10 Recent Movies That Didn't Deserve To Fail THIS BAD!
These films felt like a sure thing.
Even though you can never truly tell how a film is going to perform at the box-office, you can make a fair guess. If the movie is based on a popular franchise, backed by a big studio, and has some bankable A-listers, it's likely to be successful. And if it's... y'know... good, that's a bonus.
However, churning out a billion-dollar hit has never been an exact science. If a feature is projected by experts to break box-office records on opening night, that doesn't guarantee it will dominate theatres.
But nowadays, it's harder than ever for movies to turn a profit. Even when a film receives glowing reviews, and is projected to break the bank, it can still bomb.
Although the pandemic is partially to blame for many recent movies tanking, there are other elements one must factor in. Thanks to the emphasis on streaming, bad marketing, and censorship, movies that should've generated hundreds of million dollars didn't manage to break even.
The movies on this list may have looked like they ticked every box to ensure major success, they somehow all failed in spectacular fashion.
10. Doctor Sleep
Budget: $50 million
Box Office: $72 million
The Shining is a masterclass in horror, despite being ill-received upon its initial release. So, when an adaptation based on Stephen King's sequel, Doctor Sleep, was announced, it felt like the follow-up had a chance to reap the success that the first instalment deserved.
Although no one could guarantee how the film would do, the studio and director appeared to make all the right decisions. After The Haunting of Hill House was a massive hit on Netflix, it felt like Mike Flanagan was the perfect guy to helm the project. And since Flanagan had previously directed Gerald's Game, he already proved he was capable of doing justice to a Stephen King adaptation.
Because a bit of star power can't hurt, having Ewan McGregor in the lead was a great idea (and excellent casting to boot). Because most people are more familiar with The Shining movie than the novel, Flanagan was wise to incorporate more elements from the original film into this adaptation for marketability purposes.
But it was all for nought. Even though Flanagan proved once again his skills at adapting a genuinely haunting story are unparalleled, Doctor Sleep only made $25 million more than its predecessor.