Big Budget Bloopers: 15 Expensive Movies That Flopped Hard

1. "Mars Needs Moms" (2011)

Even Mars couldn't save this Disney feature from an astronomical flop. With a budget of $150 million, this motion-capture animation film managed to secure only a measly $39 million worldwide. Ouch! The film's plot centers around a young boy's adventure to save his mom, who's been abducted by Martians. While the idea might sound intriguing, audiences found the execution less than stellar.

With a Rotten Tomatoes rating of just 37%, the film's downfall was attributed to its uncanny-valley animation and a rather lackluster storyline. Despite its high-profile voice cast, including Seth Green and Joan Cusack, "Mars Needs Moms" proved that even Disney isn't immune to the occasional misstep (just like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny did recently).

2. "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" (2001)

Despite pioneering photorealistic renderings of human characters, "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" was an epic financial disaster, grossing only $85 million on a staggering budget of $137 million. The film, loosely based on the wildly popular video game series, focused on a future Earth invaded by phantom-like aliens. While it may have been a visual marvel, critics and fans alike were disappointed by the film's convoluted plot and lack of recognizable elements from the source material.

The film's failure was so profound that it led to the bankruptcy of Square Pictures. Today, the movie holds a middling 44% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is remembered more for its financial failure than its technical achievements.

3. "The Adventures of Pluto Nash" (2002)

Even the charismatic Eddie Murphy couldn't salvage this colossal box-office bomb. With a budget of $100 million, "The Adventures of Pluto Nash" earned a very painful $7.1 million globally. The film's storyline, set on the moon and revolving around a nightclub owner's battles with the lunar mafia, couldn't entice audiences to the theaters.

Add to that a miscast Murphy, an uninspired script, and some questionable special effects, and you've got yourself a recipe for disaster. The film's dismal 5% rating on Rotten Tomatoes speaks volumes, as does Murphy's own admission in interviews that the film was a "terrible" project.

4. "47 Ronin" (2013)

Starring Keanu Reeves, "47 Ronin" is a samurai film that strayed too far from its historical roots, adding fantastical elements that didn't sit well with audiences. With a budget of $175 million, the film earned $151 million worldwide, making it one of the most significant box-office flops of 2013.

Behind the scenes, the film suffered from production issues and multiple re-edits, which unfortunately, were reflected in the final product. The story of a group of samurais seeking vengeance for their master's death was lost amidst the movie's bloated narrative and overuse of CGI.

5. "Pan" (2015)

It turns out not all prequels are destined for success. "Pan", a prequel to J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan", had a budget of $150 million but only managed to bring in $128 million worldwide. The film's attempt to reimagine the origins of Peter, Hook, and Neverland wasn't received well by critics or audiences. It's not that the performances were subpar – Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard was, in fact, quite memorable.

However, the overstuffed plot and anachronistic elements (like the inclusion of Nirvana and The Ramones songs) turned this potential franchise starter into a one-hit-wonder. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 26%, "Pan" flew straight on till failure.

6. "Stealth" (2005)

Despite being action-packed and featuring a star-studded cast including Jamie Foxx, Jessica Biel, and Josh Lucas, "Stealth" was a financial nightmare. The film, which boasted a budget of $135 million, grossed only $76.9 million globally. Its story revolves around three pilots and an AI fighter plane that goes rogue – a concept that was sadly too "out there" for audiences in 2005.

Critics also found the plot to be a generic blend of "Top Gun" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" clichés. The film's failure led to a major financial loss for Columbia Pictures and left a dent in director Rob Cohen's career.

7. "The Lone Ranger" (2013)

Pairing Johnny Depp with Armie Hammer couldn't save "The Lone Ranger" from being a monumental flop. With a budget of $225 million, the film made just $260.5 million worldwide, making it one of Disney's biggest losses. The film's plot reimagined the classic radio and TV series, with Depp's quirky portrayal of Tonto overshadowing the titular character.

A combination of negative reviews, criticism over Depp's casting, and a less-than-thrilling plot left audiences unimpressed. Even Hammer blamed the film's failure on the critics, citing their reviews as "destructive". Today, the film holds a lackluster 31% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

8. "A Sound of Thunder" (2005)

Based on Ray Bradbury's short story, "A Sound of Thunder" was a sci-fi film that audiences found more laughable than impressive. With a budget of $80 million, the film made a disastrous $11.7 million worldwide. The film's plot about time-traveling hunters who accidentally change the course of evolution had the potential to be intriguing.

However, the poor execution, terrible special effects, and hammy performances turned it into a cinematic misfire. The film suffered from extensive production issues, including major flooding on the set in Prague.

9. "Inchon" (1981)

"Inchon", a war film about the Battle of Inchon during the Korean War, was one of the most infamous box office bombs in cinema history. With a budget of $46 million (a hefty sum for the '80s), the film only earned $5.2 million. Its plot featured General Douglas MacArthur (played by Laurence Olivier) leading the surprise amphibious invasion.

Despite its historical relevance, audiences found the film's execution to be disjointed and the performances overly melodramatic. In fact, Olivier was reportedly so embarrassed by the film that he tried to have his name removed from the credits.

10. "Cutthroat Island" (1995)

Despite its swashbuckling ambitions, "Cutthroat Island" is often cited as one of the biggest box office disasters of all time. With a budget of $98 million, it made a measly $10 million worldwide. The film's plot, which centered on pirate Anne (played by Geena Davis) seeking buried treasure, was riddled with clichés and failed to captivate audiences. The film's disastrous performance led to the bankruptcy of Carolco Pictures and put a dent in the career of director Renny Harlin.

11. "Town & Country" (2001)

With an A-list cast including Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, and Garry Shandling, it's hard to believe "Town & Country" was such a huge box-office dud. The film, which revolved around the intertwining love affairs of wealthy New Yorkers, took in just $10.4 million against a production budget of $90 million.

Its production was famously troubled, with numerous script rewrites and reshoots that spiraled the budget out of control. Not even the star-studded cast could make up for a storyline that many found incoherent and unfunny. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 13%, "Town & Country" is a prime example of a high-budget misfire.

12. "Gigli" (2003)

Despite being a vehicle for then-it-couple Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, "Gigli" was a disaster, both critically and commercially. The film's storyline, focusing on a mobster assigned to kidnap a prosecutor's brother, was widely criticized for its poor screenplay and lack of chemistry between the leads. With a budget of $75.6 million, "Gigli" only managed to scrape together a paltry $7.3 million worldwide. Lopez reportedly disliked the film so much that she didn't even attend its premiere.

13. "The Nutcracker in 3D" (2010)

Despite being based on a beloved ballet and featuring high-profile stars like Elle Fanning and Nathan Lane, "The Nutcracker in 3D" was an enormous flop. The film, with a budget of $90 million, grossed only $16 million globally.

Critics and audiences alike were confounded by the film's decision to incorporate a Nazi allegory into the plot, which was widely seen as a misguided attempt at being edgy. The 3D effects were also criticized for adding nothing of value to the storytelling. Today, the film holds a dismal 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is considered one of the biggest box office bombs of all time.

14. "The Legend of the Lone Ranger" (1981)

Before the 2013 flop, there was 1981's "The Legend of the Lone Ranger", another attempt at reviving the iconic character that was met with scorn from audiences and critics alike. The film's plot focused on the origin story of the Lone Ranger and Tonto, but was widely criticized for its slow pacing and lack of excitement.

On a budget of $18 million, it only earned $12.6 million at the box office. Adding to the film's woes was a controversy involving actor Clayton Moore, who had previously portrayed the Lone Ranger on television and was legally prevented from wearing his mask at public appearances.

15. "The Fall of the Roman Empire" (1964)

Despite its grand ambitions and a star-studded cast including Sophia Loren and Alec Guinness, "The Fall of the Roman Empire" was a colossal failure. The film, which attempted to chronicle the events leading to Rome's decline, cost $19 million to produce (an enormous budget for the time) but made only $4.8 million at the box office.

Critics found the film's plot to be overly complicated and its length to be excessive, while audiences were simply uninterested in a history lesson. The film's failure was a major contributing factor to the bankruptcy of producer Samuel Bronston's production company.