This year has been one of stark contrasts at the box office. On one side, you have the spectacular failures that defied all logic despite studios sinking every resource the studio could throw at it.
On the other hand, you have critically hailed "masterpieces" like Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another, which earned rave reviews and Oscar buzz, yet is still projected to cost its studio over $100 million in losses after being released in the cinema.
Both are considered by the film industry as financial disappointments, but for very different reasons - but who have been the biggest disappointments at the cinema so far this year?
To figure that out, we ignored the simple "gross vs. budget" line and instead followed the rule in Hollywood that a movie needs to make 2.5 times its production cost just to cover marketing, distribution, and the cinema's cut—anything less is a guaranteed loser.
All the loss estimates we're using come from websites such as IMDB and Box Office Mojo, but keep in mind, they are educated guesses based on our rule of thumb. By applying this critical 2.5x threshold to major blockbusters and focusing on the biggest misses, we can accurately rank the most embarrassing financial disappointments of the year.
So, what films are up for the proverbial wooden spoon alongside One Battle After Another?
1. The Bad Guys 2 (Estimated Budget: $80 Million)
Universal's animated sequel to the surprisingly successful The Bad Guys suffered from significant diminishing returns. While the first film was a hit, the follow-up failed to capture the same magic or audience enthusiasm. Its performance indicates that while the film might have grossed a decent amount, it couldn't overcome its production and marketing costs to reach profitability, making it a financial disappointment for the studio. 💰 Estimated Losses: $30 – $50 Million | Universal
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2. Black Bag (Estimated Budget: $50 – $60 Million)
A rare misfire for acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh, Black Bag was a star-driven thriller that struggled to gain traction with audiences. Despite a relatively modest budget by Hollywood standards, the film's minimal box office performance meant it failed to even recoup its production costs. It was largely ignored by moviegoers, marking a clear financial failure for Universal. 💰 Estimated Losses: $30 – $50 Million | Universal
3. Captain America: Brave New World (Estimated Budget: $180 Million +)
The highly anticipated next chapter in the Captain America saga, marking Sam Wilson's debut as the titular hero, landed with a thud rather than a bang. Despite being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Brave New World underperformed significantly, failing to ignite the box office as previous MCU entries had. Its high production budget, coupled with a lukewarm critical and audience reception, meant that even a respectable gross wasn't enough to secure profitability. 💰 Estimated Losses: $50 – $100 Million (due to underperformance | Marvel Studios/Dinsey
4. Thunderbolts* (Estimated Budget: $180 Million +)
Another entry from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to face financial woes, Thunderbolts* aimed to bring together a team of anti-heroes but failed to electrify the box office. With a hefty budget typical of Marvel productions, the film's gross was insufficient to make it a clear success story. It struggled to stand out in a crowded superhero landscape and did not meet the high financial thresholds expected of an MCU team-up, leading to significant losses for Disney. 💰 Estimated Losses: $50 Million + | Marvel Studios/Disney