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 a material factor, so losses are adjusted for inflation using the United States Consumer Price Index to enable comparison at equivalent purchasing power.
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 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 are 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 streaming, 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 and widely seen as box-office bombs that 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] It was among the top ten films of the 1960s, [6] but still failed to recoup its investment during its theatrical release. [4] It eventually broke even in 1966 when Fox sold the television broadcast rights to ABC for $5 million. [7] 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. [8] [9] Such films are still cited as high-risk examples in evaluating the prospects of future productions. [8] For example, Cleopatra is blamed for a decline in big-budget epic films in the 1960s. [10]
The COVID-19 pandemic, starting around March 2020, caused temporary closure of movie theatres, and distributors moved several films to premier to streaming services such as HBO Max, Disney+, and Peacock with little to no box-office takes. While these films may have had successful runs on these services, the viewership or revenue from these showings are typically not reported and excluded from the box office. As a result, several films from 2020 to 2022 are included on this list, despite potentially having been profitable for their studios through streaming. [11]
The following is a partial list of films that lost the most money, based on documented losses or estimated by expert analysis of various financial factors such as the production budget, marketing and distribution costs, gross box-office receipts and other ancillary revenues. 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 $100 million or higher as of 2023 [update] ).
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 | $126–236 | [# 1] |
47 Ronin | 2013 | $175–225 | $151.8 | $96 | $126 | [# 2] |
The 355 | 2022 | $40–75 | $27.7 | $93 | $105 | [# 3] |
The Adventures of Pluto Nash | 2002 | $100 | $7.1 | $96 | $163 | [# 4] |
The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle | 2000 | $76–98.6 | $35.1 | $63.5 | $112 | [# 5] |
The Alamo | 2004 | $107 | $25.8 | $94 | $152 | [# 6] |
Alexander | 2004 | $155 | $167.3 | $71 | $115 | [# 7] |
Ali | 2001 | $107 | $87.7 | $63 | $108 | [# 8] |
Allied | 2016 | $85 | $118.6 | $75–90 | $95–114 | [# 9] |
Amsterdam | 2022 | $80 | $31.2 | $108 | $112 | [# 10] |
Around the World in 80 Days | 2004 | $110 | $72.2 | $74 | $119 | [# 11] |
The Astronaut's Wife | 1999 | $75 | $19.6 | $65 | $119 | [# 12] |
Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever | 2002 | $70 | $19.9 | $70.1 | $119 | [# 13] |
Battlefield Earth | 2000 | $73–103 | $29.7 | $73.3 | $130 | [# 14] |
Battleship | 2012 | $209–220 | $303 | $150 | $199 | [# 15] |
Beloved | 1998 | $80 | $22.9 | $68.5 | $128 | [# 16] |
Ben-Hur | 2016 | $100 | $94.1 | $75–120 | $95–152 | [# 17] |
The BFG | 2016 | $140 | $179.6 | $71–100 | $90–127 | [# 18] |
Black Adam | 2022 | $190–260 | $393 | $50–100 | $52–104 | [# 19] |
Blackhat | 2015 | $70 | $19.7 | $68–90 | $87–116 | [# 20] |
The Call of the Wild | 2020 | $125–150 | $107.6 | $50–100 | $59–118 | [# 21] |
Cats | 2019 | $90–100 | $73.7 | $71–113.6 | $85–135 | [# 22] |
Chaos Walking | 2021 | $100 | $26.5 | $112 | $126 | [# 23] |
Chill Factor | 1999 | $34–70 | $11.8 | $64 | $117 | [# 24] |
A Christmas Carol | 2009 | $175–200 | $325.3 | $50–100 | $71–142 | [# 25] |
The Chronicles of Riddick | 2004 | $105–120 | $115.8 | $47–73 | $76–118 | [# 26] |
Cowboys & Aliens | 2011 | $163 | $174.8 | $63–75 | $85–102 | [# 27] |
Cutthroat Island [nb 2] | 1995 | $98 | $18.3 | $105 | $210 | [# 28] |
Dark Phoenix | 2019 | $200 | $252.4 | $79–133 | $96–161 | [# 29] |
Deepwater Horizon | 2016 | $110–120 | $119.5 | $60–113 | $76–143 | [# 30] |
Dolittle | 2020 | $175 | $227.9 | $50–100 | $59–118 | [# 31] |
Driven | 2001 | $94 | $54.7 | $67 | $115 | [# 32] |
Dudley Do-Right | 1999 | $70 | $10 | $65 | $119 | [# 33] |
Evan Almighty | 2007 | $175 | $173.4 | $87 | $128 | [# 34] |
The Fall of the Roman Empire | 1964 | $18.4 | $4.8 | $14.3 | $140 | [# 35] |
Fantastic Four | 2015 | $120–125 | $168 | $80–100 | $103–129 | [# 36] |
Fathers' Day | 1997 | $85 | $35.7 | $67 | $127 | [# 37] |
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within | 2001 | $137 | $85.1 | $94 | $162 | [# 38] |
The Flash | 2023 | $200 | $271.3 | $155 | $155 | [# 39] |
Gemini Man | 2019 | $138 | $173.5 | $111.1 | $132 | [# 40] |
Ghost in the Shell | 2017 | $110–180 | $169.8 | $60–100 | $75–124 | [# 41] |
Gigli | 2003 | $75.6 | $7.3 | $72 | $119 | [# 42] |
Gods of Egypt | 2016 | $140 | $150.7 | $76–90 | $96–114 | [# 43] |
The Good Dinosaur | 2015 | $175–200 | $332.2 | $85 | $109 | [# 44] |
The Great Raid | 2005 | $80 | $10.8 | $75 | $117 | [# 45] |
Green Lantern | 2011 | $200 | $219.9 | $75–90 | $102–122 | [# 46] |
Hard Rain | 1998 | $70 | $19.9 | $60 | $112 | [# 47] |
Hart's War | 2002 | $70–95 | $32.3 | $62.7 | $106 | [# 48] |
Haunted Mansion | 2023 | $150 | $117.4 | $117 | $117 | [# 49] |
Heaven's Gate | 1980 | $44 | $3.5 | $40.5 | $150 | [# 50] |
How Do You Know | 2010 | $100 | $48.7 | $104 | $145 | [# 51] |
Hudson Hawk | 1991 | $65 | $17.2 | $47.8 | $107 | [# 52] |
Hugo | 2011 | $150–170 | $185.8 | $91 | $123 | [# 53] |
Inchon | 1982 | $46 | $5.2 | $40.8 | $129 | [# 54] |
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny | 2023 | $326 | $384 | $143 | $143 | [# 55] |
Instinct | 1999 | $80 | $34.1 | $63 | $115 | [# 56] |
The Invasion | 2007 | $80 | $40 | $71 | $104 | [# 57] |
Ishtar | 1987 | $51–55 | $14.4 | $40.6 | $109 | [# 58] |
Jack Frost | 1998 | $40–85 | $34.6 | $68 | $127 | [# 59] |
Jack the Giant Slayer | 2013 | $185–200 | $197.7 | $103 | $135 | [# 60] |
John Carter | 2012 | $263.7 | $284.1 | $112–200 | $149–265 | [# 61] |
Joker: Folie à Deux † | 2024 | $190–200 | $204.8 | $125–200 | $125–200 | [# 62] |
Jungle Cruise § | 2021 | $200 | $220.9 | $150 | $169 | [# 63] |
Jupiter Ascending | 2015 | $175 | $184 | $95–120 | $122–154 | [# 64] |
K-19: The Widowmaker | 2002 | $100 | $65.7 | $67 | $113 | [# 65] |
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword | 2017 | $175 | $148.7 | $112–153.2 | $139–190 | [# 66] |
Krull | 1983 | $27 | $16.5 | $33.5 | $102 | [# 67] |
The Last Duel | 2021 | $100 | $30.6 | $99 | $111 | [# 68] |
Lightyear | 2022 | $200 | $226.4 | $106–122 | $110–127 | [# 69] |
Lolita | 1997 | $62 | $1.1 | $61 | $116 | [# 70] |
The Lone Ranger | 2013 | $225–250 | $260.5 | $160–190 | $209–249 | [# 71] |
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. | 2015 | $75 | $109.8 | $80 | $103 | [# 72] |
Mars Needs Moms | 2011 | $150 | $39 | $100–144 | $135–195 | [# 73] |
The Marvels | 2023 | $270 | $206.1 | $237 | $237 | [# 74] |
The Matrix Resurrections § | 2021 | $190 | $156.5 | $130 | $146 | [# 75] |
Missing Link | 2019 | $102.3 | $26.2 | $101.3 | $121 | [# 76] |
Monkeybone | 2001 | $75 | $7.6 | $71 | $122 | [# 77] |
Monster Trucks | 2016 | $125 | $64.5 | $108–123.1 | $137–156 | [# 78] |
Moonfall | 2022 | $138 | $67.3 | $138 | $144 | [# 79] |
Mortal Engines | 2018 | $110 | $83.7 | $174.8 | $212 | [# 80] |
Mulan § | 2020 | $200 | $66.8 | $141 | $166 | [# 81] |
The Mummy | 2017 | $195 | $410 | $60–95 | $75–118 | [# 82] |
The Nutcracker in 3D | 2010 | $90 | $20.5 | $82 | $115 | [# 83] |
Onward § | 2020 | $175–200 | $142 | $130 | $153 | [# 84] |
Osmosis Jones | 2001 | $70 | $14 | $63 | $108 | [# 85] |
Pan | 2015 | $150 | $128.4 | $86–150 | $111–193 | [# 86] |
Peter Pan | 2003 | $130.6 | $122 | $70 | $116 | [# 87] |
Poseidon | 2006 | $160 | $181.7 | $83 | $125 | [# 88] |
The Postman | 1997 | $80 | $20.8 | $70 | $133 | [# 89] |
The Promise | 2016 | $90 | $10.6 | $93–102.1 | $118–130 | [# 90] |
R.I.P.D. | 2013 | $130–154 | $78.3 | $92 | $120 | [# 91] |
Red Planet | 2000 | $80 | $33.5 | $63 | $111 | [# 92] |
Rise of the Guardians | 2012 | $145 | $306.9 | $87 | $115 | [# 93] |
Robin Hood | 2018 | $100 | $85.7 | $83.7 | $102 | [# 94] |
Sahara | 2005 | $160 | $119.2 | $78.4 | $122 | [# 95] |
Seventh Son | 2015 | $95 | $114.2 | $85 | $109 | [# 96] |
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas | 2003 | $60 | $80.8 | $125 | $207 | [# 97] |
Soldier | 1998 | $60–75 | $14.6 | $60 | $112 | [# 98] |
A Sound of Thunder | 2005 | $80 | $11.7 | $74 | $115 | [# 99] |
Space Jam: A New Legacy § | 2021 | $150 | $162.9 | $111 | $125 | [# 100] |
Speed Racer | 2008 | $120 | $93.9 | $88 | $125 | [# 101] |
Sphere | 1998 | $73–80 | $50.2 | $61 | $114 | [# 102] |
Stealth | 2005 | $135 | $79.3 | $96 | $150 | [# 103] |
Strange World | 2022 | $180 | $73.6 | $197 | $205 | [# 104] |
The Suicide Squad § | 2021 | $185 | $167.4 | $120 | $135 | [# 105] |
Supernova | 2000 | $90 | $14.8 | $83 | $147 | [# 106] |
Tenet | 2020 | $200 | $363.7 | $50–100 | $59–118 | [# 107] |
Terminator: Dark Fate | 2019 | $185–196 | $261.1 | $110–130 | $131–155 | [# 108] |
Titan A.E. | 2000 | $75–90 | $36.8 | $100 | $177 | [# 109] |
Tomorrowland | 2015 | $180–190 | $209 | $90–150 | $116–193 | [# 110] |
Town & Country | 2001 | $90 | $10.4 | $85 | $146 | [# 111] |
Transformers: The Last Knight | 2017 | $217–260 | $605.4 | $100+ | $124+ | [# 112] |
Treasure Planet | 2002 | $140 | $109.6 | $85 | $144 | [# 113] |
Turning Red § | 2022 | $175 | $19.8 | $167 | $174 | [# 114] |
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets | 2017 | $177.2–180 | $225.9 | $82 | $102 | [# 115] |
West Side Story | 2021 | $100 | $76 | $104 | $117 | [# 116] |
Windtalkers | 2002 | $115–120 | $77.6 | $76–81 | $129–137 | [# 117] |
Wish | 2023 | $200 | $254.9 | $131 | $131 | [# 118] |
The Wolfman | 2010 | $150 | $139.8 | $76 | $106 | [# 119] |
Wonder Woman 1984 § | 2020 | $200 | $166.5 | $100–137 | $118–161 | [# 120] |
A Wrinkle in Time | 2018 | $125 | $133.2 | $130.6 | $158 | [# 121] |
xXx: State of the Union | 2005 | $113.1 | $71 | $78 | $122 | [# 122] |
Zoom | 2006 | $75.6 | $12.5 | $69 | $104 | [# 123] |
The 13th Warrior is a 1999 American historical fiction action film based on Michael Crichton's 1976 novel Eaters of the Dead, which is a loose adaptation of the tale of Beowulf combined with Ahmad ibn Fadlan's historical account of the Volga Vikings.
A box-office bomb is a film that is unprofitable or considered highly unsuccessful during its theatrical run. Although any film for which the combined production budget, marketing, and distribution costs exceed the revenue after release has technically "bombed", the term is more frequently used for major studio releases that were highly anticipated, extensively marketed, and expensive to produce, but nevertheless failed commercially. Originally, a "bomb" had the opposite meaning, referring instead to a successful film that "exploded" at the box office. The term continued to be used this way in the United Kingdom into the 1970s.
Poseidon is a 2006 American action disaster film directed and co-produced by Wolfgang Petersen. It is the third film adaptation of Paul Gallico's 1969 novel The Poseidon Adventure, and a loose remake of the 1972 film. It stars Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas and Richard Dreyfuss with Emmy Rossum, Jacinda Barrett, Mike Vogel, Mía Maestro, Jimmy Bennett and Andre Braugher in supporting roles. It was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. in association with Virtual Studios. It had a simultaneous release in IMAX format. It was released on May 12, 2006, and it was criticized for its script but was praised for its visuals and was nominated at the 79th Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects. It grossed $181.7 million worldwide on a budget of $160 million; however, after the costs of promotion and distribution, Warner Bros. lost $70–80 million on the film, making it a box-office bomb as a result.
Town & Country is a 2001 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Chelsom, written by Buck Henry and Michael Laughlin, and starring Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, Garry Shandling, Andie MacDowell, Jenna Elfman, Nastassja Kinski, Charlton Heston, and Josh Hartnett. Beatty plays an architect, with Keaton as his wife, and Hawn and Shandling as their best friends. It was Beatty's and Keaton's first film together since 1981's Reds, and Beatty's third film with Hawn, after 1971's $ and 1975's Shampoo.
Gaturro: The Movie (Gaturro) is a 2010 animated comedy film based on the popular Argentine comic book of the same name created by Hernán Dzwonik. The film is produced by Illusion Studios, Toonz Animation, and co-produced by Mexico's Ánima Estudios. This film is the first Indian-Latin American animated co-production.
Entourage is a 2015 American comedy film written, directed, and produced by Doug Ellin. It serves as a continuation of the HBO television series of the same name. The film stars the principal cast of the show, Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Gary Busey and Jeremy Piven. The plot follows actor Vincent Chase (Grenier), who goes over budget on his directorial debut and must ask newly appointed studio head Ari Gold (Piven) for more money. Like in the series, many celebrity sportspeople and actors appear as themselves, while several supporting cast members from the show reprise their roles.
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is a 2015 American action spy film written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie from a story by McQuarrie and Drew Pearce. It is the sequel to Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) and the fifth installment in the Mission: Impossible film series. It stars Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris and Alec Baldwin. It follows Impossible Missions Force agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his team, who, subsequent to their disbandment and Hunt's pursuit by the Central Intelligence Agency, must fight The Syndicate, an international group of rogue government agents.
Collide is a 2016 action thriller film directed by Eran Creevy, who also co-wrote it with F. Scott Frazier. The film stars Nicholas Hoult, Felicity Jones, Marwan Kenzari, Ben Kingsley, and Anthony Hopkins. The plot follows two young Americans living in Germany who must complete a drug theft from a crime boss in order to pay for a medical operation.
The Secret Life of Pets is a 2016 American animated comedy film produced by Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment, and distributed by Universal. It was directed by Chris Renaud, co-directed by Yarrow Cheney, and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, from a screenplay written by Brian Lynch and the writing team of Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. The film stars the voices of Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Jenny Slate, Kevin Hart, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, Bobby Moynihan, Steve Coogan, and Albert Brooks. The film's plot follows the relationship between a spoiled terrier named Max and a giant, unruly dog named Duke. It also follows what other pets do when their owners are gone for the day.
Don't Breathe is a 2016 American horror film co-produced and directed by Fede Álvarez, who co-wrote it with Rodo Sayagues. It is the first installment in the Don't Breathe franchise. The film stars Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto, and Stephen Lang, and focuses on three home intruders who get trapped inside a blind man's house.
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.
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.
Despite a lavish production budget for which estimates range from $100 to $160...
THR has learned that the film, which centers on a love triangle, cost $120 million to make, though the studio drove that down to about $100 million thanks to tax rebates from Pennsylvania and D.C.
The tax payment to John Carter gave the picture a net budget of $263.7 million which is far more than estimates predicted.
The picture cost approximately $250 million to produce... Studio reps say the pic cost around $225 million, but sources say it was considerably higher.