A-list action stars are often seen as incredibly successful, making it difficult to imagine them facing any failures. However, they have indeed encountered their fair share of setbacks, especially when it comes to their first attempts in the action adventure genre. Surprisingly, these failures have taught them valuable lessons about overcoming challenges and have added an interesting twist to their Hollywood careers.
Let’s take a look at Gerard Butler, who had a less than impressive experience in the movie Dracula 2000. The film didn’t quite live up to expectations, but it served as a valuable learning experience for Butler. Similarly, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson didn’t have much luck with his role in Doom. These early-career action movies turned out to be unexpected disappointments for these stars, but they remind us that even the biggest names in the industry have their off days.
1. Zoe Saldaña In ‘Snipes’
Snipes, released in 2001, falls into the category of films that seem to vanish quickly, leaving people wondering if they were ever real. It’s important to note that despite the title, the movie does not feature Wesley Snipes. Instead, this low-budget action film revolves around the music industry and stars Nelly, Sam Jones III, and Zoe Saldaña. Unfortunately, it exudes that distinct “straight to bargain bin” vibe.
To put it kindly, Snipes came and went without making much of an impact. The movie is so unmemorable that even Zoe Saldaña herself may have forgotten she was a part of it.
2. Gerard Butler In ‘Dracula 2000’
In the early 2000s, there was a somewhat irritating trend of adding “2000” to titles to give them a cooler vibe. This is how Dracula 2000 came to be, a movie that can be seen as a sequel to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. In this version, the vampire awakens in modern times and has to quench his thirst for blood. The twist is that it suggests Dracula is actually Judas Iscariot, the infamous betrayer of Jesus.
Gerard Butler, pre-300 fame, plays the Count in this film, often seen shirtless. He does a commendable job of portraying the terrifying yet charismatic Transylvanian monster. However, both critics and audiences seemed to agree that Dracula 2000 was not up to par. Its Rotten Tomatoes score reflects this sentiment, with a mere 17% approval rating from critics and a 39% score from the audience. Furthermore, it failed to make a mark at the box office, only earning $47 million worldwide despite its $54 million budget.
3. Dwayne Johnson In ‘Doom’
Video game adaptations can be quite challenging. It’s almost impossible for Hollywood to create a movie based on a game where a tough guy roams in space, battling demons. Why would they attempt to enhance perfection by adding an unnecessary backstory?
Back in 2005, Doom tried to add some substance to the source material in hopes of replicating the success of Aliens. However, gamers and fans weren’t interested in seeing Dwayne Johnson brandishing the BFG and engaging in space fights. Despite its $70 million budget, the film only managed to earn $58.8 million at the global box office. Nevertheless, when compared to the disastrous 2019 release called Doom: Annihilation, the 2005 film looks like Citizen Kane.
4. Jason Statham In ‘Ghosts of Mars’
In Ghost of Mars, Jason Statham had the opportunity to become John Carpenter’s new favorite action star, taking over from Kurt Russell. This sci-fi action horror film has everything you could ask for: intense firepower, terrifying space demons, and some truly fantastic one-liners from Statham.
Unfortunately, despite its winning formula, the theaters were practically empty when Ghost of Mars was released. With a production cost of $28 million, the film only managed to recoup $14 million at the box office. Adding insult to injury, the reviews were scathing, with a dismal 23% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s a shame how a masterpiece like this went completely unnoticed and received no recognition. The world can be an unjust place sometimes.
5. Clint Eastwood In ‘Ambush at Cimarron Pass’
Wait, so there’s actually a Clint Eastwood film that didn’t meet the sky-high expectations? Unbelievable, right? Well, believe it or not, even the great Clint Eastwood himself admits that Ambush at Cimarron Pass is the lowest point in his illustrious career.
Back in 1958, this action-packed Western, featuring Eastwood and Scott Brady, was released and quickly faded into obscurity. In fact, it’s safe to say that it’s one of those forgettable movies in Eastwood’s extensive filmography. Interestingly enough, after watching it for the first time, the actor seriously contemplated quitting acting, fearing that this film would somehow ruin his career. But of course, that didn’t actually happen.
6. John Cena In ‘The Marine’
In 2006, John Cena rose to become the biggest superstar in the WWE. In an effort to capitalize on his immense popularity, the company decided to cast Cena as the lead in WWE Films’ The Marine – an action-packed movie reminiscent of the ’80s era.
Despite Cena’s famous catchphrase of “you can’t see me,” it seemed that audiences took this quite literally and opted not to see him on the big screen. The Marine struggled to earn $22 million at the box office, despite having a budget of $15 million. It fell short of the WWE’s expectations as a blockbuster hit.
However, as time went on, The Marine managed to find an audience and gained a cult following. This unexpected success led to the creation of several cheesy sequels featuring various WWE stars.
7. Sylvester Stallone In ‘Death Race 2000’
Roger Corman is renowned for his ability to work wonders with limited resources. Take, for example, Death Race 2000, a science fiction film made in 1975 with a mere budget of $300,000. Despite the modest investment, this movie managed to capture audiences’ attention and become a surprise hit. With David Carradine and a Sylvester Stallone before his Rocky days, its success at the box office was decent enough.
However, while Death Race 2000 didn’t receive negative reviews, it didn’t quite launch Stallone into the realm of A-list action stars either. It took another year and the release of Rocky for the Italian Stallion to truly make his mark in the industry.
8. Chris Evans In ‘Cellular’
Maybe people had overly high expectations for 2004’s Cellular right from the start. It had an exciting and suspenseful plot and a star-studded cast including Kim Basinger, William H. Macy, Jason Statham, and Chris Evans. However, it didn’t manage to make a big impact at the box office or generate much positive buzz.
Though it didn’t completely fail at the box office, earning $57.7 million from a $25 million budget, Cellular didn’t propel Evans into the A-list celebrity status. It’s one of those movies that has been forgotten in his filmography.
9. Scarlett Johansson In ‘The Island’
In 2005, Scarlett Johannson decided to try her hand at being an action star by starring in Michael Bay’s film, The Island. Now, when you hear the name Michael Bay, you’re probably thinking explosions, right? Well, that’s what most fans were expecting – an all-out Bayhem with more explosions than you’d find in a World War II movie.
But here’s the thing – The Island turned out to be the weirdest of all Bay’s films. It’s like a movie that doesn’t really fit into any specific category. Nobody really knows what it was trying to be, not even the director himself, it seems. It’s kind of confusing, to be honest.
To make matters even more perplexing, The Island didn’t do so well at the box office. Despite having a massive budget of $120 million, it only managed to make $163 million. That’s not exactly what you’d call a blockbuster success.
So yeah, The Island was definitely a bit of a peculiar experience. But hey, at least Scarlett Johannson got to show off her action chops, right?
10. Russell Crowe In ‘The Quick and the Dead’
Imagine this: a Western directed by Sam Raimi, with an all-star cast including Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Russell Crowe. And let’s not forget the incredible title: The Quick and the Dead. It sounds like a guaranteed blockbuster, doesn’t it?
Well, unfortunately, it wasn’t. The film had a production budget of $32 million, but it only managed to make a little over $18 million at the domestic box office. Raimi took the blame for its failure, admitting that he was unwilling to adapt and change the film’s aesthetic. However, despite its disappointing performance, The Quick and the Dead has managed to capture the hearts of movie lovers over the years since its release.
11. Angelina Jolie In ‘Hackers’
Hackers is pure ’90s nonsense, but man, it’s good nonsense. You’ve got this completely absurd and clueless plot about ‘hacking,’ but then they bring in this talented group of young actors and you just hope that the movie will strike gold with the audience. And hey, it even features a young Angelina Jolie in one of her early roles, giving us a glimpse of her star potential.
Unfortunately, Hackers didn’t do so well at the box office and with the critics. It only managed to make $7.5 million domestically and holds a meager 31% approval rating from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. But you know what’s interesting? Over the years, it has actually gained a cult following and become a classic in its own right.
