In 2024, the industry’s resilience was put to the test. Not only that, the country had to recover from the devastating impact — still visible — of the mandatory pandemic shutdown. A situation that led to the delay and, in some cases, the cancellation of all types of major projects. It also had to demonstrate that it had managed to survive a writers’ and actors’ strike. This stopped Hollywood again for 118 dayswith mixed results: great success and box office failure.
Together, the two situations have left the 2024 releases under double pressure to recoup their costs while also delivering a profit. This has led to the failure of some of the most anticipated projects, especially those that were most responsible for their investment costs. A phenomenon that has ranged from projects that others took for granted, who was keen to experiment to demonstrate that the Mecca of cinema could still take risks.
It’s a complicated situation that leads to the inevitable question: what makes a movie a box office flop? According to experts, there are several factors involved. But in particular, the golden rule has failed to be achieved. Namely, to triple your budget. This includes marketing and all aspects related to distributing its physical format. This formula is now more difficult than ever to satisfy, so by 2024, when very expensive films are needed, to collect huge sums of money, but eventually collapsed.
We leave you with the worst box office flops of 2024. From what should have been the next action icon to the adaptation that failed to exceed expectations in terms of both money and reviews. A whole selection that demonstrates the problems that cinema still has to face, and especially the difficult times Hollywood is currently experiencing. The most disturbing item on this list is surprising in how it reveals the weaknesses of modern cinema.
Argyle
One of the biggest flops of 2024 was an experiment that included not only a film project, but also a bizarre marketing campaign. ArgyleDirected by Matthew Vaughn, the film began as a rumor in the publishing world, claiming that unknown writer Ellie Conway He managed to sell his first book to Hollywood for a million dollars.
Which turned the debutante, who had an Instagram account and even gave an interview, into a rising star of the spy genre in literature. One that, moreover, was attributed to various personalities, including the singer Taylor Swift. It was an expensive, carefully thought-out and intriguing campaign. which became the main resource of the film.
Add to that a star-studded cast led by Henry Cavill and Bryce Dallas Howard. Plus, the story was shot in a variety of international settings to accommodate the book’s convoluted plot. All of the above swelled the budget to $200 million. So, the $96 million gross, It was a major failure and one of the biggest in 2024.
Madame Web
Everything related to the film Madame Web seemed to be a chronicle of a predicted disaster. From the very bad story that was rewritten at least three times, to the fact that it did not include famous characters. The truth is that the film was already in difficult terrain before it was released.
But things got a little worse when the final trailer became a well-known internet joke. That, coupled with the mediocre visuals and what seemed to be multiple universes in one setting, turned the film into a confusing mix of genres. A narrative mess that doesn’t even exist in the presence of Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney. They were able to help get off the sandbank.
The result was a disaster, no matter how you look at it. With an $80 million budget, it barely made $100 million during its run in U.S. theaters and internationally. It ended up being a box office flop and the worst reviewed superhero movie of the year. A declared disaster, which doesn’t make it any less important or difficult for Sony.
Ghostbusters: Ice Empire
It’s a case of a franchise that refuses to die. Or, at least, that it’s undergoing a series of reinventions that are undermining its grip on the box office and, not to mention, its lifelong following. A direct sequel to the ’80s classic, Ghostbusters: Ice Empire revives a significant portion of its original characters. In addition to the already popular Ghostbusters: Afterlife.
This combination makes the film a strange mix of nostalgia and family humor that doesn’t work at all, especially when the supernatural subtext is so poorly told and lacking in substance that it turns the film into a plot disaster. A failure that the public did not forgive.
With a budget of $100 million, the film grossed $200 million during its run in theaters worldwide. Which casts doubt on a possible sequel, let alone various by-products which were already planned for the saga.
imaginary friends
At first glance, the combination seemed unmistakable. On the one hand, director John Krasinski’s fine hand behind the camera had already proven its worth in the saga. A Quiet PlaceOn the other end is Ryan Reynolds, playing another of his charming characters.
This is in the middle of the campaign. Deadpool and Wolverine (Deadpool and Wolverine), which the film could have benefited from. The above is at the center of a charming story that appeals to children’s imaginations and is intended for a family audience. What could go wrong?
Apparently, that’s all. imaginary friends It was criticized for its bland script, and in particular for taking the grief fantasy to unambitious locations. This meant that on a $110 million budget it would only gross $183 million. That puts it among the biggest flops of a year that has seen many of them.
Furiosa: from the Mad Max saga
It’s one of those inexplicable cases where a film that was considered one of the year’s biggest hits before it even hit theaters not only disappointed, but also ended a classic saga in the midst of a financial disaster for Hollywood history. Furiosa: from the Mad Max sagais a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road was unanimously hailed as a milestone in action cinema.
So the film, which marks George Miller’s return to the director’s chair, was expected to at least live up to the success of its predecessor. After all, the project promised to explore Miller’s universe and especially the figure of Furiosa. The character first played by Charlize Theron is now back on screen with the face of Anya Taylor Joy, one of the most sought-after and popular actresses in modern cinema.
But the combination of industrial epic and dystopia didn’t seem to live up to his ambitions. With a budget of $168 million, the film managed to gross $171 million. a colossal failure that marked the “before” and “after” of the action movie.
Specialist
Usually, a box office flop is preceded by mediocre reviews. Or, at best, a cold reception from the trade press. This is not the case Specialist David Leitch, which thrilled critics and received high praise for the superb action scenes and charismatic acting.
But for reasons that remain unclear, the film bombed at the box office, leaving Hollywood analysts wondering whether the streaming option made going to the theater less desirable. It is unclear what caused the production to fail, but it was certainly a resounding failure.
On a $130 million budget, it grossed $180 million during a worldwide theater tour. That leaves a number of questions about what’s happening to the cinematic experience in theaters and its influence in the future.
Fly with me to the moon
Another case of a film that was highly praised by critics but was met with indifference by audiences in cinemas. Fly with me to the moontells the story of a little-known aspect of the American space program: how NASA tried to reach taxpayers and demonstrate the value of the space race. And all this at a difficult time, when the country was distrustful of a series of projects.
For the occasion, the film stars Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, in addition to boasting a stellar supporting cast led by Woody Harrelson. Mix has pleased industry critics, especially hinted that this could be one of the biggest hits of the year.
Only it wasn’t. On a $100 million budget, it barely made $41.6 million. Making it one of the biggest flops of the year and a major blow to stories outside of superheroes and big franchises.
Borderland
Unlike several titles on this list, Borderland This is one of those cases where it was obvious that the production was doomed to disaster. The adaptation of the game of the same name was a chaotic production that included script rewrites and confrontations with director Eli Roth. Which resulted in a filming fraught with complications and There are rumors of disagreements between the various teams involved in the project.
It’s no surprise to anyone, Borderland It was one of the biggest flops of 2024. With a budget of $115 million, it barely made $30 million. And that’s amid disastrous reviews that only confirmed that this new attempt to bring a complex universe to cinema, failed long before it hit the big screen.
Source: Hiper Textual
