Many sci-fi movies include astronomical budgets. Hollywood studios sink a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of {dollars} into these films, making an attempt to make them the best spectacles attainable. These huge budgets entice bankable stars and afford high quality requirements like CGI, units or on-location taking pictures, costume and make-up design, and extra.
Not all sci-fi blockbusters are profitable, although. Generally, the gamble does not repay, and field workplace numbers fall manner beneath finances, turning these movies into bombs slightly than smash hits. And more often than not, we are able to see the monetary catastrophe coming earlier than the movie even hits theaters. Possibly it is a sequel in a franchise that is flatlined, its glory days effectively behind it. Or possibly the film trailer was merely a load of scorching rubbish. Regardless of the case, listed here are 10 sci-fl flops that everybody however Hollywood noticed coming.
10
‘Battlefield Earth’ (2000)
Battlefield Earth
- Launch Date
-
Might 12, 2000
Primarily based on the eponymous sci-fi novel by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, Battlefield Earth follows a revolt towards the extra-terrestrials who’ve dominated Earth for 1,000 years. After publishing his e book in 1982, Hubbard despatched an autographed copy of Battlefield Earth to John Travolta, hoping that his fellow Scientologist would in the future flip his novel right into a film.
By the mid-Nineteen Nineties, Travolta had skilled a profession comeback that will enable him to convey Hubbard’s imaginative and prescient to life. However by this time, information had additionally unfold in regards to the horrors of Scientology. Travolta approached quite a few studios about producing Battlefield Earth, however lots of them refused to finance the movie, expressing considerations in regards to the film’s terrible script and its connections to Scientology. Even most of Hollywood noticed the monetary catastrophe looming with this film. However Travolta ignored the warning indicators and wound up producing his ardour challenge himself, together with three different studios.
To the shock of nobody (aside from possibly Travolta), Battlefield Earth bombed critically and commercially. It grossed $29.7 million towards a finances of $73–$103 million, shedding $130 million when adjusted for inflation. Battlefield Earth did not simply flop on the field workplace; it bankrupted Franchise Footage, one of many studios that produced the film.
Associated
All of A24’s 2024 Horror and Sci-Fi Films, Ranked
A24 is the studio behind a number of the greatest indie movies of the previous decade, particularly in horror and sci-fi. Do their 2024 style movies evaluate?
9
‘The Matrix Resurrections’ (2024)
- Launch Date
-
December 22, 2021
- Runtime
-
2hr 28min
The Matrix was a field workplace smash when it first got here out in 1999. Its super success turned this ground-breaking sci-fi movie right into a film collection. Whereas the unique movie is broadly revered, the remainder of The Matrix franchise does not take pleasure in the identical reward and enthusiasm from followers and critics. The movies appeared to worsen with every installment. And regardless of the third movie’s questionable conclusion, most followers accepted The Matrix Revolutions because the definitive ending to this collection. Nobody wanted or requested for one more sequel. And but, we obtained one anyway 18 years later.
Most followers had been skeptical about this new film. Just one Wachowski had signed on to direct it, and even worse, a number of iconic actors from the unique trilogy wouldn’t be returning, equivalent to Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving. And the followers had been proper. The Matrix Resurrections tried to resurrect the unique story, slapping new faces onto previous characters, but it surely did not work. For many followers, The Matrix Resurrections was a dull shell of the unique Matrix.
The Matrix Resurrections flopped on the field workplace, grossing a meager $159 million worldwide towards a finances of $190 million. When adjusted for inflation, The Matrix Resurrections resulted in a lack of $146 million. Most followers had hoped that these numbers would kill any chance of a future sequel, however, alas, Hollywood by no means learns. One other sequel, recognized solely as Matrix 5 proper now, is reportedly within the works.
8
‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ (2018)
Solo: A Star Wars Story
- Launch Date
-
Might 25, 2018
- Runtime
-
135 Minutes
- Solid
-
Alden Ehrenreich
, Joonas Suotamo
, Woody Harrelson
, Emilia Clarke
, Donald Glover
, Thandiwe Newton
, Phoebe Waller-Bridge
, Paul Bettany
, Jon Favreau
, Erin Kellyman
, Linda Hunt
, Ian Kenny
, John Tui
, Anna Francolini
, Andrew Woodall
, Warwick Davis
, Shaquille Ali-Yebuah
, Eben Figueiredo
, Aaron Heffernan - Fundamental Style
-
Sci-Fi
Many Star Wars followers had been thrilled when Disney acquired the franchise from creator George Lucas and introduced plans to develop new Star Wars content material. Though Disney’s first Star Wars movie, The Pressure Awakens, was a carbon copy of A New Hope, audiences had been typically proud of the film. However the launch of 2017’sThe Final Jedi modified all the things. It divided audiences and left many followers doubting Disney’s management over their favourite franchise. Audiences nonetheless had the bitter style of The Final Jedi of their mouths when Disney launched their subsequent movie in 2018.
Solo: A Star Wars Story is a stand-alone movie that tells the origin story of everybody’s favourite stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder, Han Solo. Moderately than de-age Harrison Ford, Disney forged Alden Ehrenreich to play the younger Han Solo. This choice solely upset Star Wars followers even additional, an apparent impact that the Home of Mouse had both missed or underestimated. They usually paid dearly for the oversight. Solo turned the primary Star Wars movie to underperform on the field workplace, grossing solely $393.2 million worldwide towards an estimated finances of $330.4 million.
Initially, Disney had deliberate to launch a brand new Star Wars movie yearly. However Solo‘s business failure modified that, forcing Disney to halt future Star Wars films and re-evaluate their plan — an end result that the studio continues to be grappling with years later.
7
‘John Carter’ (2012)
- Launch Date
-
March 9, 2012
- Runtime
-
132 minutes
John Carter was purported to be an enormous franchise for Disney. Primarily based on the influential Barsoom novels, it was meant to be the primary in a collection of sci-fi journey movies a few Civil Battle veteran who’s transported to the thriving world of Mars. With a whopping value of $300 million, John Carter is likely one of the most costly movies ever made. And it turned one of many worst field workplace bombs of all time with a staggering lack of $265 million in 2024. You simply knew from the trailers that this film was going to be horrible. The truth is, the movie’s advertising and marketing and promotion workforce took many of the blame for John Carter’s abysmal efficiency.
To informal audiences unfamiliar with the books, John Carter seemed like a lame rip-off of Star Wars and Dune, regardless that the Barsoom novels are literally what impressed these very tales. The remainder of the blame went to Wealthy Ross, the top of Walt Disney Studios on the time, who resigned after the movie flopped. This film was such a business failure that plans to develop the franchise had been scrapped, leaving John Carter as a stand-alone bomb.
6
‘Males in Black: Worldwide’ (2019)
Males In Black: Worldwide
- Launch Date
-
June 14, 2019
- Runtime
-
115 Minutes
- Solid
-
Viktorija Religion, Les Twins, Jess Radomska, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson, Rebecca Ferguson, Stephen Wight, Chris Hemsworth, Kumail Nanjiani, Rafe Spall, Emma Thompson
- Genres
-
Comedy, Sci-Fi, Motion
- Ranking
-
PG-13
Males in Black was an enormous hit when it got here out in 1997, establishing a film franchise primarily based on the Marvel comedian e book collection. Like so many different entries on our listing, the sequels did not reside as much as the unique film, although they nonetheless carried out effectively on the field workplace. The franchise ended with 2012’s Males in Black 3, and everybody was simply tremendous with that. However in traditional Hollywood style, the powers-that-be determined to shove one more Males in Black film down our throats.
Set in the identical universe as its predecessors, Males in Black: Worldwide serves as a stand-alone sequel. It follows two never-before-seen brokers, who secretly sort out extraterrestrial threats whereas making an attempt to uncover a mole of their group. Followers collectively groaned when it was introduced that the trilogy’s stars, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, wouldn’t be returning for the movie, plunging fan curiosity even decrease. On prime of that, there have been script rewrites and points between the movie’s producer and director, which appeared to spell catastrophe for the film.
Unsurprisingly, Males in Black: Worldwide fell beneath expectations on the field workplace. It grossed $253.9 million worldwide towards a $94–110 million finances, turning into the worst performer within the Males in Black franchise. You do not want a neuralyzer for this movie; the story itself is forgettable sufficient.
5
‘Cowboys & Aliens’ (2011)
- Launch Date
-
July 29, 2011
- Runtime
-
135 minutes
A title is so essential for a film. And when audiences noticed a film trailer that includes cowboys and aliens, and when the title of that movie turned out to actually be Cowboys & Aliens, everybody had the identical thought. Who the hell thought this film was a good suggestion? How might respected filmmakers, like Jon Favreau, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, greenlight this factor? How might notable actors like Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, and Sam Rockwell comply with star in it? Everybody within the theater knew this film could be a field workplace bomb. How come nobody in Hollywood did?
These questions are a few of Hollywood’s greatest mysteries. Cowboys & Aliens earned $174.8 million on a $163 million finances, leading to roughly a $102 million when adjusted for inflation. To the shock of nobody, it stays one of many greatest bombs in cinema.
4
‘Tomorrowland’ (2015)
- Launch Date
-
Might 22, 2015
- Runtime
-
130 Minutes
Disney struck gold once they turned one in every of their most well-known theme park rides, Pirates of the Caribbean, right into a film. So that they did it once more, and once more, and once more, satisfied that that they had discovered a components for achievement. 2015’s Tomorrowland is a kind of films. Primarily based on one of many themed lands from the Disney Parks, Tomorrowland is a sci-fi journey that transports a genius inventor and a teenage science fanatic to an alternate dimension referred to as — yep, you guessed it — Tomorrowland.
By the point Tomorrowland got here out, audiences had been hit with 4 Pirates of the Caribbean movies and three different ride-based films, together with Mission to Mars, The Nation Bears, and The Haunted Mansion. Audiences had been bored with Disney’s ride-based shtick, and it confirmed in most of the field workplace numbers. However for some purpose, Disney was satisfied that all of us wished extra. Oh, how incorrect they had been. Tomorrowland tanked on the field workplace. It grossed $209 million worldwide towards a $190 million finances, shedding upwards of $193 million in 2024.
3
‘Lightyear’ (2022)
- Launch Date
-
June 8, 2022
- Runtime
-
105 Minutes
Pixar made a reputation for themselves in Hollywood with their ground-breaking laptop animation and emotional storytelling. The corporate’s earliest films are a number of the biggest animated works in cinema. However during the last decade or so, Pixar has been in a hunch. Certain, their animation has gotten higher, however the tales themselves haven’t got the identical degree of high quality as Pixar’s earlier work. The studio’s 2022 movie, Lightyear, is an ideal instance of this.
Everybody, from followers to critics, felt that Toy Story 3 was the proper conclusion to the Toy Story saga. After which Pixar got here alongside and introduced that they’d be creating a Toy Story spin-off referred to as Lightyear. It follows the house adventures of the true Buzz Lightyear, the well-known film character that was made into an motion determine in Toy Story. Due to this, Pixar did not forged Tim Allen, who’s supplied the long-lasting voice of Buzz in each Toy Story movie. They forged Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear as a substitute. That was Pixar’s first mistake. After which, there was all of the drama about that same-sex kiss scene, which upset many mother and father.
All these components induced the proper field workplace storm that everybody however Pixar appeared to foretell. Lightyear crashed and burned on the field workplace. It grossed $226.4 million towards an astronomical finances of $200 million, shedding someplace within the ballpark of $110–$127 million in 2024.
Associated
Why Lightyear Underperformed At The Field Workplace
Lightyear got here in effectively beneath expectations on the field workplace, so why did this movie, with all of the makings of a smash hit, disappoint on the field workplace?
2
‘Terminator: Darkish Destiny’ (2019)
- Launch Date
-
November 1, 2019
- Runtime
-
128 minutes
It has been a roller-coaster trip for the Terminator franchise. The primary two movies had been monumental successes and are thought to be sci-fi classics. However after a couple of disappointing sequels, an much more disappointing reboot, and poor essential and business outcomes, the Terminator franchise appeared to flatline. For followers, the Terminator’s heyday was effectively behind it.
Hoping to avoid wasting the franchise, James Cameron, who wrote and directed the primary two Terminator movies, was introduced again to provide a brand new movie. Terminator: Darkish Destiny is a direct sequel to Terminator 2: Judgment Day, persevering with the unique storyline whereas ignoring all the opposite films. Darkish Destiny brings again a number of iconic characters and actors, together with Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Sadly, the injury to this franchise had already been accomplished. Regardless of respectable critics’ evaluations, followers had been bored with all of the forwards and backwards with this collection. Darkish Destiny was a field workplace bomb, shedding someplace within the ballpark of $131–$155 million in 2024. There are at present no plans to make one other Terminator film.
1
‘The Adventures of Pluto Nash’ (2002)
The Adventures Of Pluto Nash
- Launch Date
-
August 16, 2002
- Runtime
-
95 Minutes
Comedy legend Eddie Murphy has appeared in some humorous films over time. The Adventures of Pluto Nash, nonetheless, just isn’t one in every of them. Set on Earth’s moon in a futuristic society, The Adventures of Pluto Nash facilities on a person who’s struggling to maintain his lunar nightclub out of the fingers of a prison group. This sci-fi film makes an attempt to convey journey and comedy collectively — and doesn’t do it effectively. Damaging early evaluations satisfied producers to greenlight two weeks of reshoots, additional driving up the movie’s finances.
As quickly as information unfold about reshoots and a ballooning finances, you simply knew that Pluto Nash was heading for monetary catastrophe. And it did. The movie grossed a pitiful $7.1 million — and that is not even its home gross. That is the film’s worldwide gross, leading to a lack of $96 million, or $163 million in 2024. The Adventures of Pluto Nash is thought to be one of many worst films of the 2000s. However hey, no less than Eddie had a couple of Shrek films throughout that decade to offset it.