6 Behind-The-Scenes Documentaries That Show Why Films Went Wrong

There are many reasons why a film might fall short of expectations. Studio interference, terrible casting decisions and budgetary constraints are just a few of the most popular excuses the moviegoing public have heard over the years.

It's rare, and usually refreshing, when those behind said cinematic failures open up and speak candidly about their shortcomings, reflect on what might have been and give the fans an explanation for the on-screen car crash they had to witness.

Not often do actors or directors go on record top wax lyrical about this kind of thing, but it has been known to happen. Such confessions have occasionally turned up in follow-up documentaries and featurettes, some of which have even appeared among the movie's DVD and Blu-ray extras.

It can be difficult to pinpoint why a film underwhelmed, which is precisely why official explanations from the parties involved are both fascinating and eye-opening.

And after hearing them, the chances are you'll be more forgiving or at least understanding of the filmmaker and cast's plight the next time you see a movie that didn't turn out the way it should have.

There are many ways a film can fail - being slaughtered by critics, falling short of fan expectations or underperforming at the box office.

For the most part, Superman Returns was a misfire in all three categories, and among its DVD extras is an explanation for its failure to tick ones of those boxes at least.

Bryan Singer's DC Comics revival made $391.1 million at the box office off a budget of $204 million, which doesn't sound like a disaster, but once tax rebates, incentives and global marketing was factored in, its total costs amounted to around $363 million.

Adding the lukewarm reviews to the equation, it's difficult to view Superman Returns as anything more than an expensive flop for Warner Bros, but it may have enjoyed a healthier profit margin had the filmmakers been less wasteful during production.

Singer's production diary was one of the headline bonus features on the home media release, and it's one tale of squandered funds after another.

One of the movie's most costly sequences - a scene where Superman returns to the remains of his homeworld Krypton - was cut from the final product, so that's $10 million worth of footage strewn across the cutting room floor.

Furthermore, the video diary details how the Kent Farm was created with painstaking detail. They built barns from scratch and even went as far as growing corn, all so the location could be given little more than a few minutes of screen time.

Here's a thought - could they not have just filmed it somewhere that already had barns and corn? A farm, perhaps?

Had the film's costs been the bare minimum, its profit margin would have been higher and the studio may have offered Singer the chance to make a sequel. There are fans out there who insist there's beauty to be found in Superman Returns.