On Paper, this movie, based on Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel; looked more promising than a Martha Stewart recipe. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood were on its headlines. Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs) was the director, and the cast included Thandie Newton, Kimberly Elise, Beah Richards, and even Oprah Winfrey. The story was about a former slave who was haunted by the ghost of her daughter, whom she murdered, in an attempt to “rescue” her from a slave owner.
Oprah Winfrey once recalled getting the disappointing phone call of the movie’s underwhelming opening day, saying the film was beaten by the horror flick “Chucky.” The acting was phenomenal and was acknowledged, as the leads received high praise for their performances. But most viewers apparently, found the story to be a bit punishing. Maybe the timing wasn’t right for such a film to be accepted.
Estimated loss: $68.5 million
Stratton (2018)
It's hard to believe that a film that came out in 2018 with a budget of just under $20 million can be so bad. This is exactly what happened with Simon West's British action thriller, "Stratton," a film based on the novel by the same name. The movie is very similar in plot to "Mission: Impossible." Our hero is a tough-boy British Special Boat Operative, who gets betrayed by a friend and suspects a mole, then goes out to save the world.
"Stratton" had one of the worst box office bombs in recent years, earning less than $100,000 worldwide against a budget of almost $20 million. The film basically ticks all the boxes that you’d expect from your average action flick, then fails to deliver on all of them.
Estimated loss: $16-19 million
Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis) is a young, ordinary girl who always thought she was destined by the stars for greatness. And then it happens. Tatum (Caine Wise) an interplanetary warrior comes down from the galaxy to inform her that she is, indeed, destined for greatness that extends far beyond Earth.
If it sounds corny, it kinda is. When it opened in January 2015, it floundered against "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water," landing with a domestic run of $47.4 million at the box office. Directed and written by the Wachowskis with help from Grant Hill, critics shunned it, Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 26%, though it may just be that one movie you go see with your friends, just for kicks. “It’s so stupid it’s beautiful,” according to The Mary Sue review site. Gross global sales for "Jupiter Ascending" totaled $184 million.
Estimated loss: $87 - $120 million
The Lone Ranger (2013)
Johnny Depp and Pirates director Gore Verbinski teamed up with Disney once more to try to make the Wild West as entertaining (and as profitable) as the South Seas. The immensely successful "Pirates of the Caribbean" starring Depp scored $600 million at the box office. The Lone Ranger didn’t. Ranger John Reid (Armie Hammer) and his Indian sidekick Tonto (Depp) were flatly not entertaining enough, according to many critics.
Typical of Disney production budget this one ballooned to up to $250 million. Gross sales matched it at $260.5 million. Estimated loss, adjusted for inflation: $100-$200 million.
Estimated loss: $95-$190 million
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
K (Ryan Gosling) an LAPD cop and blade runner, finds himself situated in 2049 Los Angeles, in search of a long-buried mystery. The problem is unearthing it could cause human annihilation. It’s a Warner Bros. picture directed by Denis Villeneuve, with a storyline influenced by Philip K. Dick’s book, "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?"
"Blade Runner 2049" is the sequel to the original mega-hit, "Blade Runner," also based on Dick’s book, and one of the most celebrated science fiction films ever made. The fact that the sequel did well with critics up against that measure says something. In fact, "Blade Runner 2049" was considered one of 2017’s best movies and won two 2018 Oscars — Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects. Evidently, the 163-minute box office flop is worth seeing. Its production budget was $150-$185 million. It grossed $259.1 at theaters, but it lost $80 million dollars.