There are many factors that can play a role in a movie’s downfall at the box office. It could be because of lackluster marketing tactics or the buzz surrounding the main actor being less than positive. Sometimes, the reason is as simple as the movie not being all that great.
But here’s the interesting part – the opinions of the actors themselves don’t always align with those of the critics or the regular viewers. Some actors have stood up for their box office failures by highlighting that a film’s value isn’t solely determined by its financial success, even in an industry all about making money.
1. Jennifer Lawrence Found It ‘Exciting’ That ‘Mother!’ Was Divisive
Darren Aronofsky’s 2017 psychological horror film, Mother!, didn’t do well at the box office and received mixed reviews from critics. While it was visually stunning, the movie’s message was confusing, and the plot lacked coherence.
Moviegoers didn’t respond favorably to Mother!, as it received the rare “F” grade on CinemaScore, a failing grade only shared by a few other recent films.
Jennifer Lawrence, who portrayed the character of Mother, opposite Javier Bardem as Him, acknowledged that the thriller wouldn’t appeal to everyone.
According to Lawrence, “The people who love it, love it and want to see it again. The people who don’t like it, absolutely despise it.” She also mentioned that there is no middle ground with this film, and they were aware of the divided opinions. She found it exciting because the movie was designed to make everyone feel something, spark conversation, and generate controversy. Lawrence believed that no one would leave without taking something away from the experience.
2. Taylor Kitsch Doesn’t See ‘John Carter’ As A Failure
Disney had high hopes for the 2012 science fiction action-adventure film John Carter, but unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the company’s biggest financial losses. The production budget alone skyrocketed to around $306 million, not to mention the additional $100 million spent on marketing, distribution costs, and other fees. Ultimately, John Carter ended up losing approximately $200 million.
Despite the disappointing outcome, the film’s lead actor, Taylor Kitsch, stands by his decision to be a part of it. In his own words, “I don’t see it as a failure, that’s the thing. I’m incredibly proud of it and I would do it all over again.” Kitsch acknowledges the financial aspect, mentioning that making over $300 million for his first lead film is a positive outcome. He emphasizes that he gave his all to the project, leaving no room for regrets. This dedication is evident in his intense preparation and relentless push to challenge himself.
In conclusion, while John Carter did not achieve the success Disney had hoped for, Taylor Kitsch remains proud of his involvement in the movie and believes he did everything possible to contribute to its success.
3. Johnny Depp Said That Critics Wrote Their Reviews Of ‘The Lone Ranger’ Months Before It Was Released
Disney’s The Lone Ranger faced multiple setbacks throughout its production, including wildfires, snowstorms, and the tragic death of a stuntman. Despite producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s efforts to control costs, the budget skyrocketed to over $225 million, with an additional $150 million spent on marketing.
Although the movie featured Johnny Depp’s star power, Gore Verbinski’s Western action flick only managed to bring in $260 million worldwide. While this would be considered a respectable figure for a less expensive film, it resulted in Disney losing approximately $160 million on the project.
The critical reception was harsh as well. Depp believes that the critics never gave The Lone Ranger a fair chance, suggesting that they formed their opinions months before the film’s release. According to him, the negative reviews were based on expectations of a blockbuster, which he never had. “I think the reviews were written when they heard Gore and Jerry and me were going to do The Lone Ranger,” said Depp, who doesn’t set high expectations for his projects.
Bruckheimer chimed in, expressing his belief that critics were more focused on reviewing the budget rather than the actual movie. Despite the financial loss, the producer remains proud of The Lone Ranger, emphasizing its quality as a terrific and humor-filled epic film.
4. Maisie Williams Blames A Corporate Merger For The Negative Press Surrounding ‘The New Mutants’
Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe took over Hollywood, The X-Men franchise was the go-to for comic book superhero movies. The New Mutants, a spin-off of the X-Men series, was the final film before the rights shifted to Marvel due to Disney’s acquisition of Fox.
Released in 2020, this superhero horror movie introduced new characters and had a different tone compared to its mutant predecessors. Unfortunately, The New Mutants failed to revive the franchise. Like many films that didn’t fare well at the box office, it faced reshoots, changes, and a two-year delay from completion to release.
Despite a production budget of over $70 million and featuring talented rising stars such as Anya Taylor-Joy and Charlie Heaton, The New Mutants only brought in $44 million worldwide.
Maisie Williams, known for her role in Game of Thrones as Rahne Sinclair/Wolfsbane, stands by The New Mutants and points fingers at the corporate merger as the reason behind the negative press surrounding the movie.
“It’s been a long time coming, we shot it many years ago, but I’m really proud of it finally coming out. It was a lot to do with the merger, I think [the film] had a really bad rep and people thought there was going to be something wrong with it, but I honestly think it was just really badly affected by something that was out of our control. … There’s so many things about it that are progressive and new for a story of this kind.”
5. Billy Eichner Blamed Homophobia For ‘Bros’ Disappointing Box Office
The 2020 film Bros received high praise from both critics and viewers. However, despite the positive reception, the LGBTQ rom-com failed to perform well at the box office, earning only around $14 million worldwide.
Billy Eichner, the film’s star and co-writer, expressed his disappointment on Twitter after the movie’s lackluster opening weekend. In a now-deleted tweet, Eichner pointed out that “Straight people, especially in certain parts of the country just didn’t show up for Bros.”
The comedian went on to urge everyone who is not a “homophobic weirdo” to go watch the film. Eichner’s tweets shed light on the frustration faced by films that target marginalized demographics, as they often struggle to achieve widespread financial success, particularly when competing with streaming releases.
Overall, the tweets from Eichner highlight the challenges faced by films like Bros in attracting a diverse audience and achieving commercial success in today’s competitive film industry.
6. Ben Affleck Blames Bennifer Mania For All The ‘Gigli’ Hate
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez had their love story kick off while working together on the romantic crime comedy Gigli. The media coined the term “Bennifer” to refer to the power couple, and their relationship quickly became a hot topic across international magazine covers.
Unfortunately, when Gigli finally hit theaters in 2003, critics were merciless. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a paltry 6% score, and despite the couple’s star status, Gigli was a commercial disaster. It only managed to rake in $6 million, a far cry from its hefty $54 million budget. Furthermore, the movie swept the Golden Raspberry Awards, earning all six top dishonors, including Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Affleck), and Worst Actress (Lopez).
Affleck doesn’t deny that Gigli was far from a misunderstood masterpiece. However, he believes that the film received an excessive amount of hate solely because of the hype surrounding “Bennifer”.
In his words, “It could have been just another forgettable bad movie. Angelina Jolie had a bad movie that same year, and nobody made a fuss about it. But because I was dating Jennifer Lopez, it became a big f*cking deal, you know? Not only was it a bad movie, but ‘They’re dating each other in the bad movie!'”
7. Elizabeth Banks Said That ‘Charlie’s Angels’ Should Have Also Been Marketed To Men
Elizabeth Banks had a lot on her plate for the 2019 action comedy Charlie’s Angels. Not only did she direct and write the film, but she also starred in it. Charlie’s Angels is part of a franchise that started with a TV series in the 1970s and was later adapted into movies in the early 2000s. However, despite the star-studded cast, including Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska as the new Angels, the movie didn’t perform well at the box office.
With a budget of $48 million, the film only managed to gross $73 million worldwide. On top of that, an additional $50 million was spent on marketing. Banks expressed her dissatisfaction with the way the reboot was marketed, claiming that it focused too much on appealing to a female audience at the expense of a wider demographic.
Banks felt frustrated by the media’s portrayal of Charlie’s Angels as a feminist manifesto. She pointed out that the franchise doesn’t have a long legacy, having only been a TV show and McG’s movies prior to her involvement. She simply loved the franchise and didn’t have any gendered agenda in mind. The emphasis on feminism felt like a limitation, both for her and for the audience of the movie.
She also shared an interesting conversation she had about marketing partnerships for the film. She was told about a collaboration with the hairstyling company DryBar, but she wanted more than just one specific marketing strategy. She suggested having an ad during the baseball playoffs, highlighting the need for a broader approach. This experience shed light on how the industry perceives movies starring women, and it was a valuable lesson for Banks.
8. John Travolta Blamed The Media For Confusing ‘Battlefield Earth’ For A Scientology Movie
John Travolta isn’t one to dwell on regrets, especially when it comes to his 2000 passion project, Battlefield Earth. Despite the film’s disappointing performance at the box office, earning only $29 million against a hefty $73 million budget, and the scathing criticism it received from critics, with a dismal 3% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Travolta remains unapologetic.
When asked if he had any regrets about making Battlefield Earth, Travolta confidently responded, “No way, are you kidding? Why would I ever regret that? I had the power to do whatever I wanted, and I chose to do a book that I thought was worthy of making into a movie. It’s a beautiful film. It’s a good movie.”
Travolta didn’t shy away from pointing fingers, placing the blame on the media for misinterpreting Battlefield Earth. He noted, “The media angle confused the movie with [Scientology]. They did that with Phenomenon, too, and Phenomenon is really the story of Jesus Christ. It’s not Scientology!”
In spite of the film’s shortcomings, Travolta firmly stated, “So, I have no regrets at all. And if we had to do it over again, I would still do it.” His unwavering conviction suggests that he stands by his decision to bring Battlefield Earth to life, regardless of the outcome.
9. Harrison Ford’s Favorite All-Time Character To Play Was From The Box Office Flop ‘The Mosquito Coast’
Harrison Ford, known for his iconic roles as Han Solo and Indiana Jones, has had a remarkable career in Hollywood. However, it may surprise many to learn that his favorite role was actually in the 1986 drama The Mosquito Coast, where he played the character of Allie Cox, an idealistic and cynical inventor. The film, unfortunately, did not perform well at the box office, earning only $14 million against its $25 million budget.
In a 1992 interview, Ford shared his thoughts on the movie:
“The Mosquito Coast is the only film I have done that hasn’t made its money back. Despite that, I have no regrets about being a part of it. If I were to point out a flaw, it would be that the film didn’t fully capture the essence of the book. Perhaps it would have been better suited as a literary rather than a cinematic endeavor. Nevertheless, it is filled with profound emotions.”
Despite the financial disappointment, Ford expressed his satisfaction with the film, emphasizing the powerful emotions it portrayed.
10. Josh Brolin Blames The Studio’s Interference For Ruining ‘Oldboy’
Spike Lee’s adaptation of the 2013 neo-noir Oldboy didn’t fare well at the box office, despite having a renowned director and being based on a cult thriller by Park Chan-wook. The film only managed to bring in $2.3 million domestically.
Even though Lee is considered a great modern-day director, it’s important to note that he doesn’t always have complete control over his projects. According to the movie’s star Josh Brolin, the studio is to blame for Oldboy’s failure.
In 2023, Brolin stated that whenever the studio takes control, things tend to go downhill. This was the case with Oldboy, where Brolin believed that Lee’s original cut was actually superior to the studio’s version. The studio’s poor editing choices had the opposite effect and failed to resonate with the audience. Brolin suggests that pandering to the audience without understanding their preferences can lead to such disappointing outcomes.
11. Anne Hathaway Wrote That ‘Serenity’ Needed More Analysis Than Just ‘Thumbs Up Or Thumbs Down’
The movie Serenity, featuring Anne Hathaway and Matthew McConaughey, both Academy Award winners, had high expectations due to their star power. However, it only managed to make $14 million worldwide at the box office. The reception for the 2019 mystery thriller was extremely poor, leading Serenity’s independent distributor, Aviron Pictures, to stop promoting the neo-noir film. This decision came after disappointing test screenings, negative reviews, and low box office numbers.
Aviron Pictures released a statement expressing their disappointment, saying, “As much as we love this film and still hope it finds its audience, we tested and retested the film – with audiences and critics alike – and sadly, the data demonstrated that the film was not going to be able to perform at our initial expectations, so we adjusted our budget and marketing tactics accordingly.”
Despite the film’s struggles, Hathaway took to Instagram to defend Serenity. She described it as a thrilling, ambitious, violent, spiritual, erotic, charged, dark, damning, contradictory, and maddeningly intelligent film. She acknowledged that it may not fit into simple sound bites and called for analysis and conversation around it. Hathaway hoped that people would give the film their time and attention.
