10 Films That Risk Being 2014's Biggest Box Office Failures

10. Maleficent

The trend for adapting classic fantasy tales and giving them the live-action treatment continues at pace, with Disney recently beginning to ramp up the marketing campaign for this big-budget effort that places the iconic villain of Sleeping Beauty front and center. With a budget of $130m, first-time director Robert Stromberg behind the camera and rumors of John Lee Hancock stepping in to assist with reshoots, Maleficent is definitely a risky project for Disney. The box office returns for this relatively new genre have been decidedly mixed; Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland made over a billion, Sam Raimi's Oz the Great and Powerful took almost $500m and Rupert Sanders' Snow White and the Huntsman earned just under $400m so there is already a built-in audience for these fantasy epics. However, at the other end of the scale Jack the Giant Slayer, Mirror Mirror, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, The Brothers Grimm and 2003's Peter Pan were all notorious commercial disappointments. Although star Angelina Jolie is one of the most popular and bankable actresses in Hollywood, there is still a real chance that Maleficent could disappoint at the box office. A May 30 release date is a show of confidence from Disney, but also one that could backfire. The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Godzilla and X-Men: Days of Future Past will all still be in theaters and likely devouring most of the box office takings, while How To Train Your Dragon 2 arrives two weeks later and will likely be the top choice for family audiences throughout the rest of the summer. Of course, an enthusiastic critical response could see the Maleficent hold well during the onslaught of blockbuster competition, but at this point it could really go either way.