Not every movie is a hit when it comes to bringing in the money – some of the best box office flops were doomed to slack a bit behind the budget costs. A movie’s first goal might be to entertain the audience, but the second one is to meet and exceed the costs of the budget. However, box office flops are not always horrible movies. Some of the greatest films released once got labeled as flops.

Just because the movie is a box office failure doesn’t automatically mean it’s a bad film. Great and beloved movies, like The Shawshank Redemption to Mulholland Drive, flopped hard at the box office. The list of the biggest box office flops has a lot of loved movies on it. Usually, they fail to garner enough money at the box office due to the poor marketing decisions taken during the promotion of the final product.

A box office flop is like a diamond in the rough — great after some time. Below, we have compiled a list of the movies that couldn’t dominate the box office and flopped. They are the complete opposites of the forgotten box office hits. Be sure to upvote the biggest box office flop that should have earned more. On the other hand, share your thoughts on why the movie didn’t meet the required break-even point with a comment below.

The Shawshank Redemption – $73.3 Million

1994 | 2h 22m | Directed by Frank Darabont
 
Starring Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman and Bob Gunton
 
While The Shawshank Redemption might have been a flop in the short term, it has become one of the greatest movies ever in the long term. Due to competing with other great movies, like Pulp Fiction and Forrest Gump, the film couldn’t cover the budget costs, plus marketing. It did become one of the most rented movies ever.

Fight Club – $101.2 Million

1999 | 2h 19m | Directed by David Fincher
 
Starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Meat Loaf
 
Fight Club received mixed reviews from critics and performed poorly at the box office compared to the studio’s projections. With a budget of $65 million and a $20 million marketing investment, it only brought in $101.2 million from the box office earnings. After being released on home video, the movie became one of the most popular movies ever.

The Big Lebowski – $46.7 Million

1998 | 1h 57m | Directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen (uncredited)
 
Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman and Julianne Moore
 
When The Big Lebowski was first released, reviews were conflicting. The movie has gained cult status due to praise that has grown over time. The film got chosen for inclusion in the US National Film Registry. The film grossed just $18 million in the United States, with a budget of $15 million. It did earn a lot of money back in other markets.

The Thing – $19.6 Million

1982 | 1h 49m | Directed by John Carpenter
 
Starring Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley and Keith David
 
When The Thing was made available on home video and television, it quickly attracted a lot of viewers. It has since received new recognition as one of the best science fiction and horror movies ever produced and developed a cult following. It grossed just $19.6 million at the box office on a $15 million budget when it played at theaters.

The Iron Giant – $31.3 Million

1999 | 1h 26m | Directed by Brad Bird
 
Starring Eli Marienthal, Vin Diesel and Jennifer Aniston
 
With a $50 million production budget and $31.3 million in international box office receipts, The Iron Giant failed to reach the break-even point. Warner Bros’ extremely subpar marketing strategy and its misgivings about the viability of animated films got cited as contributing factors. The movie received 15 nominations for awards and received nine Annie Awards.

Children Of Men – $70.5 Million

2006 | 1h 49m | Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
 
Starring Julianne Moore, Clive Owen and Chiwetel Ejiofor
 
Children of Men garnered positive reviews and got acknowledged for its accomplishments by being nominated for three Academy Awards, despite its restricted distribution and the distributor’s lack of a clear marketing plan during awards season. The movie brought in a sizable amount at the box office but not enough to cover the $76 million cost of production.

The Suicide Squad – $169 Million

2021 | 2h 12m | Directed by James Gunn

Starring Margot Robbie, Idris Elba and John Cena
 
On August 5, The Suicide Squad was released at the theaters and on the HBO Max streaming service. Critics gave the movie favorable reviews and appreciated the acting. Despite becoming the most-watched DCEU movie on HBO Max, the film only made $168.7 million globally, falling short of its $185 million production budget.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – $49.3 Million

2010 | 1h 52m | Directed by Edgar Wright
 
Starring Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Kieran Culkin
 
Critics praised Scott Pilgrim vs. the World for its visual flair and comedy despite the film being a box office flop that failed to repay its $85 million production budget. As a result, it gradually developed a cult following. It has received lots of attention in academic study as a transmedia tale.

Tomorrowland – $209 Million

2015 | 2h 10m | Directed by Brad Bird
 
Starring George Clooney, Britt Robertson and Hugh Laurie
 
Critics gave Tomorrowland a mixed bag of reviews, praising its unique idea, acting, action scenes, visual effects, and themes but also feeling that it lacked emphasis on the titular realm and criticizing the narrative. Despite its $280 million production and marketing budget, the movie only made $209 million globally, costing Disney about $120-150 million.

Cloud Atlas – $130.5 Million

2019 | 2h 52m | Directed by Tom Tykwer, Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski
 
Starring Tom Hanks, Halle Berry and Hugh Grant
 
Based on the book of the same name, Cloud Atlas appeared on several “Best Picture” and “Worst Film” lists as a result of the conflicted opinions of critics. The final box office tally for the movie was $130.5 million, which included $27.1 million from domestic sales and $103.4 million from overseas. The budget reached as much as $146.7 million.

Mention your thoughts.