A film’s theatrical run andbox officenumbers are often great indicators of the overall success of a film.Opening weekendnumbers are hugely anticipated, as is whether the film has a long and healthy tail in its theatrical run. When the movie is inevitably available for streaming, it can reach a new audience as well as hold onto the fans who had to see it in theaters. Other films’ time in theaters isn’t a great predictor for later success.
There are various reasons why a film could fail at the movie theater. Poor marketing, competition from other releases, or, um,a global pandemickeeping people out of said establishments. Whatever the case may be, many films have flopped at the box office and went on to find great success streaming. For recent movies, that can mean making Netflix and other platforms’ top 10 lists. And for other films, that meant being smashes on VHS or when it went into television syndication. Here are 20 of those dark horse films.
The Suicide Squad
With the sheer number of Halloween costumes inspired byMargot Robbie’s character Harley Quinn, it’s surprising for many to knowThe Suicide Squaddidn’t soar at the box office. Especially since it was a follow-up to the extremely successfulSuicide Squada few years prior. The film is about a group of imprisoned villains who team up for the titular group to destroy an oppressive regime in South America. If successful, they can receive shorter jail sentences.
A Strange Strategy
This is one of many films on this list that was one of many moviecasualties of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mass closures of movie theaters across the globe left many good stories unseen or forced production companies to employ risky strategies. In an odd move,The Suicide Squadwas released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max, which also likely contributed to the poor box office numbers.
However, it eventually found its place with fans of this eclectic cast of characters. It becameHBO Max’s most-watched DC Filmand knowing how many people pirated the movie, the amount who watched it is likely even higher.Stream on Max.
19Air (2023)
Air (2023)
Ben Affleck has certainly proved over the years that he’s capable on both sides of the camera. For the 2023 sports biographical dramaAir, Affleck served as lead actor, producer, and director. Nike is one of the world’s most recognizable brands and the Air Jordan one of its most popular sneaker lines. The film shows how Phil Knight (played by Affleck) saved the basketball division of Nike with his forward-thinking and willingness to take a chance on a relatively unknown player: Michael Jordan.
A Slow Build
Amazon Studios is still trying to figure out its place in the market. Sometimes their decisions pay off, and other times it costs the company money.Airwas meant to be released directly to Prime Video, but it was later changed to have a limited theatrical run. At first, it seemed like this was a poor choice.
The movie made about $90 million at the box office. According toDeadline, $125 million was spent on the film. However, it didn’t finish when the buzzer sounded and it left theaters.Over 1 million users streamedit during its initial online release, and it remained one of Prime’s most successful films.Stream on Prime Video.
18Don’t Look Up (2021)
Don’t Look Up
Many argue thatDon’t Look Upwould’ve been a sure-fire box office hit had it been released at any other time. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Angelina Jolie, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Ariana Grande, Tyler Perry. This only scratches the surface of the A-listers involved in this satirical critique of governments’ response to climate change. Two astronomers learn of a comet that is heading to Earth and will destroy everything. However, they are ignored by those in charge, who can make the biggest difference.
Too Much for 2021
One would imagine a stacked cast would balloon the budget, making it nearly impossible to recoup it anytime, but especially in 2021. ButDon’t Look Up’s budget was only $75 million. It was only in theaters for a few short weeks and didn’t even earn $1 million, according toBox Office Mojo.
Perhaps in the height of quarantine in many countries, a film about climate change and government ignoring issues hit a little too close to home. However, people did eventually give it a shot. It became one ofNetflix’s most-watched moviesin January 2022.Stream on Netflix.
17Lightyear (2022)
Buzz Lightyear is an iconic character from one of Disney’s most successful franchises,Toy Story. The 2022 releaseLightyearhumanizes Buzz, literally. Buzz is a space ranger on an exploration vessel. He and his crew are investigating possible life on a planet when they are attacked by its inhabitants. With their vessel now damaged, Buzz must find a way to get back home. However, with a time warp and the ever-present threat of those on the new planet, his mission proves to be a huge undertaking.
To Disney+ and Beyond
To many,Lightyearfirst appeared to be another remake, spin-off, or sequel that simply didn’t need to exist. A cash grab, as others would put it. Even if some of those criticisms still apply,Lightyearmanaged to be an enjoyable enough film for many Disney and Pixar lovers.
Despite raking in over $225 million, it’s reported that when marketing and budgeting costs were factored in, the studio lost $106 million (according toDeadline). Some cite the inclusion of a lesbian couple as a reason parents and certain countries didn’t support the film. Ultimately, it found its audience, becoming the most-watched movie in 2022 on Disney+, and topped similar lists.Stream on Disney+.
Related:Why Lightyear Underperformed At The Box Office
16Mortal Kombat (2021)
Mortal Kombatis an action fantasy film based on a popular video game series and the third film in theMortal Kombatfilm franchise. It’s set in a world rich with lore and history where two realms, Outworld and Earthrealm, are competing in a tournament called Mortal Kombat. Earthrealm has lost nine of 10 battles and one more loss will lead to Outworld’s total domination. Unless they can get a prophecy to come true, one that states the blood of a fallen fighter will prevent Outworld’s victory. Which leads Outworld to the path of an in-over-his-head MMA fighter, Cole Young.
This Time, It Worked
The trajectory of this franchise has been a rollercoaster. The video games were hugely popular and there were several appreciated animated films in the world. The first live-action film released in 1995 was a commercial success, but the sequel underperformed. It was a toss-up of how this 2021 release would fare, especially with itpercolating in development hellfor over a decade.
Release dates shuffled around because of the pandemic, withMortal Kombatbeing available on HBO Max for a month as it premiered in theaters. Ticket sales were disappointing, but it was a massive hit on the streaming platform The high-paced movie found its way into 3.8 million households (according toBusiness Insider). While the studio would’ve preferred for people to cozy up in theater seats, at the end of the day the film was viewed (and largely enjoyed) by a great deal of consumers.Stream on Max.
15The Snowman (2017)
The Snowman
The Snowmanis a psychological thriller adapter from a Norwegian novel. Harry Hole had a traumatic upbringing, as he watched his mom sink after getting into a car crash that sent them into a lake. This happened after his mother was abused by his father who was a married police officer. As an adult, Harry is an inspector for the police department and gets pulled into one of Oslo’s most harrowing cases. A serial killer continues to strike, with a peculiar calling card: leaving a snowman at each crime scene.
A Hate-Watch Phenomenon?
This film didn’t receive much love financially or critically. It had a $35 million budget and didn’t crack $45 million at the box office. Early reviews felt there was nothing special about this storyline, from the characters to the plot twists.The Snowmanhas a whopping 7% on Rotten Tomatoes and seemed to be ready to fall into oblivion.
Yet randomly, in April 2023, it soared to #1 on Netflix’s most-watched list (viaYahoo Finance). It’s unclear what caused this sudden surge in popularity, if it found its true audience, or if people loved to hate-watch it together.Stream on Netflix.
14Elemental (2023)
Elementalis a departure from typical Pixar films, being a true romantic comedy. Set in a world populated by the elements, our main character Ember is (you guessed it) a Fire. Her parents moved to Element City before she was born and faced discrimination from the other elements, especially Water.
Ember is set to take over her father’s shop when he retires, though with her temper and interests in glassmaking, she knows it’s not the right path for her. When she meets Wade, a Water, she starts to question if she can assert her autonomy while not destroying all her parents worked for.
Don’t Count It Out
Theinitial reaction toElementalwasn’t favorable. Originally expected to earn around $40 million on opening weekend, it hit about $30 million instead. The reason is potentially due to being so different from other Pixar films or burying its heavy immigration themes in the marketing, the film didn’t connect with audiences, at least at first.
While everyone was talking about the downfall of Pixar, it was quietly gaining traction back in the theaters and later on streaming. While it’s still early days since the film’s release, it turned its fate around in a way no one anticipated. On Disney+, it wasviewed over 26.4 million timesin less than a week and was one of the streaming platform’s most successful films.Stream on Disney+.
13The Last Duel (2021)
The Last Duel
If people believe salacious gossip didn’t exist in medieval times, they should giveThe Last Duela watch or check out the nonfiction book it’s based on. In a classic he said, she said setup, this film is divided into three parts from the perspectives of different characters. Jean de Carrouges is a knight married to Marguerite. He is friends with a squire named Jacques Le Gris. However, their friendship ends when Marguerite accuses Jacques of sexual assault. Since everyone disputes what happened, the matter must be settled by a duel.
Where People Found It
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck teamed up again for this project, with Jodie Comer stepping into the role of Marguerite. The premise is unique from other historical dramas that tend to focus on huge wars or better-known conflicts. Yet what makes this film stand out may also have been one of the reasons people didn’t see it.
That and, of course, because it was released in 2021. Still, word-of-mouth helped pull this film out of the trenches. After losing over $70 million from its box office performance, it connected with viewers who found it online. In January 2022,The Last DuelwasHBO Max’s second most-watched program.Stream on Hulu.
Related:Ben Affleck Shares His Thoughts on The Last Duel Bombing
12The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
The Matrix Resurrections
The Matrix Resurrectionsis the fourth film inThe Matrixfranchise. It premiered a long eighteen years after the previous movie was released. In the movie’s world, it takes place sixty years after we caught up with the main character Neo. He doesn’t remember much about being “Neo” and instead believes he’s just a simple video game developer named Thomas who created a game calledThe Matrix. However, the rebels who free him soon remind Neo that reality is not what it seems.
Finding the Right Eyes
When an addition to a series comes out so long after the initial hype, it’s met with a lot of skepticism. Is this just a cash grab? Do people still care about this anymore? Is Hollywood struggling that much with original ideas? Many believe these questions could indicate a low-quality film, so they didn’t want to spend money to see it in theaters.
It made $159 million, not chump change but lower than its budget and expectations. However, with less financial risk in streaming, people gave it a chance. In its first five days on HBO Max, over 2.8 million households streamed the sci-fi flick (viaForbes).Stream on Max.
11West Side Story (2021)
West Side Story
Musicals can be hit or miss for modern-day audiences. Filmmakers hoped thatWest Side Storywould dance its way to the top of the box office, as it’s an adaptation of a beloved stage musical. The Steven Spielberg-directed film is about two opposing gangs in New York. The Jets, made up of white people, and the Sharks, made up of Puerto Ricans, battle for reign over San Juan Hill. A rumble to settle matters is going to happen, but before it does, Maria, the sister of the Sharks’ leader, and Tony, a member of the Jets, fall in love.
As with so many on this list, once we see the year it was released, a lot of blanks as to why it failed get filled in.West SideStory’s release day was pushed back a year, but even that couldn’t save it entirely. It managed to rake in $76 million of a $100 million budget, even with the state of the world working against it.
What did give the film a new life was the attention brought on by its multiple Academy Award nominations (Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actress, to just name a few). After the nominations were announced,1.9 million households streamedthis vibrant musical and didn’t let this gem go unnoticed.Stream on Disney+.
