10 Failed Movies That Became Cult Classics
John Carter didn't even need critical acclaim and box office success!
Obviously, not all movies can be stonking financial hits, and every year without fail, there are countless ambitious and daring projects which fail to connect with a wide audience.
Sometimes these movies score strong reviews from critics, but most of the time, the pundits are as mixed on them as general audiences. However, often a film will fail on its initial release only to be granted a new lease of life years later on home video.
There's no real formula for predicting future cult classics, but you can usually hedge your bets on stylish box office bombs winning fans over on home video. So, don't be surprised if last year's gorgeous dud Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets ends up re-evaluated in the years to come...
10. Natural Born Killers
Oliver Stone's highly controversial 1994 satirical crime thriller may have benefited from a Quentin Tarantino-penned screenplay and a cracking cast - namely Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Robert Downey Jr. and Tommy Lee Jones - but it tanked at the box office and scored middling reviews from critics.
Far removed from its contentious initial release where the film was widely lambasted by the mainstream media for inspiring "copycat" killings, Natural Born Killers lives on as a cult fave.
Stone's bold, visually dynamic direction combines with Tarantino's sledgehammer-subtle critique of American culture and a quartet of unforgettable performances to deliver an uncommonly confronting piece of filmmaking.
It's an undeniably messy film, yes, but also a shining example of the hot-blooded, muscular work Stone was capable of in his better years.