankrupted its studio apartment ( United Artists ) . Written and directed by Michael Cimino ( fresh off the succeeder of 1978 ’s " The Deer Hunter " ) , " Heaven ’s Gate " would ruin his reputation and see the Western music genre vanish from celluloid for a full decade . Cimino was blamed for the debacle , with his visual sense pushing the celluloid four times over the budget . " Six day into filming , he was five daytime behind schedule , and had spent $ 900,000 on a minute - and - a - one-half of usable footage,“reported the BBC .
When the film was finally unloose , critic said it was pretentious and wind . motion-picture fan found it long and perplexing . " Heaven ’s Gate " cost$44 million to make . It would have a worldwide gross revenue of just $ 3.5 million , and the film ’s name became a byword for box - office failure . Cimino ’s insistence on complete creative control ( and the resulting box office diaster ) bring to other motion picture studios assert on more oversight for future projects . However , in 2012 , Cimino and MGM released a 216 - minutedirector ’s cutof " Heaven ’s Gate " on Blu - ray that receive wide decisive acclaim and make audiences to reassess their aspect of this movie .
15. “John Carter” (2012)
" John Carter " is the perfect illustration of how a cinema with a huge budget can be a immense gamble for studios . The 2012 science fiction phantasy film , based on pulp novels from the other 1900s and starring Taylor Kitsch in the title role , had a astounding yield and advertising budget of $ 350 million , and would take a $ 200 million write - downafter gross $ 284 millionat theatre worldwide . Critics noted that because of the budget , " John Carter " would have togenerate tag sales of $ 600 millionto break in even . This would be quite a reaching and did n’t materialise . Disney ’s Brobdingnagian swing from profit to loss in the 2d fiscal quarter of 2012 was mainly due to " John Carter , " and this ledRichard Ross(then - school principal of Walt Disney studios ) to resign . regrettably for Disney , this is n’t their only appearance on this list .
14. “Stealth” (2005)
" Stealth " was directed by Rob Cohen , who helm popular natural action film such as " The Fast and the Furious " and " XXX . " But this is one he probably wishes he could take back . Released by Columbia Pictures on abulging budget of $ 135 million , it would only overstretch in $ 79.3 million at theaters around the world , making it a spectacular loss . The action / science fabrication film , starring Josh Lucas , Jessica Biel and Jamie Foxx , was slammed by critics , including Roger Ebert , who label it a " dumbed - down Top Gun . " In increase to tough review , the movie also had to vie with some big winners like " wedding ceremony Crashers " and " Charlie and the Chocolate Factory " at theaters . " Stealth " was one ofseveral financial disastersfor Columbia Pictures at the sentence , include " XXX : State of the Union , " " ensorcelled , " " Into the Blue , " " Zathura " and " Rent . "
13. “Sahara” (2005)
If you did n’t glance at the budget , it would come out that " Sahara " was a winner . It render $ 119 million ingross box billet sales , and it opened at No . 1 at the U.S. boxful office . However , the cinema lost around $ 105 million after spending $ 130 million on production and$81.1 million on statistical distribution . The 2005 natural action - comedy , starring Matthew McConaughey , Steve Zahn and Penelope Cruz , is one of the most expensive films of its time . It is establish on the best - selling script written by Clive Cussler , about an explorer search for a lose Civil War battleship in the comeuppance of West Africa . The filmran into sound troubles , with Cussler and producer Philip Anschutz lock in a battle for rights and each blaming the other for the motion picture ’s failure at the box power . " Sahara " was presuppose to be the first movie in a enfranchisement of Cussler ’s novel , but producers terminate this melodic theme follow the film ’s flop .
12. “The 13th Warrior” (1999)
base on the Michael Crichton novel " Eaters of the Dead " and a escaped retelling of " Beowulf , " " The 13th Warrior " is infamous for its corner office bomb calorimeter . The production budget started out at around $ 85 million , but several reshoots along with promotional disbursal visit it get hold of somewhere inthe region of $ 160 million . The film , starring Antonio Banderas , Omar Sharif and Diane Venora , would make just $ 61.7 million at the box office staff . In addition to the negative reviews , the picture was also competing with the hit " The Sixth sentience " for motion-picture fan dollars and came up right smart short .
The picture has another " claim to fame " — it was so risky it do Omar Sharif to give up represent for a few yr . " sorry pictures are very humiliating , I was really sick,“said Sharif . " It is terrifying to have to do the dialogue from bad book , to face a managing director who does not have sex what he is doing , in a film so defective that it is not even worth exploring . "
11. “Cutthroat Island” (1995)
The buccaneer rom - com " Cutthroat Island " lapse Carolco Pictures so bad , it took until2015 for the studio to relaunch . The film is noted forits shambolic productionwhich include several rewrites , recasts , two XII crew members quitting after the primary photographic camera operator was fired , a cinematographer break his leg , raw sewage eruct into the water tank , plus enough more barricade . There was also a scuffle to start film in line with Michael Douglas ' agenda , but he would afterward pull out — and much every big star at the clip declined to supersede him until Mathew Modine follow along .
The original $ 65 million budgetballooned to $ 98 million , with film director Renny Harlin have to cough up $ 1 million of his own money to drag the production across the conclusion line . The result was a clichéd handwriting , miserable acting and a boniface of continuity errors . The film pulled just $ 10 million at the box office , with a marketing budget ofabout $ 16 million .
10. “The Lone Ranger” (2013)
9. “The Adventures of Pluto Nash” (2002)
A science fiction comedy film that is neither adventuresome nor funny , " The Adventures of Pluto Nash " would go on to be a boxwood office bomb , universally pannedby critics and the small group of common people who went to the picture palace to see it . Starring Eddie Murphy , the film is typeset on the moon in 2087 , with Murphy ’s grapheme , Pluto Nash , as a night club possessor who refuses to trade his guild to the local gang . The motion picture roll in 2000 and sit on the shelf for two years before being released — always a bad foretoken . full world-wide consummate earningswere $ 7 million on an estimated budget of $ 100 million , plus$30 million for distribution . This make it one of the most expensive bombs of all time , although it would perform better on DVD . " I bed two or three mass that like this movie,“Murphy later say .
8. “Town and Country” (2001)
This amatory comedy about two in-between - aged twosome ( Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton alongside Goldie Hawn and Garry Shandling ) and their extramarital affairs , featured no CGI aliveness , action mechanism succession or special upshot . Yet it managed to render a budget of $ 90 million thanks to a mickle ofrewrites and reshoots , at long last take three year to finish . Anticipating pitiful performance , New Line Cinema skimped on merchandising , compare to the total budget , and expend only$30 million . It alsocanceled the film ’s premiere party . uncongenial reviews from critics and moviegoers did n’t assist the box spot , which grossed a paltry $ 10 million .
7. “Cats” (2019)
ground on the Broadway melodious based onT.S. Eliot ’s poetry,2019 ’s " Cats " had a lot of challenges to get over . This leg production was wide seen as a outre show with a mostly preposterous plot — though it was enormously popular . In the play , role player coiffure up as cats in elaborate costumes , but the motion-picture show instead opted to use motion capture CGI , along with a champion - stud cast of people like Judi Dench , Idris Elba and Taylor Swift . This did n’t work .
On its debut , hearing and critics derided the animation . It had clear been rushed to meet the release deadline . To try and sterilize this , Universal Pictures pushednew cuts of the filmwith redone effects after it had already hit field of operations , but the resultant still bet creepy and off - putting compared to the traditional play . Add all that on top of a story that ’s impossible to espouse , and you end up with poor loge office performance . " Cats " ultimatelymade $ 75.5 millionon a $ 95 million budget , plus acool $ 115 millionin ad spending .
6. “Mortal Engines” (2018)
Morecasually knownas " that film where cities take around on tank treads , " " Mortal Engines " is based on a sci - fi novel of the same name . The plot of land affect a post - apocalyptic future in which cities like London are convince into nomadic war machine and conflict other cities for resources . Somehow this wacky narrative overlook a$100 million budgetand afurther $ 120 millionin advertising .
Despite its eye - catching futuristic setting and impressive special consequence , " Mortal Engines " fall back onto a boilerplate unseasoned adult fantasy plot . There just was n’t enough substance to describe hearing in , and even Peter Jackson ’s piece of writing and production comment could n’t salvage the photographic film from the resulting global box office figures of only $ 84 million .
5. “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” (2017)
At some item in his calling , director Guy Ritchie pivot from making gamy crime dramatic play to schmaltzy risky venture picture show . " King Arthur " is a prime exercise of the latter . Charlie Hunnam star as Arthur , the immature Martin Luther King Jr. who pulls the fabled sword from the stone and inherits the throne of Britain .
The motion picture displayed Guy Ritchie ’s usual flair , with over - the - top legal action and excessive slow motion , but it did n’t court hearing — credibly because they were nauseated of King Arthur motion picture . you’re able to barely count how many Arthurian impression have been made over the last century , and plenty of them have been more compelling than this innovative take . " King Arthur " made$148.6 million worldwideagainst a $ 297 million budget ( $ 175 million on product and$112 million on merchandising ) . Warner Bros initially be after amassive saga of six filmsbut quickly cancel the rest .
4. “Mars Needs Moms” (2011)
There have been dozens of successful computer - animated clowning in late times , but " Mars Needs mama " is not one of them . The Walt Disney picture had a budget of $ 150 million , plus$50 million for marketing , but would gross just$39 million at the box office , making it one of the enceinte box office flops in history . Some say " Mars Needs Moms " failed due to the open matter of the celluloid : a mother being kidnapped by Martians , go away her child alone . Others say the reason was the pic flow into the uncanny valley ( the animated mankind were too naturalistic whichmost audiences find creepy ) . at last , the movie became one of the biggest write - downs in modern Hollywood history .
3. “47 Ronin” (2013)
This action jerk , starring Keanu Reeves and Hiroyuki Sanada , is about a literal - living group of samurai in 18th - century Japan . The movie hadan official budget of $ 175 million , but some sources at Universal Picturesalleged that the true cost was $ 225 millionafter reshoots . Then the studio spentat least $ 100 millionin additional selling and distribution costs . Despite all that cash , " 47 Ronin " earned only $ 38 million in the U.S. Although it did better internationally , it wasreceived badly in Japanwhere outlook had been high . Critics blamed its poor performance on its Christmas release ( competition is particularly high at this clock time ) , the length of time to take out off the project and the fact that Keanu Reevesdidn’t have a good track recordwith period pieces . Whatever the grounds , " 47 Ronin " was a colossal box office bomb .
2. “Mulan” (2020)
Like many other film projects , the bouncy - action remake of the dear alive movie " Mulan " was thrown into flux by the stand up COVID-19 pandemic . As a film satiate to the brim with spectacle and with many sequences filmed on locating in China , its$200 million budgetwasn’t so surprising . But no one could have predicted the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequence it would have on the motion motion-picture show industriousness . The picture was initially plan for exit in belated March 2020 but was postponed as theaters start shutting down .
After multiple attempt at rescheduling , Disney settled onpushing " Mulan " to the Disney+streaming service in September 2020 , along with liberation to some theaters in international markets . The film took injust under $ 70 millionat the box office , with over one-half of that come from China . The remake apparently failed to go up to the aroused bet of the original animated feature article . However , Disney scale down marketing price to just$50 millionbecause the film was spring for streaming , while at the same time point Disney+ contributor anadditional $ 30to see it . These play no doubt helped recoup some of the losses .
1. “Turning Red” (2022)
It ’s almost unthinkable for a Pixar film to bomb , but " deform Red " flopped with fashion , thanks to The Walt Disney Company ’s stage business determination . In the U.S. , " Turning Red " work straight to Disney+ in March 2022 with no extensive theatrical release . Its entire box office take add up from prize markets in Europe and Asia , resulting inonly $ 20.1 millionon a whopping $ 175 million budget . exchangeable to Mulan , it likely received selling and distribution to the line of $ 50 million .
The reason for pushing the film to streaming was reportedly because Pixar ’s previous flick , " Encanto , " hadunderperformed at the box officebut was a hit at Disney+ . With " Turning Red , " many Disney execs probably considered it a worthwhile loss so as to have a big - budget film labor new ratifier to their cyclosis service . " Turning Red " was themost - learn programacross all streaming platforms in the U.S. during most of March 2022 .
