fight news
25 brilliant movies that were box office bombs, from Babylon to Fight Club – The Independent
Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Jacob Stolworthy runs through the films that didn’t get the attention they deserved
Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile
Clive Owen in ‘Children of Men’
Predicting which movies will set the box office alight seems like an easy task, but there’s a reason studios get paid the big bucks to do so.
However, every so often, an acclaimed film can come along that absolutely tanks after being unveiled for the public.
Over the years, there have been a startling number of films that have struggled, or indeed failed, to recoup their budget, and have consequently earned the “box office flop” label.
It’s hard to pin down exactly why movies such as these – Children of Men and It’s a Wonderful Life, to name a few – initially struggle to find an audience. Fortunately, though, the film’s quality shines through and it ultimately finds a fanbase beyond its theatrical release.
Thanks to the advent of streaming services, reliance on box office figures has diminished somewhat over the years. This also means that films which struggled to find an audience upon release could potentially go on to find love years later after being added to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or another service.
Below, we run through a list of films that unexpectedly – and unfairly – bombed at the box office.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Andrew Dominik’s revered Western only just recouped half of its $30m (£22m) budget when released in cinemas in 2007. However, it fortunately found love after being released on DVD and Blu-ray, no doubt helped by its inclusion on several “best films of the year” lists.
Babylon (2022)
It’s hard to know exactly what was behind Babylon’s insipid box office showing. Was it poor marketing, or the fact that the film was 190 minutes long? Whatever the reason, it’s a damn shame – in her five-star Babylon review, Clarisse Loughrey describes the “debauched drama” as being “tailor-made to divide audiences”, adding that it “puts a bullet in the head of any notion that the film industry’s silent era was ever austere or quaint”.
Blackhat (2015)
Michael Mann’s underrated cyber thriller was a box office bomb, earning a mere $19.7m (£15m) at the box office against a budget of $70m (£52.5m). The unfairly scathing reviews probably didn’t help.
Tang Wei and Chris Hemsworth in ‘Blackhat’
Blade Runner (1982)
It’s hard to imagine a seminal film like Blade Runner being a flop at the time of its release, but that’s exactly what Ridley Scott’s sci-fi film was. After a lacklustre run in America, the film proved it had staying power thanks to worldwide audiences and became a word-of-mouth hit in the process. Still, it only made back $10.5m (£8m) more than its budget of $30m (£22.5m).
New subscribers only. £6.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
New subscribers only. £6.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Children of Men (2006)
While it’s now considered to be one of the best films of the 21st century, Alfonso Cuarón’s dystopian thriller, starring Clive Owen, failed to make its money back at the box office at its time of release in 2006.
Citizen Kane (1941)
Orson Welles’ film may now be a beloved classic, but it was a different story back in the early 1940s: it failed to recoup its costs at the box office – and was beaten to the Oscar Best Picture by (the actually very good) How Green Was My Valley.
‘Citizen Kane’
Clockers (1995)
Spike Lee’s Clockers ranks as one of the director’s most disappointing performances at the box office to date, taking just $13m (£10m) from a $25m (£18.7m) budget.
Deepwater Horizon (2016)
Peter Berg’s real-life drama fell more than $30m (£22.6m) short of its $156m (£117m) budget – a shame considering it’s one of the Friday Night Lights creator’s best films to date (which, from the guy who directed Battleship and Mile 22, we suppose is not saying much).
Donnie Darko (2004)
Donnie Darko grossed just over $7.5m (£5.6m) worldwide on a budget of $4.5m (£3.3m). A notable reason for its flop was likely due to the fact its marketing campaign centred on the scene involving a crash of a plane’s engine just weeks before 9/11. Thankfully, the film went on to earn a cult following after being released on DVD and is now one of the most celebrated films of the 2000s.
‘Donnie Darko’
Event Horizon (1997)
With its B-movie-style scares and ridiculous twists, Event Horizon had all the ingredients to become a sleeper hit. Instead, it was a commercial and critical failure, grossing $26.7m (£20m) on a $60m (£45m) production budget.
The Fabelmans (2022)
Steven Spielberg’s late-career efforts have seldom enjoyed the kind of box office sorcery that defined his early hits. But it was still shocking to see just how few people turned out to see The Fabelmans, a mostly autobiographical drama focusing on the filmmaker’s childhood, and his parent’s marital troubles. Perhaps it was the marketing that was at fault – trailers suggested this would be a mawkish love letter to the wonder of cinema, whereas the actual film offers a far more cynical and nuanced worldview.
Seth Rogen in ‘The Fabelmans’
Fight Club (1999)
There was something of a controversy surrounding David Fincher’s Fight Club at the time of its release due to rumours that studio execs didn’t like the finished product. It was because of this that bosses reduced the planned marketing campaign in an attempt to reduce what they expected would be poor ticket sales. It’s unsurprising, then, that the film underwhelmed at the box office.
To find out what others are saying and join the conversation scroll down for the comments section or click here for our most commented on articles
Heaven’s Gate (1980)
Michael Cimino’s ambitious epic is notable for being one of the biggest box office bombs of its time, losing studio United Artists an estimated $37m (£27.7m) – which is over $114m (£85.5m) when adjusted for inflation. The film, which received a mauling from critics at the time, has been reevaluated in recent years – and is best viewed as one of the last truly director-driven films in that Hollywood era.
Hugo (2011)
Martin Scorsese’s charming family film was a commercial failure, grossing just $185m (£138.6m) against its $150–170m (£112m-127m) budget. Five years later, he’d have another flop with Silence, which consequently made studios wary about investing in the director’s future projects. Instead. Scorsese jumped to streaming, releasing The Irishman on Netflix in 2019. He will release his next two films, including 2022’s The Killers of the Flower Moon, on Apple TV+.
‘Hugo’
The Insider (1999)
While loved by critics, Michael Mann’s drama – starring Al Pacino and Russell Crowe – never made back its $68m (£51m) budget.
The Iron Giant (1999)
Despite being one of the greatest animated films of all time, The Iron Giant was a victim of Warner Bros’ scepticism towards the genre after the failure of their previous effort, Quest for Camelot. Future Pixar director Brad Bird’s film made $31.3m (£23.4m) worldwide against a budget of $70–80m (£52-£60m).
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
While not a major flop, this classic underperformed at the Christmas box office due to stiff competition from other big films released at the time, including William Wyler’s The Best Years of Our Lives and Powell and Pressburger’s A Matter of Life and Death.
James Stewart and Donna Reed in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’
The King of Comedy (1982)
Although Martin Scorsese’s drama was well-received by critics, it flopped at the box office. Reflecting on this, lead star Robert De Niro said that the film “maybe wasn’t so well received because it gave off an aura of something that people didn’t want to look at or know”.
Man on the Moon (1999)
This Jim Carrey film from Miloš Forman ended up costing Universal a lot of money after it failed to make back its $52m-82m (£39m-£61.4m) budget. In 2017, footage of the making of the film was turned into a documentary Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, which documented Carrey’s transformation into comedian Andy Kaufman.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
David Lynch’s head-scratcher is considered to be one of the greatest films of all time, but it was so hard to market that it failed to make back its $20m (£15m) budget.
Scott Pilgrim vs the World (2010)
Edgar Wright’s latest film, Last Night in Soho, flopped. at the box office – but it wasn’t the director’s first taste of disappointment. In 2010, Scott Pilgrim was a box office bomb, grossing $47.7m (£35.8m) against its production budget of $85m–90m (£63.7m-£67.5m). However, love for the film is strong 11 years on,with the director regularly tweeting along whenever it’s broadcast on TV.
‘Scott Pilgrim vs the World’
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
This Stephen King adaptation might famously sit atop IMDb’s “top 250” list, but it was a box office disappointment upon release, earning only $16m (£12m) during its initial theatrical run. It would later get re-released and earn $58.3m (£43.7m), which is kind of cheating, but we’ll allow it.
A Simple Plan (1998)
This Oscar-nominated Coen brothers-style noir from Sam Raimi, which is currently on BBC iPlayer, amassed a paltry $17m (£12.7m) at the box office,. This perhaps cemented its destiny to be one of the most unsung films of the 1990s.
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
It wasn’t until its home entertainment release that Rob Reiner’s mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, documenting the rise of a fictional band, became the beloved classic it is today.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
It may be a superior Roald Dahl adaptation, but the Gene Wilder movie made a tiny $1m (£749) profit upon its original release in 1971. It cemented its status as one of the most-loved family films of all time after becoming a regular fixture in the Christmas TV schedules.
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Tang Wei and Chris Hemsworth in ‘Blackhat’
Frank Connor/Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures
‘Citizen Kane’
RKO Radio Pictures
‘Donnie Darko’
Dale Robinette/Flower/Gaylord/Adam Fields Prod/Kobal/Shutterstock
Seth Rogen in ‘The Fabelmans’
Universal Pictures
‘Hugo’
Paramount/Gk/Kobal/Shutterstock
James Stewart and Donna Reed in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’
Paramount
‘Scott Pilgrim vs the World’
Big Talk Productions/Kobal/Shutterstock
Clive Owen in ‘Children of Men’
Universal Pictures
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Log in
New to The Independent?
Or if you would prefer:
Want an ad-free experience?
Hi {{indy.fullName}}
We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019.
By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies.
Filed under:
In the ever-shifting MMA landscape, ranking the world’s greatest fighters might seem like a fool’s errand, but that’s exactly we’ve set out to do with the MMA Fighting Global Rankings. Here, our esteemed panel sorts out the movers and shakers from every division to provide you with the most definitive list of the best fighters on the planet.
Let’s take a look at the biggest rankings storylines from this past two-month cycle (Aug. 21 – Oct. 24).
(Ed. Note: These rankings are updated as of Nov. 20, 2023.)
Here’s what I wrote about the then-unranked Khamzat Chimaev back in August:
Fear not, Khamzat fans, should he get past Paulo Costa at UFC 294 as expected, you’ll see him snatch a cherry spot in the middleweight rankings. Until then, everyone’s favorite wrecking machine remains in limbo.
Suffice to say, things did not go quite as expected.
The good news is that Chimaev did end up fighting at UFC 294, and in an actual established weight class. The bad news is that it wasn’t against an established middleweight, but rather former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman stepping in on 10 days’ notice.
Chimaev ultimately beat Usman in a fight where he was dominant for the first five minutes and then shaky for the next 10. The result was a majority decision where one judge scored the fight a 28-28 draw, a fair score given that Chimaev had a difficult time mustering up any meaningful offense against Usman in Rounds 2 and 3. If anything, it looked as though Usman was the one building up steam as the bout came to a close, and he later lamented the lack of championship rounds, something he’d understandably grown accustomed to.
Still, a win is a win, and though our panel wasn’t quite ready to rocket him up the charts (one panelist even left him off their ballot completely), Chimaev slots in at No. 10 in his first appearance on our middleweight rankings. This may turn out to be a case of “ranking, shmankings” anyway, because UFC CEO Dana White said in the lead-up that the winner of UFC 294’s co-main event was expected to challenge champion Sean Strickland.
White wasn’t quite as emphatic when asked about that status after the fight, but regardless, Chimaev is well on his way to finally getting the chance to “smesh” someone for a belt.
Related
It was a fun rivalry while it lasted, wasn’t it?
In an ideal world, Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski’s second meeting would have occurred a little later in their careers, with Makhachev racking up a couple of title defenses against actual lightweights first and Volkanovski continuing his incredible championship run at featherweight. But there’s something neat about these two settling the score in a single calendar year, even if it happened under less-than-ideal circumstances and even if it resulted in Makhachev delivering a brutal head-kick knockout to win the series.
Could Volkanovski have performed better with a full camp? Undoubtedly. Does the best version of Volkanovski beat Makhachev in their rematch? That, we don’t know, but the reality is they’ve met twice in the octagon and twice Makhachev has been the better man. Accept this and move on, is my advice.
That’s what’s best for the lightweight division, with Makhachev hopefully sticking around at 155 pounds to defend against Charles Oliveira or Justin Gaethje or maybe even past opponent Arman Tsarukyan somewhere down the line. Makhachev has also spoken about moving up to welterweight in the event that Colby Covington takes that title from Leon Edwards, which would undoubtedly intrigue the matchmakers (even if might make a few fans’ eyes roll).
Related
There was a time when light heavyweight and women’s bantamweight were marquee divisions. I swear this was a thing.
While there may be no hope for women’s 135 (Julianna Peña vs. Raquel Pennington for the vacant title when?), 205 has been sooooo close to being great again. However, injuries to stars Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill led to a calamitous series of events that have left the light heavyweight title in limbo, and though it should find a home soon when Prochazka fights Alex Pereira for a vacant strap at UFC 295 next month, would anyone be shocked if more craziness ensued?
That was certainly the case this past Saturday when Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker met in a pivotal bout that was sure to crown the next challenger for the aforementioned title, but it just couldn’t be that easy. No, the fighters had to deal with a restless ringside physician who was compelled to interject himself into not one, but two fights in Abu Dhabi. In Walker’s case, he saw his night end unceremoniously when the doctor ruled that he was unable to continue after taking an illegal knee from Ankalaev despite Walker’s protests.
Related
Blame the doctor all you want, but it just feels like this division has been cursed since Prochazka vacated the title last November after suffering a shoulder injury. We’re all praying that his fight with Pereira has a conclusive result, but at this point I’m expecting them to land simultaneous spinning head kicks and both to end up flat on the canvas.
Related
Check out the complete October rankings update below.
Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 3 Ciryl Gane def. No. 10 Serghei Spivac, No. 8 Alexander Volkov def. No. 7 Tai Tuivasa
Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 1 Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic (UFC 295, Nov. 11), No. 6 Jailton Almeida vs. No. 14 Derrick Lewis (UFC Sao Paulo, Nov. 4)
Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Phil De Fries (5), Alexandr Romanov (2)
(Heavyweight rankings updated Nov. 12 after UFC 295.)
Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 3 Magomed Anklaev vs. No. 9 Johnny Walker ends in no-contest, No. 12 Anthony Smith def. No. 13 Ryan Spann, No. 15 Volkan Oezdemir def. Bogdan Guskov
Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 1 Jiri Prochazka vs. No. 5 Alex Pereira (UFC 295, Nov. 11)
Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Rob Wilkinson (2), Azamat Murzakanov (1), Khalil Rountree (1), Thiago Santos (1)
(Light heavyweight rankings updated Nov. 12 after UFC 295.)
Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 9 Sean Strickland def. No. 1 Israel Adesanya, No. 5 Johnny Eblen def. No. 14 Fabian Edwards, Khamzat Chimaev def. No. 2 WW Kamaru Usman
Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 11 Brendan Allen vs. Paul Craig (UFC Vegas 82, Nov. 18)
Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Paul Craig (3), Nassourdine Imavov (3), Ikram Aliskerov (1), Kelvin Gastelum (1), Jack Hermansson (1), Bo Nickal (1), Kamaru Usman (1)
Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): Khamzat Chimaev def. No. 2 Kamaru Usman (middleweight bout), No. 13 Jack Della Maddalena def. No. 15 (tied) Kevin Holland
Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 1 Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington (UFC 296, Dec. 16), No. 4 Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. No. 7 Stephen Thompson (UFC 296, Dec. 16), No. 5 (tied) Yaroslav Amosov vs. No. 15 Jason Jackson (Bellator 301, Nov. 17), No. 8 Sean Brady vs. Kelvin Gastelum (UFC Austin, Dec. 2), No. 10 Vicente Luque vs. No. 11 Ian Machado Garry (UFC 296, Dec. 16)
Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Sadibou Sy (4), Andrey Koreshkov (1), Neil Magny (1), Magomed Magomedkerimov (1), Michael Page (1)
Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 1 Islam Makhachev def. No. 1 FW Alexander Volkanovski, No. 6 Usman Nurmagomedov def. Brent Primus, No. 8 Mateusz Gamrot def. No. 7 Rafael Fiziev, Bobby Green def. No. 11 Grant Dawson
Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 12 Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Clay Collard (PFL 10: 2023 Championships, Nov. 24), No. 13 (tied) A.J. McKee vs. Sidney Outlaw (Bellator 301, Nov. 24)
Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Benoit Saint-Denis (4), Grant Dawson (3), Renato Moicano (3), Drew Dober (2), Matt Frevola (2), Alexander Shabliy (2)
Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): Islam Makhachev def. No. 1 Alexander Volkanovski (lightweight bout), No. 2 Max Holloway def. No. 11 (tied) “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung 26), No. 11 (tied) Giga Chikadze def. Alex Caceres, No. 13 Bryce Mitchell def. No. 15 Dan Ige
Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 8 Josh Emmett vs. No. 11 Giga Chikdaze (UFC 296, Dec. 16)
Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Edson Barboza (3), Lerone Murphy (2), Adam Borics (1), Jonathan Pearce (1), Chihiro Suzuki (1)
Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): N/A
Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 5 Patchy Mix vs. No. 6 Sergio Pettis (Bellator 301, Nov. 17), No. 10 Rob Font vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (UFC Austin, Dec. 2), No. 13 Raufeon Stots vs. Danny Sabatello (Bellator 301, Nov. 17)
Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Pedro Munhoz (3), Magomed Magomedov (2), Ricky Simon (2), Juan Archuleta (1), Chris Gutierrez (1)
(Bantamweight rankings updated Nov. 18 after Bellator 301.)
Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 11 Manel Kape def. Felipe dos Santos, No. 13 Muhammad Mokaev def. No. 14 (tied) Tim Elliott
Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 2 Alexandre Pantoja vs. No. 8 Brandon Royval (UFC 296, Dec. 16), No. 4 Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Rob Font vs. (bantamweight bout) (UFC Austin, Dec. 2)
Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Azamat Kerefov (3), Kairat Akhmetov (2), Azat Maksum (1), Jeff Molina (1)
Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): Nora Cornolle def. No. 15 Joselyne Edwards
Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 6 Irene Aldana vs. No. 7 Karol Rosa (UFC 296, Dec. 16), No. 11 Miesha Tate vs. Julia Avila (UFC Austin, Dec. 2), No. 13 (tied) Lucie Pudilova vs. Ailin Perez (UFC Vegas 82, Nov. 18)
Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Tainara Lisboa (5), Serena DeJesus (1), Claire Guthrie (1), Olga Rubin (1), Taneisha Tennant (1), Darya Zheleznyakova (1)
Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 1 Alexa Grasso vs. No. 2 Valentina Shevchenko ends in a split draw, No. 3 Erin Blanchfield def. No. 4 Taila Santos, No. 5 Manon Fiorot def. No. 5 SW Rose Namajunas, No. 6 Liz Carmouche def. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, No. 14 Viviane Araujo def. No. 10 Jennifer Maia
Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 12 Juliana Velasquez vs. Paula Cristina (Bellator 301, Nov. 17), No. 13 (tied) Amanda Ribas vs. Luana Pinheiro (strawweight bout) (UFC Vegas 82, Nov. 18)
Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Casey O’Neill (6), Karine Silva (2)
Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): 5 WFLW Manon Fiorot def. No. 5 Rose Namajunas (flyweight bout), No. 10 Marina Rodriguez def. Michelle Waterson-Gomez, No. 15 (tied) Loopy Godinez def. Elise Reed, No. 15 (tied) Xiong Jing Nan def. Nat Jaroonsak (special rules striking match)
Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 5 Jessica Andrade vs. No. 9 Mackenzie Dern (UFC 295, Nov. 11), No. 12 Angela Hill vs. Denise Gomes (UFC Sao Paulo, Nov. 4), No. 13 Tabatha Ricci vs. No. 14 Loopy Godinez (UFC 295, Nov. 11), Amanda Ribas vs. No. 15 Luana Pinheiro (UFC Vegas 82, Nov. 18)
Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Karolina Kowalkiewicz (3), Emily Ducote (2), Xiong Jingnan (2), Gillian Robertson (2), Michelle Waterson-Gomez (2)
A refresher on the ground rules:
Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Make your voice heard in the comments below.
Check your inbox for a welcome email.
Oops. Something went wrong. Please enter a valid email and try again.
-
fight news3 months ago
10 Facts You Probably Didn't Know About “Fight Club” (1999) – High On Films
-
fight news Canada6 months ago
Fight News 2023: Exciting Matchups
-
fight news4 weeks ago
woodbury minnesota, woodbury schools, woodbury,East Ridge High School, racist attack, racist school attack, racism, South Washington County Schools,Principal Jim Smokrovich, Shanka Gessod – CBS Minnesota
-
fight news3 months ago
Movies in North Texas theaters on Sept. 1 and coming soon – The Dallas Morning News
-
fight news5 months ago
2023 Detroit Lions Name Bracket Tournament: Round 1, Part 3 – Pride Of Detroit
-
fight news5 months ago
Kota Miura vs. Joker Fight Club: Date, start time, TV channel and live … – dazn.com
-
fight news5 months ago
Frank Warren drops 'game-changer' Tyson Fury next fight hint after Oleksandr Usyk update – Manchester Evening News
-
fight news5 months ago
Boxing News, Results, Schedule, Rankings » Fightnews.com™ – Fight News