From Dusk Till Dawn, Quentin Tarantino
AlthoughQuentin Tarantinodidn’t direct this gory vampire flick, he wrote the script and co-starred in it (alongsideGeorge Clooney, at the beginning of his movie career). A tribute to B-movie horror films,From Dusk Till Dawn,would later become a cult classic and its status was cemented by Tarantino and directorRobert Rodriguez’s 2007 follow-up,Grindhouse.
But at the time, the critics hatedFrom Dusk Till Dawn. TheNew York Timescalled it “sophomoric,” theWashington Postsaid it was a “monument to its own lack of imagination” and theHollywood Reportercalled it “trash.” Tarantino had just come off the successful filmsPulp FictionandJackie Brown, but wouldn’t direct again until 2003’sKill Bill.
I Heart Huckabees, David O. Russell
These days, we knowDavid O. Russellmostly for his beloved hitsThe Silver Linings PlaybookandAmerican Hustle.But before that, he directedI Heart Huckabees, which almost ruined his career. The movie failed at the box office, which is pretty unforgivable withBrad Pittin your cast.
Worse, Russell was surreptitiously filmed yelling at the cast the crew behind the scenes and gained a reputation for being difficult on set. Luckily for him, his previous successesFlirting with DisasterandThree Kingshelped give him a second chance, and he’s been going strong sinceSilver Liningsin 2010.
Jennifer’s Body, Karyn Kusama
Written by indie darlingDiablo Cody,Jennifer’s Bodyis another instance of a misunderstood horror movie. Meant to be a feminist take on a fun genre, it was instead marketed—against its creators’ wishes—as a movie for guys who like hot chicks.
Unfortunately, directorKaryn Kusama’s prior movie,Æon Flux,had also massively underperformed, and Kusama never directed a feature-length film again. However, like Mimi Leder, she was able to build a successful career as a TV director, directing such dramas asThe Man in the High CastleandHalt and Catch Fire.
Dune, David Lynch
It’s every director’s nightmare to make a movie that’s ultimately famous for being a failure, andDunedefinitely fits the bill.Called“universally hated when it premiered” byThe Atlantic, it’s considered a cult classic both by those who love to hate it and those who think it’s actually pretty good.
After it premiered,David Lynchremoved his name from some versions, blaming the sci-fi film’s problems on the studio not allowing him enough artistic control or a final cut on the film.Sting’s acting career was over as soon as it began, but Lynch went on to releaseBlue Velvettwo years later.
Batman & Robin, Joel Schumacher
ABatmanmovie starringGeorge Clooneyas Batman andArnold SchwarzeneggerandUma Thurmanas the villains should have been a slam dunk. And although folks flocked to the theaters on the opening weekend ofBatman & Robin, they quickly found out how bad the movie turned out to be, and audience numbers took one of the biggest dives in history.
Easily the worst movie in theBatmanfranchise, many also consider it to be one of the worst superhero movies ever made, and even George Clooney has said it’s one of his least favorite films he has made. Studios were afraid to touch Batman again until 2005’sBatman Begins, but Schumacher remained relatively unscathed.
Hudson Hawk, Michael Lehman
One of the most infamous flops of all time,Hudson Hawkwas supposed to be a rip-roaring comedy-action film the likes ofBeverly Hills CopandDie Hard.It even starred Bruce Willis in the title role, as a cat burglar tasked with stealing priceless artwork.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t particularly funny. Like watching the spoof reel of a war film, the parts that were parody didn’t seem to jive with the brutality of the action. And its bloated Hollywood budget meant that it didn’t even make back a third of what it cost. DirectorMichael Lehmanntook a hit but was back a few years later with the likable comediesAirheadsandThe Truth About Cats and Dogs.
Heaven’s Gate, Michael Cimino
After his massive hitThe Deer Hunter, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Director,Michael Ciminowas practically the king of Hollywood. Unfortunately,Heaven’s Gate, his next film, was such an unimaginable disaster that it even caused the collapse of its studio, United Artists.
Bringing in less than 8 percent of its budget once it was released, the movie was not only a box-office failure, it was riddled with rumors about Cimino’s mean behavior on set, including animal cruelty. Cimino did work again–most notably onSunchaserwhich was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1996–but his post–Heaven’s Gatecareer was never the same. However, in 2012, a re-edited version ofHeaven’s Gatewas met with enthusiasm by critics and received a standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival.
1942: Conquest of Paradise, Ridley Scott
One of the biggest box office disappointments of all time,1942: Conquest of Paradiseonly made back 15 percent of its bloated blockbuster budget. It starred a French actor (Gerard Depardieu) as Christopher Columbus, was panned by critics, and worst of all, came out just weeks after a nearly identical film,Christopher Columbus: The Discovery.
Any other director might be a Hollywood goner after such a flop, butRidley Scottis no ordinary director. Considered one of the best in the business, he already had such hits asAlienandBlade Runnerunder his belt, and he went on to direct many more, likeGladiator,Black Hawk Down,andThe Martian.
Howard the Duck, George Lucas
A Marvel movie directed byGeorge Lucas? It sounds like a great idea, but when it happened, with 1986’sHoward the Duck,it was one of the biggest box office disasters of all time. Viewers simply didn’t connect with the duck from outer space who hits onLea Thompson, and the movie never made back what it had cost to produce.
As a result, Lucas, who was already in debt because of the recent creation of his Skywalker Ranch, ended up selling off part of his company toSteve Jobs. But this story has a happy ending! That sliver of Lucasfilm ended up becoming Pixar, which produced some of the best animated films of all time.
Jack Frost, Troy Miller
Jack Frostwas always one of those movies whose schlocky premise sounded like it could be hard to pull off: a kid’s father, who is killed on Christmas Day, plays a magic harmonica and brings his dead father back to life in the form of a snowman (voiced byMichael Keaton) who makes a lot of jokes about things like his frozen balls.
The movie was one of the greatest box office bombs of the actor, and Keaton’s career took years to recover. Miller went back to TV, however, directingMr. Show with Bob & David,Parks & Recreation,Arrested Development, and many other beloved comedy hits, as well as producingThe Academy Awards.
