Just because a movie bombs at the box office doesn’t mean it’s bad. It proves that not every great movie can find an audience in theaters.
There are several reasons for this. Sometimes, it’s due to poor marketing. Other times, it’s a bad title; just what exactly is a Shawshank redemption or a big Lebowski, anyway?
Whatever the reason, we’re sad that these movies failed at the box office. Don’t worry, though; we’re making up for it by watching it at home over and over again.
Edge of Tomorrow
It’s weird to say that Edge of Tomorrow was a box office bomb. It made over $300 million in theaters on a $178 million budget. Sadly, that’s the state of the modern movie industry. It was a commercial failure, and any chance of a sequel disappeared.
I’d give anything for more from the world of Edge of Tomorrow. It’s Tom Cruise at his best, working with an excellent co-star in Emily Blunt and a clever script that keeps you on the edge of your seat as much as the action does.
Blade Runner 2049
We, as a society, failed Blade Runner 2049.
Yes, it’s yet another sequel to a beloved film, but Denis Villeneuve does a fantastic job justifying its existence. It’s slick, stylish, and ironically, one of the most original movies in recent memory. Sadly, like Edge of Tomorrow, it didn’t make enough money at the box office, so that may be it for the Blade Runner franchise.
At least Villeneuve has been doing well with the Dune adaptations.
The Big Lebowski
By the time The Big Lebowski was released in 1998, the Coen brothers had already made a name for themselves. Fargo was a critical and commercial hit, and their prior movies, most notably Raising Arizona, were starting to see more recognition.
Sadly, that didn’t translate to success at the box office for The Big Lebowski. On the one hand, I can see it: this is a hard movie to market. Having said that, holy crap, it’s an incredible, quotable, and brilliant film. I’m craving a White Russian just thinking about it.
Follow us on MSN for more of the content you love.
The Shawshank Redemption
Like Big Lebowski, Shawshank Redemption was a difficult movie to properly advertise. The title is weird, and Stephen King’s novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, wasn’t exactly mainstream. Then there was the stiff competition it had at the theater, releasing so close to Pulp Fiction.
Over time, The Shawshank Redemption has overcome its poor box office performance and has been acknowledged as one of the greatest films ever made. The prison site has even become a tourist attraction in Mansfield, Ohio. Having been there myself, I highly recommend you check it out.
Office Space
Mike Judge is one of the most brilliant creators of our generation. As much as I love King of the Hill, Office Space may be his magnum opus.
It’s an incredible satire on office life that makes me grateful that I work from home full time. The movie is also absolutely hilarious, too. I don’t know how this film only made $12 million at the box office.
Idiocracy
Maybe Mike Judge just has bad luck at the movie theater. Idiocracy made even less than Office Space, totalling under $500,000.
The 2006 film offers biting social commentary on the state of American life that, sadly, feels less like a work of fiction and more like a documentary for the state of the world today.
Killers of the Flower Moon
Yes, Killers of the Flower Moon is a Martin Scorsese film with incredible performances from its cast, most notably Lily Gladstone, who should have won the Oscar.
However, it’s also a movie with a runtime of over 200 minutes and a budget of over $200 million. Despite being one of the best films of 2023, it was never going to be anything but a box office bomb.
Fight Club
You’d figure that Fight Club has all the ingredients of being a box office success. Great directing from David Fincher, an excellent script that’s perfect for 1999, and a great cast led by Brad Pitt and Edward Norton.
Yet, despite being a fantastic movie, it barely made back its budget at the box office. Maybe that’s because the first rule of Fight Club was not to talk about Fight Club.
The Suicide Squad
No matter how good this movie is, and trust me, it’s fantastic, The Suicide Squad never had a chance.
Even if the original Suicide Squad movie didn’t exist, which was complete garbage by the way, the D.C. Extended Universe had such a stigma on it. You’d be hard pressed to find an audience interested in watching a movie about D.C.’s D-Squad.
But the movie is fantastic, so we all watched it on streaming services, and now I’m impatiently waiting for Peacemaker season two.
Steve Jobs
Here’s the problem with Steve Jobs: it was released two years after another Steve Jobs biopic. 2013’s Jobs beat 2015’s Steve Jobs to the punch. The issue, though, is that Jobs is a terrible movie.
Steve Jobs, however, was the one worth seeing. It’s far more than just a puff piece for the iconic Apple co-founder. Instead, it’s another masterclass script from Aaron Sorkin that’s incredibly well paced. This movie is fantastic, but then again, I’d watch an Aaron Sorkin movie about paint drying.
Big Trouble in Little China
Everyone remembers John Carpenter for his iconic horror movies Halloween and The Thing. Don’t forget about his incredible action-comedy Big Trouble in Little China.
Moviegoers did in 1986, with the movie failing to make back its roughly $20 million budget. Thankfully, it’s become a cult classic and one of Kurt Russell’s best films.
Follow us on MSN for more of the content you love.
Read More:
Leave a Reply