The entertainment industry can be a treacherous terrain. A mine field full of risks, where even the mightiest blockbuster can fall prey to merciless box office flops. The 2020s have already witnessed many epic fails, with huge budgets, popular IPs, and A-list actors failing to draw audiences.
These movies have proved that no film is invincible, no matter how seemingly marketable it may appear. The entertainment industry is a fickle and unpredictable mistress, and box office success is not guaranteed, regardless of how big the names or budgets may be.
- ‘Mulan’ (2020): Disney’s live-action remake of ‘Mulan’ was a critical and commercial failure, with fans criticizing the movie’s changes to the original story and lack of beloved characters. Despite impressive visuals, ‘Mulan’ failed to impress audiences, making it one of the biggest box office bombs in recent years.
- ‘Babylon’ (2022): Director Damien Chazelle’s chaotic study of old American cinema was a must-see for those who enjoy a relentless cinematic experience. However, the film was a major box-office disappointment, failing to attract enough viewers to make it a success.
- ‘West Side Story’ (2021): Steven Spielberg’s remake of ‘West Side Story’ received positive feedback from critics and audiences alike, but its box office numbers were a major disappointment. The film, which was Spielberg’s first foray into the musical genre, was one of the biggest tragedies of his career.
- ‘Lightyear’ (2022): Pixar’s ‘Lightyear’ was highly anticipated due to its vibrant animation, references to classic sci-fi cinema, and fun secondary characters. However, many viewers found the final product dull and underwhelming, making it one of Pixar’s biggest commercial failures.
- ‘Dolittle’ (2020): Robert Downey Jr.’s first post-Marvel movie was a remake of ‘Dolittle’ that failed to impress audiences or critics. Despite technically making a profit, the movie’s massive budget and disappointing box office numbers made it a bomb.
- ‘Chaos Walking’ (2021): ‘Chaos Walking’ starred Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley in a sci-fi dystopian adventure, but barely anyone saw it, making it a box office flop that failed to recoup even a third of its production budget.
- ‘Amsterdam’ (2022): David O. Russell’s latest film, ‘Amsterdam’, starred an impressive cast but failed to impress audiences or critics. The film made only a tiny portion of its budget back across the globe, becoming by far the biggest box office bomb of Russell’s career.
- ‘Onward’ (2020): Pixar’s ‘Onward’ was one of its most divisive movies, with some fans enjoying the change of pace and others not so much. Despite its emotional storyline and fun brotherly dynamic, ‘Onward’ failed to attract enough viewers, making only 0.7 times its budget worldwide.
- ‘Snake Eyes’ (2021): ‘Snake Eyes’ was the first G.I. Joe movie in eight years, but critics thought it missed the mark and fans were split on it. While the film was a step up from what had come before, it still failed to impress, resulting in an all-around failure.
- ‘Morbius’ (2022): Starring Jared Leto as the titular character, ‘Morbius’ was a critical and box office disappointment that became an Internet sensation for all the wrong reasons. Despite being re-released in theaters, the film still flopped, making it one of the biggest commercial failures of 2022.