10 Critically Acclaimed Films That Struggled At The Box Office
3. Dredd (2012)
![Grindhouse Quentin Tarantino](https://d2thvodm3xyo6j.cloudfront.net/media/2019/10/aad0c0821b60c54f-600x338.jpg)
Judge Joseph Dredd has existed since the late seventies, and has moved from the pages of the comic books and onto the big screen a number of times. A Street Judge that enforces the law in Mega-City One, his absolute pursuit of justice and his often violent methods have endeared him to fans over the years with many suggesting that his totalitarian and surveillance-heavy approach is becoming more akin to reality than is comfortable.
Before this 2012 version, there was a 1995 film with Sylvester Stallone that was as brainlessly fun as you'd expect and made a comfortable eight-figure return against its costs. The more recent effort was similarly praised for its no-nonsense action-packed approach and maintained a 79% positive rating, but failed to recoup all of its costs.
While the top-end budget estimate was $45 million and it "only" made $41.5 million, this is another entry on the list that has become a cult classic and one where the home releases have added an additional $20 million to the pot, leaving the books in the black with no uncertainty.
The production team have stated that without a larger box office return, it is unlikely there will be a sequel.