Why anyone thought that a movie about a nightclub owner on the Moon with a ridiculous name was worth investing millions of dollars into remains a mystery. This science-fiction comedy, starring Eddie Murphy in the title role, proved that A-list talent alone is not enough to save a movie.

The film lost a staggering $156 million upon release, partly due to the disastrous critical reaction and the bad word of mouth from the few who actually saw it.

Image: Antoine J.

Science fiction is a tricky genre. Good sci-fi movies cost a pretty penny to produce, and if the story is compelling, they can become huge blockbusters. However, if the public does not like them, the commercial flop can be massive.

Titan A.E. tells the story of a young hero sent to save the human race after an alien species destroys Earth, blending traditional 2D animation with 3D CGI. The cast included Matt Damon, Nathan Lane, and Drew Barrymore. However, this star power was not enough to lead the movie to box office success, as it earned only $36.8 million worldwide and resulted in a $170 million loss for Fox Animation Studios.

Image: Conrad Crawford

As is often the case, the problem isn’t so much the story as the budget. A decent movie can achieve a respectable box office performance as long as it was made for a reasonable price. However, when the budget is in the $225–250 million range, the film is forced to become a massive box office success just to recoup the money invested in it.

Based on the character of the same name, The Lone Ranger starred Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp in a Wild West adventure that had all the ingredients of a successful summer blockbuster. Unfortunately, its massive budget made it almost impossible to meet expectations.

Image: Taylor Brandon

The third (but not the last) science fiction movie on this list, John Carter tells the story of an American Confederate Civil War captain who accidentally transports himself to Mars and becomes entangled in the planet's internal power struggles.

With a production budget of $263 million, John Carter was one of the most expensive movies ever made, with its marketing costs adding nearly another $100 million. Despite eventually earning $284 million at the box office, the film suffered a historic $255 million loss, cementing its reputation as the biggest box office bomb of all time.

Image: Rod Long

Computer-animated movies are notoriously expensive to make, which is why any studio attempting to create a blockbuster using this technique must be absolutely confident in both the quality of the script and the effectiveness of the marketing campaign.

Mars Needs Moms suffered an estimated loss of $180–190 million, due to a combination of its high production costs, a subpar story, and an underwhelming marketing campaign.

Image: Nicolas Lobos

Despite being based on the popular board game and having an action-packed premise, Battleship didn’t achieve the commercial success its creators had hoped for. A combination of poor writing, weak direction, and an even worse plot created the disastrous mix that led the producers of the film to lose nearly $200 million.

The movie was expected to capitalize on the public's interest in big-robot CGI blockbusters, spurred by the success of the Transformers franchise. However, the poorly executed final product failed to achieve box office success.

Image: John Kostyk

Before Pirates of the Caribbean brought the pirate genre into the spotlight, 1995’s Cutthroat Island failed big time in these same waters due to a poorly written script. The film was marketed as a swashbuckling adventure but didn’t capture the vibrant, action-packed essence of pirate tales or create the same excitement as other blockbusters of the era.

Directed by Renny Harlin and starring Geena Davis, Cutthroat Island lost over $200 million and was universally panned by critics and audiences alike.

Image: Cezary Kukowka

An Indiana Jones movie would have been a sure thing 30 years ago, but in 2023, it was more of a gamble—even with Harrison Ford on board. Following the lukewarm reception of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the new adventure aimed to conclude the franchise on a high note.

The reception to Dial of Destiny was somewhat mixed, though more positive than its predecessor. However, Indiana Jones 5 became the lowest-grossing installment in the series, earning under $384 million at the box office. Due to its large budget, the film ultimately resulted in a loss of $143 million.

Image: Colton Jones

And finally, one day, the public seemed to reach a breaking point with superhero movies. One of the most notorious failures in the genre was DC's long-awaited standalone film, The Flash. Not only was the movie intended to be this character’s first solo outing, but it also promised exciting cameos from other DCEU cast members, including Batman and Wonder Woman.

Despite its potential on paper, the movie faced an extended and tumultuous development process, with multiple directors coming and going. This all led to The Flash failing to surpass $272 million at the worldwide box office, resulting in a staggering $150 million loss.

Image: King Lip

The final item on the list further proves the point that the public has grown tired of subpar superhero movies: The Marvels. Serving as a sequel to both Captain Marvel and the Ms. Marvel television series, The Marvels marked the 33rd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

While the film grossed over $200 million worldwide, this box office revenue would have been considered a success under different circumstances. However, with a reported budget exceeding $250 million and substantial marketing costs for such a high-profile movie, The Marvels ultimately suffered a $237 million loss.

Image: Craig McLachlan