5 Movie Box Office Bombs That Were Actually Really Good

5. The Postman

Released in 1997, this post-apocalyptic drama sees Kevin Costner as 'The Postman', delivering mail to the post-civilisation survivors and spreading word that the government has been resurrected. This original and intriguing story line was helped by a strong cast list and an eye-watering budget for the time of release (around $80 million).

This underrated gem stars Will Patton, Olivia Williams and the late great Rock icon Tom Petty in lead roles. Giovanni Ribisi also receives a notable early career break thanks to this film. Despite all these noteworthy positives going into the production of The Postman, the box office earnings put the film at -$65million compared to the initial budget, which at the time made it one of the biggest bombs ever.

The Postman's failings were simply down to harsh reviews and a poor reaction from the initial audience. Even today, critics can be hesitant to sing the praises of this film as The Postman still only holds an 8% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, The Postman now has an 87% approval rating from fans on Google and has a much friendlier response from audiences all round.