Belly Flop
Look, it's usually impossible to tell just exactly how much a movie lost. For whatever reason, movie studios aren't always the most transparent when it comes to their disastrous flops.
So as long as we're playing fast and loose, here's the biggest flops in history, rounded up to the highest estimate, adjusted for inflation—because it's more fun that way!
John Carter, Disney 2012 - Lost $250 Million
If you don't remember John Carter, then you're part of the problem! Disney thought John Carter was going to be the start of a big new franchise. Instead it's...well, the biggest bomb in history.
Walt Disney, John Carter (2012)
The Lone Ranger, Disney, 2013 - Lost $239 Million
Gore Verbinkski's The Lone Ranger flopped before anyone had heard anything about Johnny Depp or Armie Hammer, so it can't even blame them!
Walt Disney, The Lone Ranger (2013)
The 13th Warrior, Touchstone (Disney), 1999 - Lost $227 Million
Another Disney debaucle, the studio was so sure that audiences wanted to see a Muslim adventurer among Vikings that they shelled out $160 million to make The 13th Warrior in 1999. Audiences did not want to see that, and the movie made it to third on our list.
Touchstone Pictures, The 13th Warrior (1999)
Mortal Engines, Universal, 2018 - Lost $204 Million
Cities on wheels is a great pitch—but it wasn't enough to make Universal Studios' adaptation of Philip Reeve's young adult novel successful. The movie cost as much as $150 million to make and...did not make that much.
Universal, Mortal Engines (2018)
Cutthroat Island, MGM, 1995 - Lost $202 Million
Geena Davis and Matthew Modine couldn't make the Reny Harland-directed swashbuckler a hit after the chaos of rewrites, reshoots, and recasts. We blame MGM, the studio—but you can blame whoever you want!
Canal+, Cutthroat Island (1995)
Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas, Dreamworks, 2003 - Lost $199 Million
In 2003, Finding Nemo was the future—and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas was the past. Finding Nemo made nearly a billion dollars. Sinbad nearly bankrupted Dreamworks.
DreamWorks, Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas (2003)
Strange World, Disney, 2022 - Lost $199 Million
Look, any movie on this list that was released between 2020 and 2022 deserves a BIG pass.
Walt Disney, Strange World (2022)
Battleship, Universal, 2012 - Lost $191 Million
Did you know Rihanna was in Battleship? Pretty cool. Didn't get people to go see it, though.
Mars Needs Moms, Disney, 2011 - Lost $187 Million
It would seem that Earth did not need Mars Needs Moms.
Walt Disney, Mars Needs Moms (2011)
Pan, Warner Bros, 2015 - Lost $185 Million
The Peter Pan prequel with Garrett Hedlund as a hunky young Hook and Rooney Mara as the Native American princess Tiger Lily. Surprisingly, wasn't a smash hit.
Tomorrowland, Disney, 2015 - Lost $185 Million
Disney has turned theme park attractions into successful movie franchises before—but Tomorrowland was a swing and a miss.
Warner Bros., Tomorrowland (2015)
King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword, Warner Bros, 2017 - Lost $183 Million
Guy Ritchie directing a gritty, rough-and-tumble King Arthur story? Sounds great, right? Well, people in 2017 didn't think so.
Warner Bros., King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword (2017)
Titan A.E., 20th Century Fox, 2000 - Lost $170 Million
There used to be two big names in animation: Disney, and Don Bluth. If you don't know Don Bluth today, well...that's probably because of
20th Century, Titan A.E. (2000)
Turning Red, Disney, 2022 - Lost $167 Million
Another 2020-2022 doomed movie, moving on. At least you can see it on streaming!
Warner Bros., Turning Red (2022)
Jungle Cruise, Disney, 2021 - Lost $162 Million
Technically deserves the 2020-2022 pass, but I'm giving it out begrudgingly.
Walt Disney., Jungle Cruise (2021)
Mulan, Disney, 2020 - Lost $159 Million
Oof, Disney sure had a lot of stuff coming out in 2020-2022. I wonder if they made any money in 2019...
The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Warner Bros, 2002 - Lost $156 Million
Ahh, finally a good old-fashioned, non-pandemic related flop! Eddie Murphy was once maybe the biggest star in the world. Surely nothing with him in it could fail, right? Welp, people weren't saying that after 2002.
Warner Bros., The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
Dark Phoenix, 20th Century Fox, 2019 - Lost $155 Million
Look, there was definitely lots of money to be made with superheroes in 2019—but Dark Phoenix wasn't it.
20th Century, Dark Phoenix (2019)
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, Sony, 2001 - Lost $155 Million
It took a long time before any movie studio figured out how to successfully make a video game adaptation. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, with its PS2-era graphics was one attempt, but it didn't quite work out...
Sony, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)
Wonder Woman 1984, Warner Bros, 2020 - Lost $155 Million
2020, obvious pass for Wonder Woman 1984. Some of the later DC movies? Not so much of a pass.
Terminator Dark Fate,
Warner Bros., Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
A Wrinkle In Time, Disney, 2018 - Lost $152 Million
Disney must have thought their adaptation of the classic children's novel was a sure thing with Oprah Winfrey in a rare starting role. They would have been wrong, though.
Walt Disney, A Wrinkle In Time (2018)
Terminator: Dark Fate, 20th Century Fox, 2019 - Lost $152 Million
After T2, Terminator sequels have never worked—so paying almost $200 million for one in 2019 maybe wasn't the best bet.
20th Century, Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
Monster Trucks, Paramount, 2016 - Lost $150 Million
Guys, it's monster. Trucks! The trucks...are monsters! That's the movie! Yeah, it didn't work then either. Poor Creech never stood a chance.
Paramount, Monster Trucks (2016)
Jupiter Ascending, Warner Bros, 2015 - Lost $148 Million
Yours truly is one of the world's premiere Jupiter Ascending defenders and will be taking no more questions at this time.
Warner Bros., Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Onward, Disney, 2020 - Lost $147 Million
Another pandemic pass. Did you know this movie stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt? It's good, too.
The Alamo, Touchstone (Disney), 2004 - Lost $146 Million
Remember The Alamo? If not, that's alright. No one went to see it.
Ben Hur, Paramount/MGM, 2016 - Lost $146 Million
They used to make big, epic historical movies like Ben Hur back in the 50s. They do it less today—in part because of movies like the 2016 Ben Hur remake.
Stealth, Sony, 2005 - Lost $144 Million
Hyper-advanced robot plane vs. scrappy fighter pilots? They fumbled the ball with this in 2005—someone remake this STAT!
Heaven's Gate, United Artists, 1980 - Lost $144 Million
After his success with The Deer Hunter, Michael Cimino wasn't going to take feedback from anyone. The result was Heaven's Gate, one of the greatest debaucles in Hollywood history.
How bad was it? The budget ballooned to $44 million by the time it was finished. Its final gross? $3.5 million.
United Artists, Heaven's Gate (1980)
How Do You Know, Sony, 2010 - Lost $140 Million
Back in the 80s, James L. Brooks made some of Hollywood's most beloved comedy-dramas. Did he still have the juice in 2010? Audiences say: "Nope!"
