9 Box Office Flops From The 2010s That Deserve A Second Chance

Many factors go into the box office performance of a motion picture. The cost of production, the number of prints and ads, the subject matter of the story itself, the director in charge, the stars attached to the project, a shrewd marketing campaign, and more can all contribute to how well a film performs theatrically. With the cost of movies constantly on the rise, the risk of a box office flop is more present than ever before.

In the past decade, some of the most venerated filmmakers in cinematic history have suffered some of the biggest box office failures of their careers. Many other extremely well-made and critically received movies released in the 2010s came and went without the reception from the masses that they deserve, several of which ought to be revisited by cinephiles for a variety of reasons.

9 Hugo (2011)

Martin Scorsese’s heartfelt love letter to the birth of cinema in Hugo cost roughly $150-170 million to produce and grossed $74 million domestically, losing roughly $90 million in the process. Despite the failure, the film currently holds a 93% Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes rating to go with a 7.5 IMDb rating and 83 Metascore.

Hugo deserves more love for a variety of reasons. Firstly, Scorsese’s immersive use of cutting-edge 3D and ambient recreation of early 20th-century Paris is truly captivating. Secondly, the film encapsulates the childlike wonderment of Hugo Cabret as he learns about the filmmaking talents of cinematic pioneer George Melies. The film is entertaining and educational and is bolstered by its Oscar-nominated cinematography and convincing visual effects.

8 John Carter (2012)

Losing anywhere from $129-225 million depending on the reports, Disney’s John Carter is arguably the most infamous big-budget flop of the decade. However, with a 6.6. IMDb rating, 52% Rotten Tomatoes score, and 51 Metascore, the reception to the film suggests it’s slightly above average and deserves another look.

Panned for an incoherent and unoriginal plot, there is no denying the excellent supporting cast, stunning visual design, arresting VFX of the alien Tharks, and sprawling size and scale of the movie’s action scenes. The film’s source material served as the blueprint for modern-day sci-fi spectacles such as Star Wars. As good old-fashioned Hollywood escapism, John Carter needs a second chance to be fully appreciated for what it inspired and for what the film accomplishes with its fantastical visuals.

7 The Good Dinosaur (2015)

While most agree that The Good Dinosaur is slightly below Pixar’s standards, the film was still undeservingly ignored at the box office in 2015. The highly entertaining, sweet-natured, and affirmational family film cost roughly $200 million and lost roughly $90 million theatrically. Even so, the film has amassed a 76% Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes rating to go with a 6.7 IMDb rating and 66 Metascore, indicating the film is far superior to its box office performance.

The Good Dinosaur is worth another look due to its multitextured visual design, waggish sense of humor, lovable characters, cool hidden easter eggs, and intelligent story for a younger-skewing family film. Like the best children films of the past, The Good Dinosaur teaches the importance of friendship and family in a way that doesn’t condescend to its targeted youthful audience.

6 The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

While Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword could also be included, his previous film The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was the more disappointing box office bomb. Adapting a television show from the 1960s proved an unwise decision way of attracting young eyeballs, leading to a loss of more than $80 million. Still, the film has a 7.3 IMDb rating and a 68% Rotten Tomatoes score, indicating it’s much better than its performance suggests.

Praised for its kinetic style, vibrant energy, and slick visual panache, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is also worth revisiting for its fun-filled, enthralling Mission: Impossible-like action set-pieces and commanding performance by Henry Cavill. Ritchie’s deft handle on the meticulous period detail, handsome throwback costumes, and the witty barbs traded between the two lead characters give the film a vintage texture in a modern world that feels refreshingly unique.

5 The BFG (2016)

With a beloved source novel from Roald Dahl and the most successful director of all time at the helm, Steven Spielberg’s well-received The BFG was a surprising box office flop in the summer of 2016. With a soulfully moving performance by Oscar-winner Mark Rylance as the titular giant, the film definitely deserves another chance, especially considering its 74% Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes rating and a 66 Metascore.

The BFG‘s ensorcelling motion-capture technology is among the main reasons to watch the movie, as Spielberg is always at the forefront of cinematic gadgetry. The film is accessible for the whole family to enjoy, transcending the beloved source material in a magical way only Spielberg’s broad, massive crowd-pleasing vision could achieve.

4 Allied (2016)

While war movies can be a tough sell, the star power of Oscar-winning movie stars Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard should guarantee success. With Robert Zemeckis, who’s directed some of the highest-grossing movies of all time, at the helm, the box office failure of the 2016 film Allied is even more curious. The film cost roughly $85 to produce and failed to earn even half of that figure back at the domestic box office. The film lost roughly $80-90 million depending on inflation, despite earning rave reviews for its two leads to go with a respectable 7.1 IMDb rating, 60 Metascore, and 60 Rotten Tomatoes rating.

Allied deserves a second chance because it embodies classic storytelling that does not rely on cheap gimmicks or unneeded plot twists. The film depends on the timeless tools that make a movie great, an engrossing story, brilliant direction, and combustible chemistry between two ravishing silver screen stars of a bygone era. These kinds of movies are growing more endangered by the day and need support to stay alive in the future.

3 Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Despite its poor box office performance, the overwhelming love and support for Blade Runner 2049 suggest it should be revisited with more of an open mind. The Denis Villeneuve film is one of the biggest box office bombs of the decade, costing roughly $150 million to produce and losing about $80 million in theatrical tickets sold. Still, the film holds an 88% Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes rating, 81 Metascore, and 80 IMDb rating.

Despite the financial drubbing it took, the film deserves another look for its excellent use of light and shadow by Oscar-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins, the exciting return of Rick Deckard to the franchise after 25 years, the unpredictable script by Hampton Francher and Michael Green, and the technical mastery of Villeneuve at the helm. Blade Runner 2049 is also the rare sequel that honors the original by taking the original’s characters and themes and developing them further to make them relevant to today’s audiences.

2 Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

Surely due to Terminator fatigue and the poor results of the previous outings, Dark Fate lost roughly $120 million at the box office in 2019, making it one of the biggest financial failures of the decade. While audiences shunned the movie, the viewers that did watch it liked what they saw as Dark Fate garnered a 70% Rotten Tomatoes score and a 6.2 IMDb rating.

Terminator: Dark Fate takes the franchise in daring new directions while still honoring the first two movies. Moreover, the film restores the glorious blockbuster spectacle and relentless action that was sorely lacking in the previous entries. Yet, for reasons mentioned, the film was unfairly dismissed by the masses despite the notable return of Linda Hamilton as the iconic Sarah Connor and an emotionally resonant finale with Arnold Schwarzenegger that calls back to the franchise’s best movie, Judgment Day.

1 Deep Water Horizon ( 2016)

Due to the real-life event that it was based on and the extremely important topic of environmental protectionism, Deepwater Horizon ought to be required viewing despite being panned at the box office in 2016. With top-notch acting across the board, the film recounts with thrilling accuracy the devastating BP oil spill in April of 2010. Based on its budget and box office business, the film lost roughly $100 million despite an 83% Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score, 7.1 IMDb rating, and 68 Metascore.

Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, and Mark Wahlberg all give terrific performances in the film, which blends compelling real-life characters with the visceral intensity of a major disaster action movie, providing engaging entertainment while also addressing an important issue about the environment. In addition, the gripping tension and suspense mounted by director Peter Berg will keep viewers at the edge of their seats.