Hollywood loves to play big—but when it fails, it fails loudly. Some films flop so spectacularly that they’re remembered not just as disappointments, but as financial disasters that sent studios scrambling. These are the 10 biggest box office failures of all time—the movies that sank, burned through massive budgets, and left lasting dents in film history.
10. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Gal Gadot was up high post the first hit. The next one seemed set to win. But then 2020 hit. Out in the thick of a world shut down and on screens at home, it just could not fly high. It made $123 million all over, but cost over $200 million. So, it lost about $155 million. Bad luck, mild likes, and the stream try all led to a miss for the DC world.
9. Dark Phoenix (2019)
Dark Phoenix was to end the X-Men run with a bang. It did not. With script changes, re-dos, and holds, it came out mixed. Not liked much, and fewer folks went to see it. It did make $252 million, but costs dug a loss of $155 million. It was not the send that fans had hoped for.
8. Mulan (2020)
Disney had big plans for Mulan, but it all went wrong. The world got sick, high costs, and odd sales plans made it hard. Some did not like how it was made, and it had a short run. It lost about $159 million. A hard hit for a movie meant to wow all over.
7. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001)
Back in 2001, it seemed like the next big thing. Top tech, big spend, and a push to make game films big. But Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within did not click well. It made just $85 million on a $137 million spend, down $155 million. It hurt Square Pics and set game films back a bit.
6. Pan (2015)
Not all want a dark tale of Peter Pan. Pan was to freshen up the old tale, but it turned out too dark and lost its magic. It cost $150 million and made just $128 million. That’s a $185 million loss. Both hard views and no show from folks – bad mix.
5. Strange World (2022)
This one hurt for Disney. Strange World had a fun new look, and some liked it. But the launch was messy and not pushed hard in some spots outside the US. It cost $180 million and got just $73.6 million back – that’s a near $200 million loss. Cool style, but no big draw.
4. Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003)
DreamWorks gave one last try to old-style art with Sinbad, but it missed. Solid voices and a fun plot, but it could not compete with the new 3D draw. It cost $60 million and got back about $80 million – looks okay, but add time and ads, and it’s near $200 million lost. The end of an era.
3. Cutthroat Island (1995)
Long before Jack Sparrow, Cutthroat Island nearly killed pirate films $100 million got a sad $10 million back – one of the worst movie cash fails. The flop helped kill Carolco Pictures, the studio behind it. A true “don’t do this” tale.
2. The Lone Ranger (2013)
Disney hoped for a win like Pirates of the Caribbean, but The Lone Ranger was more dust than gems. A huge spend of $225–$250 million and only $260.5 million back – math said no. Cast woes, mixed vibe, and low buzz pulled it down to a loss $240 million. Not even Johnny Depp could turn it.
1. John Carter (2012)
Crown of film fails: John Carter. Big spend, high hopes, and Disney’s push. But it lacked a clear sell or draw. A huge $263 million spwas ent w, ith $284 million back, resulting in losses of $255 million. Later on, some liked it, but a bad start and weak ads killed it. It’s a guide on how not to do it.
Big risks are part of the game, but these flops show that big cash and stars don’t mean a win. Just a few wrong steps can change a dream hit into a big film flop.