10 Awesome 2021 Films That Didn't Deserve To Flop

10. The Suicide Squad

Even though it released on HBO Max the same day as cinemas in the U.S., there was still a fair expectation that a splashy blockbuster like James Gunn's The Suicide Squad would entice many to watch it on the big screen.

And yet, despite scoring rave reviews from critics, the $185 million tentpole went on to gross just $167.4 million worldwide.

The film's commercial failure was blamed on a number of factors: the continuing challenges of the pandemic, its HBO Max release, a less-star-studded cast than the first Suicide Squad, and above all else poor marketing - namely confusion over whether the film was a sequel or reboot.

It's a frustrating fate for a film that was exactly what the original should've been - darkly hilarious and R-rated, with a keen sense of the titular squad's dynamic.

The grand irony is that Gunn's film, a work of sure totality made with no studio interference whatsoever, died at the box office, while its 2016 predecessor, a sloppy, frankensteined mess rife with executive meddling, was a smash hit, grossing a total of $746 million.

While a John Cena-starring Peacemaker series is set to debut early next year, The Suicide Squad's atrocious global performance basically ensures we'll never get a direct sequel to this terrific superhero flick. What a travesty.