10 Failed Movies That Became Cult Classics

2. John Carter

The live-action directorial debut of Finding Nemo and WALL-E's Andrew Stanton is one of the most colossal flops of the last decade, a $300+ million sci-fi action epic that styled itself as "the next Avatar."

Once John Carter hit cinemas, though, the comparisons were closer to Will Smith's iconic dud Wild Wild West, with critics praising the film's style and visuals but panning its bland script and chaotic direction. It's fair to say that reviews were generally more mixed than outright negative, though.

Audiences weren't particularly enthused either, with the movie falling just shy of making its budget back, though in blockbuster terms it needed to gross around $600 million to actually turn a decent profit.

And yet, almost immediately after John Carter was released, a cult of fandom emerged around it, enamoured with its ambition, old-school charm and unique style.

Many lamented that it wasn't successful enough to get a sequel, and though it's not exactly regarded as criminally under-appreciated these days, many fell in love with its singular aesthetic and throwback appeal.