10 Lowest Grossing Superhero Films

9. Howard The Duck

Superman Iv The Quest For Peace Christopher Reeve
Universal Pictures

Worldwide Gross: $37,962,774

Howard The Duck might’ve cost $37 million to produce, but it’s the cheapest superhero movie you’ve ever seen, full of wince making one-liners and surprisingly primitive special effects. It’s not camp or so-bad-it’s-good, it’s just very, very unfunny.

From his home in Marshington DC, which is decorated with posters for Breeders Of The Lost Stork and Splashdance, Howard is transported to Earth where he encounters rock chick Beverly (Lea Thompson) who inexplicably hops into bed with him and asks, “You think I might find love in the animal kingdom, ducky?”

Writing in Twilight Zone Magazine, Gahan Wilson called the film, “outstanding in its attempt to cater to an audience of remarkably low intelligence. I think it would be fair to say that the level of its aim could be described as condescending, even insulting, and it’s kind of awesome to try to envision what kind of theaterful they must’ve had in mind.”

Contributor

Ian Watson is the author of 'Midnight Movie Madness', a 600+ page guide to "bad" movies from 'Reefer Madness' to 'Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead.'