Hollywood has a silly way of showing that box office and quality don’t necessarily have to go hand in hand. Every so often, a film is so hilariously terrible, it becomes something of an event you need to see—if only to experience the disaster live. Whether a failed superhero movie, a mangled adaptation, or a sequel no one asked for, these movies demonstrate that critical success isn’t necessary for bringing in serious money. So pop some popcorn (and possibly your eye-rolls) as we count down 10 of the worst big-budget disasters that still managed to kill it at the box office.
10. Romeo and Juliet (2013)
Shakespeare wasn’t cringe-proof. Julian Fellowes’ adaptation attempted to modernize the classic with revised dialogue and new scenes, but ended up providing a Juliet who spoke in a slurring monotone and a Romeo who resembled a kid dying to get off the set. People loathed it—The San Francisco Chronicle in particular—but the formula of a familiar love story and a young, visually appealing cast still attracted audiences.
9. RocknRolla (2008)
Guy Ritchie tried to repeat his early gangster successes, but this time around, he came up with a style-over-substance mess. The voiceover replaced character depth, chaos replaced plot, and swagger couldn’t hide the sloppily executed film. Still, Ritchie’s brand name and Gerard Butler’s presence marketed enough tickets to keep it from crashing financially.
8. The Last Airbender (2010)
Supporters of the Nick cartoon show up anticipating an epic fantasy. What they got was a stiff, dead-on-screen adaptation filled with cringe-inducing exposition and flat acting. The Chronicle added that it took away everything that made the series tick. But curiosity—and the blockbuster appeal of the Avatar franchise—still took it to a huge payday.
7. Ghosts Can’t Do It (1989)
When a Donald Trump cameo isn’t even the weirdest part of your movie, you know you’ve achieved something… unusual. Bo Derek stars in this bizarre romance about a widow whose late husband plans to inhabit another man’s body so they can keep their love alive. Critics called it ridiculous, but its sheer oddity made it a cult curiosity—and a surprising earner.
6. The House That Jack Built (2018)
Lars von Trier’s penchant for provocation reached new heights in this bleak, bloody story of a serial killer who decorates his house with his victims. The Chronicle called it pathetic and repulsive, but von Trier’s reputation and Matt Dillon’s creepy performance drew in the arthouse audience.
5. Last Days (2005)
Gus Van Sant’s minimalist, fictionalized Kurt Cobain story spends nearly its entire runtime watching a mumbling rock star wander. One critic joked that the arrival of a shotgun felt like a plot twist worth anticipating. Still, the Nirvana connection brought enough indie film fans to keep it from being a financial bust.
4. Suicide Squad (2016)
This should have been a slam dunk with Will Smith, Jared Leto, and Margot Robbie. Instead, it became two hours of chaotic editing, incoherent plotting, and mismatched pop songs. The critics did a number on it—the Chronicle especially—but heavy marketing, DC hype, and Harley Quinn helped break Robbie loose at the box office.
3. Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)
The original Venom was an unexpected hit, but the sequel sacrificed charm for cacophony. The Chronicle decried it as atrocious from the first minute, and no amount of Andy Serkis behind the camera could salvage it. Nevertheless, Tom Hardy’s dedicated performance and the character’s cult following ensured it was another box office success.
2. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
The first Pirates was a light adventure, but this sequel padded the running time without being fun. Critics panned its vacuous spectacle, but Captain Jack Sparrow remained a box office attraction—and Disney profited, big time.
1. Black Adam (2022)
Dwayne Johnson vowed a new generation for the DC Universe. What fans received was a messy narrative, subpar effects, and an acting job even The Rock’s charm could not salvage. Critics were less than kind—the Chronicle described it as “barely a movie”—yet a $67 million opening showed superhero name recognition still has an impact.
The Takeaway
Certain movies succeed not because they’re well-made, but because they’re fascinating, they’re fan-based, or there’s plain old marketing muscle. Perhaps it’s an A-list star, a cult franchise, or the inescapable need to find out if a film is as bad as they claim. Bad reviews are not necessarily fatal in Hollywood—they can be the perfect free publicity that money can’t afford.