Other films become headlines for earning hundreds of millions on opening weekend–while others? They bomb hard, only to discover new life years later. What bombs at the box office isn’t always a bomb with the public long-term. Many of the movies we now accept as essential viewing were actually deemed failures at one time. As Martin Scorsese once complained, Hollywood’s fixation with figures often forgets the most important thing: art won’t always reveal its worth immediately.
Here’s a glance at ten infamous box office flops that went on to gain respect, affection, and in some instances, legendary status.
10. Better Man (2025)
Paramount’s Better Man already has a notoriety for its disastrous performance, only $1.9 million taken in against a $110 million cost. But this Robbie Williams musical, with its CGI chimpanzee, is so off-the-wall that it will have to build a cult following. Occasionally, crazy artistic gambles are recalled long after conservative wagers.
9. Under the Skin (2013)
Scarlett Johansson’s unsettling performance as an alien roaming Scotland made for a haunting, disturbing experience–if you happened to be among the handful who caught it. Raking in only $7.3 million on a budget of $13.3 million, it barely ticked at the box office. Over time, however, its dreamy atmosphere and gorgeous imagery have earned it a place as one of the top films of the century.
8. Office Space (1999)
Mike Judge’s send-up of corporate culture was anything but a success initially, with box office revenues barely breaking even. But after it made the transition to DVD, it turned into a phenomenon. From Milton’s stapler as red as his temperament to the ridiculous “flair” on waitresses’ uniforms, the movie is now a staple of workplace comedy culture.
7. The Iron Giant (1999)
Even though it received critical acclaim, Warner Bros. botched the release of this touching animated film. With a $50 million-plus budget and merely $31 million in worldwide box office revenue, it seemed like a flop. But since then, in the years since its initial release, The Iron Giant has become one of the crown jewels of animation, widely admired for its emotional complexity and anti-war themes.
6. Donnie Darko (2001)
Jake Gyllenhaal’s breakout performance as a troubled youth coping with time travel, visions of the apocalypse, and a disturbing rabbit costume didn’t hit the theatres, gaining barely more than half a million dollars in its initial run. Post-9/11 viewers weren’t ready. But DVD sales and midnight showings made it a cult classic, which galvanized an entire generation of fans.
5. Vertigo (1958)
Surprisingly, Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo was never regarded as a classic. Audiences reacted to it as slow and bizarre upon release, and it didn’t even make enough money. Now, though, it consistently sits atop critics’ lists as one of the all-time best films, admired for its psychological complexity and visual sophistication.
4. Blade Runner (1982)
Ridley Scott’s atmospheric sci-fi noir drama initially floundered. With $33 million at the box office (over a series of releases), it was no match for E.T. or Star Wars. Yet its stunning design and philosophical overtones have since set the standard for future cinema, filtering into anime, video games, and all the rest.
3. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Gene Wilder presented us with one of the greatest characters in cinema, but the film’s opening run only managed to recoup its $3 million cost. Even novelist Roald Dahl hated it. But eventually, its quirky combination of humor and darkness made it a cult classic, and now it’s enshrined as a national treasure in the National Film Registry.
2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
It’s hard to believe now, but The Shawshank Redemption was underappreciated at the time of its release, grossing only $28.3 million against Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction. It was resurrected on VHS and cable, where word-of-mouth made it one of the most beloved films ever created, with seven Oscar nominations.
1. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The greatest tale of a flop-to-legend, The Wizard of Oz, did not recoup its huge budget during its original release. But repeated TV showings helped make it a part of American life, and now it’s one of the most recognizable movies of all time. Ruby slippers, yellow brick roads, and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” are now ingrained in the DNA of cinema.
So the next time you hear about a movie tanking at the box office, keep in mind: a flop is not necessarily the end of the story. Sometimes it’s only the beginning of a much greater legacy.