Productions that promised to break box office records, but ended up failing miserably
We’re already approaching the end of July, and 2023 is proving to be a blockbuster year in theaters for geeky audiences. Super Mario Bros. Film grossed more than $1.3 billion and is the highest grosser of the year, at least so far, broke the audience record in the game adaptation and still took second place for the highest grossing animation of all time, trailing only Frozen 2.
Other outstanding productions include Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3by Marvel Studios, grossing over $843 million, and animation Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Versefor a total of more than 664 million US dollars.
But just as there are winners, we also have those productions that promised to break box office records and ended up epically failing. Check out five geeky productions that failed in 2023:
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
The second film based on the mighty DC Comics superhero, played by Zachary Levi, did not please the audience with his Afternoon Session style of teen comedy. The production budget was estimated to be between 110 and 130 million US dollars, which is not such an exorbitant figure compared to other productions of the genre. Trouble is, the film only grossed $133 million worldwide, a figure that doesn’t even pay Warner Bros. production costs.
It is worth mentioning that, in addition to production values, there is also marketing and advertising value, not always revealed by studies. Plus, half of the box office goes to movie theaters.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among the Rebels
The Paramount Pictures production, based on the popular tabletop RPG (and set in the same world as the classic cartoon Dragon’s Cave), features a group of adventurers seeking fame and fortune in a medieval fantasy world.
The film, which had everything to be one of the blockbusters of 2023, cost around $150 million (not counting marketing values), but during its run in theaters it grossed only $208 million, a far cry from the 300 /$400. million was expected not to come out at a loss, thus generating a big hole in Paramount’s coffers.
Knights of the Zodiac – Saint Seiya: The Beginning
Not even the mighty Pegasus Meteors could save one of the most popular manga and anime franchises and a phenomenon in Brazil in the 90s. With many changes to the story and characters, a fact that did not please the fans, Sony Pictures it had a modest budget of $60 million but grossed just $6.9 million worldwide, making the film a strong candidate for the biggest commercial failure of the year.
The flash
The trailers of The Flash promised one of the biggest blockbusters of 2023, but the disappointment came early: right in the opening weekend, the box office was well below expectations and the specialized critics were merciless.
The film took almost 10 years to produce and cost Warner Bros a significant amount of money, estimated at US$300 million to US$350 million, including the amounts invested in promotion. The film is still playing in select theaters, but is unlikely to top the $267 million currently raised.
This is yet another failure for DC Comics, which still has Blue Beetle ready to debut in August.
Indiana Jones and the Relic of Destiny
The fifth film of one of the greatest heroes in the history of cinema is still in programming and seems to have satisfied critics and audiences, but the theaters are half-empty and the numbers, so far, are much lower than expected by Walt Disney, adding about 308 million dollars.
According to Forbes, production costs exceed $300 million, not counting marketing values, making it one of the most expensive films ever made – and one that’s unlikely to hit $700-800 million to start making.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
