10 Horror Movie Flops That NOBODY Saw Coming

Richard Kelly's directorial debut opens with the titular character sleepwalking out of his house as a plane's engine crashes into his bedroom. As he wanders around, an entity wearing a rabbit costume confronts Donnie, alerting him the world will end in 28 days 6 hours 42 minutes and 12 seconds.

With a premise that bizarre, you'd expect Donnie Darko to be divisive. On the contrary, the otherworldly drama received rave reviews. Jake Gyllenhaal gave a standout performance as the troubled protagonist, turning the rising star into an A-lister. Despite being an indie, Donnie Darko has a surprisingly solid cast, including Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, and Noah Wyle, giving it further credibility.

Even though the bizarre concept may turn off casuals, Donnie Darko shouldn't have had much trouble turning a profit, especially with a minuscule budget of $4.5 million.

But through no fault of its own, Donnie Darko had the misfortune of being released weeks after the September 11 attacks. Since a crashing plane plays a key role in the plot, the film was barely advertised in the US and opened in less than 60 theatres nationally. 

Though Donnie Darko masterfully juggles multiple genres, this made it a nightmare to advertise. And when you take into account the underrated gem came out just before major releases like Monsters, Inc. and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, it never had a chance.