The 2010s was a decade of box office blockbusters, with some of the biggest films of all time gracing our screens. From Star Wars: The Force Awakens to The Avengers series, the decade gave us some beloved franchises that remain huge to this day. However, for every successful film, there was a flop waiting in the wings, costing studios a fortune.
One of the biggest box office bombs of all time is John Carter (2012), which remains one of the most expensive films ever made, costing a massive $263 million. Despite lukewarm reviews and a $284 million worldwide gross, the film lost an enormous $255 million, a higher deficit than any other film in history.
Another notable flop is 47 Ronin (2013), which had a cast led by Keanu Reeves and was inspired by the story of a group of samurai in 18th Century Japan avenging the death of their feudal lord. However, the film underwent reshoots, was delayed by the Olympics, and faced box office competition from other big releases, ultimately losing around $173 million on a budget of $225 million.
The Lone Ranger (2013) was another costly flop, with a production that was hit by problems, including going over budget and having a weird plot. The movie lost an eye-watering $240 million and received five Golden Raspberry nominations, including worst film.
Pan (2015) was a prequel to the classic story of Peter Pan, but it failed to draw crowds, despite a cast that included Hugh Jackman as a fictionalised version of the pirate Blackbeard. The film landed a paltry 27% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and lost around $185 million.
Mars Needs Moms (2011) was an animation that cost $150 million to make and ultimately grossed a mere $39.2 million worldwide, making it a colossal flop. The film's failure was so severe that it led to the shutdown of Disney-backed animation company ImageMovers Digital.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) was another Star Wars movie that bombed at the box office, despite introducing us to a younger Han Solo and Chewbacca. The film cost an estimated $275 million and took a worldwide gross of $392.9 million, but still lost around $150-$200 million.
Cats (2019) was a musical adaptation that fell foul of critics, with a mix of motion capture CGI and real-life actors proving unpopular. The film has a mere 19% on Rotten Tomatoes and lost around $110-$125 million, despite a budget of around $95 million and marketing costs of another $90-100 million.
These flops remind us that even the biggest films can fail, and the 2010s was no exception. Despite the success of many blockbuster franchises, the decade was also marked by costly flops that left studios reeling.
