10 Over-Hyped $100 Million Budgeted Movies NOBODY Even Remembers Now

4. Cutthroat Island

Pan Hugh Jackman Loss
StudioCanal

To be completely fair to 1995's swashbuckler Cutthroat Island, it was originally budgeted at a more sensible $60 million, but costs quickly spiralled out of control once shooting started, as various calamities caused director Renny Harlin to fall behind schedule.

Harlin even ended up spending $1 million of his own money to get the script re-written, due to production company Carolco Pictures running out of cash.

By the end of the shoot it had cost an estimated $92-98 million to produce, though some put the costs as high as $115 million.

Despite the appealing pairing of Geena Davis and Matthew Modine in the lead roles, audiences just couldn't be persuaded to give a damn, and Cutthroat Island made just $10 million on general release, making it one of the all-time biggest flops in Hollywood history.

Furthermore, this led to the closure of Carolco Pictures, and Hollywood refusing to bankroll a pirate-themed blockbuster for almost entire decade, until 2003's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Again, this is another movie that's only vaguely remembered today for being an infamous flop. If you can find anyone who remembers the names of either of the movie's protagonists, well, that'd be a shock.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.