9 Actors Who Sacrificed Everything For Terrible Movies
4. John Travolta Ruins His Entire Career - Battlefield Earth (2000)
To say that Battlefield Earth flopped would be like saying 2020 went only a little bit wrong. The wannabe sci-fi epic is today fairly regarded as one of the worst movies of all time, and one few members of the cast and crew have managed to escape from unscathed.
Star and producer John Travolta had wanted to adapt L. Ron Hubbard's book for years, and following his career peak with his Oscar nominated turn in Pulp Fiction (1994), he set to work to make Battlefield Earth, which he said (bravely) would be as good and epic as Star Wars.
Travolta stars as lead character Terl, in a film about human slavery, evil aliens and a daring rebellion. And it. Is. Dreadful.
Ugly, nonsensical, overlong, painfully acted and irredeemable, the film caused Travolta's once sky-rocketing career to plummet. Since its release, the actor has starred in very few films of note, and though Battlefield Earth was a passion project of his, it ended up being the biggest mark on his career.