Summary

Box authority success has never been a reliable indicator of a movie ’s quality , and several cultus classics were once financial disasters . By definition , cult movies inspire obsession and devotion among their fan bases , even if they do n’t have mainstream appeal . Often , these films are purposely seditious or experimental , which mean that they are improbable to make a lot of money .

Performing awfully at the box office can often be the first step in a motion picture ’s journey towardachieving cult classical status . Bombing can be a badge of honour for movies with a niche appeal , and this feeling of exclusivity lay down fans even more passionate about a movie . When cinephiles become enamored by a movie which they find is misunderstood or disrespect , cult followings are the next logical stair .

From Pixar flops to Western catastrophes to CGI messes and franchise that never assume off , these are the 20 big loge office loser of all time .

Collage of Final Fantasy The Spirits Within, Wonder Woman 1984 and King Arthur

10Under The Skin (2013)

Box office: $7 million

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Scarlett Johansson ’s presence was n’t enough to driveUnder the Skinto box office success , and it failed to recoup its budget . The atmospheric sci - fi plastic film stars Johansson as an otherworldly being who tramp around Scotland preying on hands , luring them into an ink - black abyss that slowly wipe out them . With its desolate visuals and a pulsating score from Mica Levi , Under the Skinis a alone delight for sci - fi rooter .

Director Jonathan Glazer was recently appoint for an Oscar forZone of Interest , butUnder the Skinremains a comparatively hidden gem .

Director Jonathan Glazer was recently put forward for an Oscar forZone of Interest , butUnder the Skinremains a relatively apart gem . The picture uses very little dialogue , and its tempo is deliberately ponderous until it reaches those unforgettable expressionist prospect inside the mysterious black void . This makes it an unusual prospect . It does n’t invoke to many sci - fi lover , or indeed horror fans , but it has slow found its audience .

Ben Affleck as Christian drumming his hand on the table while talking to Cynthia Addai-Robinson’s Marybeth in The Accountant 2

9Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)

Box office: $4 million

Gene Wilder ’s performance as Willy Wonka has now been recognize for its way-out charms , butWilly Wonka and the Chocolate Factorywas not an immediate hit . After a notoriously troubled production which saw author Roald Dahl removed from the project , and the final scene being hurriedly written just as the money was drying up , Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factorymade just $ 4 million . This constitutes a passing when factoring in the marketing toll .

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factorywas never financially successful enough to justify a sequel , although Roald Dahl ’s novels do cover Wonka and Charlie ’s adventures together .

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factorywas never financially successful enough to warrant a sequel , although Roald Dahl ’s novel do continue Wonka and Charlie ’s adventures together . Nevertheless , the film reach a young consultation as it was shown many clock time on TV.Tim Burton’sCharlie and the Chocolate Factoryadaptationin 2005 face an uphill battle to win over consecrated buff of Wilder ’s variant .

Sidious, Tyranus, Maul, and Vader.

8The Thing (1982)

Box office: $19.9 million

When it was first released , The Thingreceived a slew of negative review . Criticism was primarily directed at the characterization and the plot . The film ’s innovational visual effects were its saving goodwill , and these have maintain up resplendently over the past four decades . It took a while forThe Thingto pull ahead the recognition that it deserves , and it is now see as an influential classic of the sci - fi and revulsion genres .

Many repulsion motion-picture show have been inspired by the creeping sense of paranoia and the ambiguous ending of John Carpenter ’s religious cult classic .

Many repugnance film have been revolutionise by the creeping gumption of paranoia and the equivocal ending of John Carpenter ’s cult classic , while othermovies have copiedThe Thingmore blatantly . While the horrific scenes of sci - fi Albert Gore Jr. are the most eye - catching element ofThe Thing , it ’s the sly societal comment and the permeating sentiency of dread that survive longest in the memory .

A little boy waves while being held by a giant robot from The Iron Giant

7Blade Runner (1982)

Box office: $41.8 million

Ridley Scott has had several massive loge situation hit over the eld , inludingAlienandGladiator , but he has also had his mediocre contribution of turkey . Blade Runnerwasn’t quite a disaster , but its modest return of $ 41.8 million explains why it accept so long for a sequel to go far . Unfortunately , Blade Runner 2049also fail to transgress even . Regardless of its mediocre financial resolution , Blade Runnerhas gone down as a sci - fi classic .

All self - respecting sci - fi fans knowBlade Runnernow , even though it was n’t so popular in 1982 .

Blade Runner ’s oculus - beguile optic blueprint and its cerebral approach to the topic of artificial intelligence have influenced sci - fi pic for decades . Blade Runner ’s scriptis one of its smashing strengths too . Rutger Hauer ’s unforgettable last soliloquy is the cerise on top of a superb script fulfil with glorious quotes . All self - respecting sci - fi fans knowBlade Runnernow , even though it was n’t so popular in 1982 .

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6The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)

Box office: $34.8 million

Wes Anderson ’s moviesare steady money - maker . Aside from the enormous success ofThe Grand Budapest Hotel , his flick mostly cede a healthy but unspectacular recurrence on investment . This is not the case forThe Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou , which failed to break even . It did n’t help oneself thatthe film ’s $ 50 million budget was far higher than most of Anderson ’s other films .

The soundtrack of Lusitanian David Bowie songs and the delightful stop - motion brute animations are a joyfulness for anyone .

Despite its middling initial reply , The Life Aquatichas been reappraised in late years . The movie that came decent afterThe Royal Tenenbaumsrepresented a monolithic leap in Anderson ’s signature storybook charm . The Life Aquaticis a melancholy , stylistic dainty , and there would be noFantastic Mr. FoxorMoonrise Kingdomwithout it . The soundtrack of Portuguese David Bowie song and the delightful end - motion creature animations are a joy for anyone , whether they are a fan of Anderson or not .

Headshot Of Scarlett Johansson In The ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ Premiere

5The Iron Giant (1999)

Box office: $31.3 million

Brad Bird has find immense financial winner as a director of vivify flick , withRatatouilleandThe Incrediblesmovies now under his bash . Before he became one of Pixar ’s go - to men , he directed the gorgeous 2D animated classic , The Iron Giant , a Cold War fable about a boy who befriend a gigantic exotic robot . The film cost $ 50 million to make , but it made just over one-half of that at the box office .

clock time has been kind toThe Iron Giant , and it ’s now considered a masterpiece of animation .

fourth dimension has been kind toThe Iron Giant , and it ’s now deal a masterpiece of animation . telly syndication and home video cut-rate sale finally helped the movie discover its interview . Although it ’s about a 50 - infantry automaton , The Iron Giantis a surprisingly universal tale . The themes of friendship and sticking up for what ’s right are relatable to anyone , and it demand a punishing heart to reject the giant ’s unusual ingathering .

Headshot Of Keith David

4The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Box office: $16 million (Initial run)

The Shawshank Redemptionwas nominate for seven Academy Awards , but there was a monolithic gulf between its critical success and its fiscal achiever . The Stephen King version had to contend withPulp FictionandForrest Gumpat the box seat office , and its initial run in theater of operations was a with child letdown . After its awards - time of year achiever and some positively charged Son - of - lip , The Shawshank Redemptionwas re - released , and it get along much well .

Columbia Pictures may have made an wrongdoing by marketingThe Shawshank Redemptionwithout using Stephen King ’s name .

Columbia Pictures may have made an computer error by marketingThe Shawshank Redemptionwithout using Stephen King ’s name . They did n’t require to associate the movie with King , who was best know for his work in the repugnance genre . The Shawshank Redemptionis now seen as one of thebest Stephen King adaptationsever , although it has very little in common with many of his other hit .

Headshot Of Kurt Russell In The Los Angeles Photo Call Of Apple TV+’s ‘Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters’

3Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)

Box office: $49.3 million

After the success ofShaun of the DeadandHot Fuzz , Edgar Wright was given a much bigger budget and a band of exemption for his next project . His version of Bryan Lee O’Malley ’s series of graphical novel was a collision with critics , but it did n’t come close to breaking even . Wright incorporate optical element of comic book and video games intoScott Pilgrim vs. the World , giving it a playful spirit .

Scott Pilgrim vs. the Worldhas some originative action scenes and a raft of great jest , but its style is too quirky for some .

Scott Pilgrim vs. the Worldhas some creative action picture and a lot of great caper , but its style is too way-out for some . AlthoughScott Pilgrimdidn’t make headway over mainstream hearing , it has cultivated a passionate lover base . This was enough for the original cast to reassemble for the 2023 animate adjustment , Scott Pilgrim Takes Off , which is just as imaginative , and just as pop with the movie ’s craze following .

Headshot Of Harrison Ford In The 29th Annual Critics' Choice Awards

2Zodiac (2007)

Box office: $84.7 million

Zodiacwas a victim of its misguided marketing , which accent the mystery thriller ’s quality as a slasher movie . Although there are a few scene of brutal slaying inZodiac , the story mainly focuses on how the cause of San Francisco ’s Zodiac Killer inspired deep compulsion in the citizenry who followed it . Similarly , Zodiacis plan to draw its audience into the mystery . It ’s difficult not to be as fixated as the protagonist .

Zodiachas gained a devoted audience who understand that the cinema does n’t wager by the rule of a typical mystery movie , a distinctive horror movie , or a typical crime movie .

Zodiacalso define its mainstream appeal by refusing to provide an answer to its big mystery story . This break an significant rule of the mystery genre , but it ’s far more realistic . There are still no solvent about the identicalness of the Zodiac Killer , and Fincher carry the foiling of the case brilliantly . Zodiachas gained a devoted audience who understand that the pic does n’t play by the rules of a typical closed book movie , a typical revulsion picture , or a distinctive law-breaking movie . Its reasonable corner agency return still represent a expiration , however .

Headshot Of Edward James Olmos

1Clue (1985)

Box office: $14.6 million

Based on the board plot of the same name , Clueprovides an clever solution to the problem of adapting something with no actual account . Each game of Clue has a dissimilar result to the mystery , so the pic present multiple endings and involve the consultation to select the one which satisfies them . When it was release in theatre , each showing ofCluehad just one of the three conclusion .

After it was release on family video , people could see the entire motion-picture show , and this allowed audiences to revalue the idea .

audience were put off by this gimmick . Clearly , people did n’t desire to pay to see a third of a consummate movie . After it was liberate on home TV , multitude could see the entire movie , and this allowed audience to appreciate the idea . Cluehas also been praised for its stylistic character designing and the frenzied performance of Tim Curry , the butler who acts as a usher for the interview as well as the guest .

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Headshot Of Vin Diesel In The European Gala Event of Marvel Studios' ‘Guardians of the Galaxy. Vol 3’

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Headshot Of Christopher Lloyd In The Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s 15th Annual Kirk Douglas Award