We’ve seen our fair share of flop Hollywood movies that have bombed at the box office despite prominent actors and notable budgets. These box-office boondoggles are cautionary tales, after all, reminding investors that money doesn’t always translate to a hit. Here are 10 of the worst box-office bombs in Hollywood history:
John Carter (2012)
This sci-fi adventure had a massive production budget of $263.7 million but only made $284 million worldwide, meaning there was a reported loss of $149-265 million.
The Lone Ranger (2013)
Starring Johnny Depp, this Western epic cost Disney $250 million to bring to the screen but earned only $260.5 million at the global box office, costing the mouse house around $190 million.
Mars Needs Moms (2011)
This was a $150 million animated movie that only grossed $39 million worldwide, making it a massive flop in that genre.
The 13th Warrior (1999)
Starring the great Antonio Banderas, this flick brought in just $61.7 million on a $160 million budget – a projected loss of between $100–129 million.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)
A Guy Ritchie fantasy film, it never had a chance of making back its $175 million budget, finally grossing $148.7 million worldwide.
Cutthroat Island (1995)
This pirate-themed movie earned a dismal $18.5 million on a $115 million budget, becoming one of Hollywood’s most notorious flops.
The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
The sci-fi comedy from Eddie Murphy cost $100 million to produce but grossed just $7.1 million, a poster child for a box-office bomb.
47 Ronin (2013)
The samurai action film earned $151.8 million on its $100-160 million budget, resulting in losses anywhere from $98–175 million.
The BFG (2016)
Developed by Steven Spielberg, this adaptation of the cottage story earned $195 million over a $140 million budget, but it didn’t break even.
Ben-Hur (2016)
A remake of the 1959 classic, it earned $146.9 million on a $157 million budget, making it one of Hollywood’s more notorious recent flops.