As major releases continue to hit big screens, 2024 is shaping to be an important year for showbiz and the box-office. Countless conversations continue to cover pandemic recovery, nevertheless, Hollywood now has another pebble in its shoe – can it weather the aftermath of the 2023 Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild of America strikes? So far, things seem to be picking up slowly, but not necessarily at the box-office.
Although the year has seen bright spots early on—like the success of Dune: Part Two—there have also been a slew of disappointments. While films like Madame Web and Furiosa managed to break even on the back of their production costs alone, they did ultimately become part of the financial disappointments when marketing expenses—which now run the risk of equalling the film’s production costs—are taken into account.
What they do is really symbolize how, these days, even those films that manage to cover production costs do not fare particularly well.
Let’s count down the biggest box office flops of 2024, and the lessons learned from each failure. We considered all parameters here: overall ticket sales, production budgets, expectations, and critical reception, to find out who failed to impress the most in 2024. [See: The Numbers]
10. Land of Bad
Filled with intense action that works with many-a-blockbusters, and coupled with the presence of Liam Hemsworth and Russell Crowe, Land of Bad made many promises. It, however, failed to deliver.
This William Eubank film, which centers on a rescue mission gone awry in the temperate, humid, and hostile environment of Southeast Asia, had the potential for a high-stakes thriller. This outing couldn’t build enough credibility in its early days to survive the opening weekend.
It gets hot and messy in Land of Bad | Credits: Highland Film Group
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Russell Crowe is AF Capt. Eddie Grimm ‘Reaper’ | Credits: Highland Film Group
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Liam Hemsworth plays Sgt. JJ Kinney | Credits: Highland Film Group
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Land of Bad takes you to the humid jungles of the Philippines | Credits: Highland Film Group
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A still from the action-packed Land of Bad | Credits: Highland Film Group
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With a budget of $25 million, Land of Bad managed to scrape together only $6.9 million globally, resulting in a loss of around $18 million. This lackluster performance made it one of the year’s smaller but still significant box-office flops.
Check out Land of Bad on Prime
9. Drive-Away Dolls
Drive-Away Dolls is yet another high-profile flop of 2024. The solo directorial debut from one of the most influential directors in Hollywood, Ethan Coen’s attempt totters and falters before it picks up. Ethan along with his brother Joel are behind classics like Inside Llewyn Davis and No Country for Old Men. Cinephiles would naturally expect more.
Built for suckers of a cross-country road-trip plot, this failed to capture the attention of the Coen brothers’ usual fanbase – the very ones that hold him in such high regard.
Ethan Coen makes his solo directorial debut | Credits: Focus Features
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Pedro Pascal is the Penis Collector | Credits: Focus Features
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Things go awry in Drive-Away Dolls | Credits: Focus Features
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A still from the film | Credits: Focus Features
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Geraldine Viswanathan (L) and Margaret Qualley (R) | Credits: Focus Features
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The film collected only $7 million against a $20 million budget, a big shortfall. The lukewarm reviews pointed out the lack of the much-enjoyed sharp wit that the Coens are known for. With a loss of $13 million, Drive-Away Dolls is one of the most notable financial disappointments in the career of Ethan Coen. (Yeah, it is worse than Hail Ceaser!)
Check out Drive-Away Dolls on Prime
8. Problemista
Problemista is supposed to be off-beat. And it is? Directed by Julio Torres, this Tilda Swinton film was intended to be genre-bending and surrealistic, aiming to appeal to indie and fringe audiences. It follows a Salvadoran toy designer struggling with his work visa while navigating New York City’s art world.
A poster for Julio Torres’ Problemista | Credits: A24
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Alejandro (L) and Elizabeth (R) | Credits: A24
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A sand clock named Ale | Credits: A24
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A still from the film | Credits: A24
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Tilda Swinton is shocked | Credits: A24
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Despite the unique take of its plot, Problemista failed to gain traction at the box office. Such concepts, especially in film, often rely heavily on word-of-mouth, but Problemista couldn’t generate this buzz. With a production budget of $12 million and box office earnings of only $2.6 million, the film left its backers with a $9.4 million loss.
Check out Problemista on AppleTV
7. The American Society of Magical Negroes
Wait, what’s that name again? A satire that sought to tackle complex racial, The American Society of Magical Negroes floundered at the box office. The fantasy film aimed to subvert the “magical negro” trope where Black characters possess supernatural abilities to serve white characters.
Behold the White Tears metre | Credits: Focus Features
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Justice Smith plays Aren | Credits: Focus Features
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A still from the film | Credits: Focus Features
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Virtual Reality | Credits: Focus Features
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A still from the film | Credits: Focus Features
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This film’s niche appeal and heavy-handed messaging may have played a part in its poor performance. Directed by Kobi Libii, it opened to a scanty $1.3 million and never recovered, grossing only $2.5 million worldwide. With a budget of $15 million, it failed to resonate with either mainstream or arthouse audiences and left Focus Features with a $12.5 million hole in its pocket.
Check out The American Society of Magical Negroes on Prime
6. I.S.S.
I.S.S. takes you to the great beyond on a modest budget of $20 million – truly a unicorn. Yet even this smaller-scale film couldn’t escape becoming a box office casualty. Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, the film takes place on the International Space Station (ISS), where tensions rise as astronauts from different nations must deal with a global conflict that plagues the populace back on Earth.
Fun and games aboard the I.S.S| | Credits: Bleecker Pictures
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Dr. Kira Foster is on the I.S.S | Credits: Bleecker Pictures
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A still from the film | Credits: Bleecker Pictures
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I.S.S no more? | Credits: Bleecker Pictures
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A still from the film | Credits: Bleecker Pictures
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Having received positive reviews for its tense atmosphere-building and strong individual performances, it still failed to attract a larger audience. Released in early January—a notoriously tough month for new releases—I.S.S. grossed only $6.6 million, far below expectations. The competition from bigger blockbusters like Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom would become decisive, with I.S.S. ultimately losing over $13 million.
5. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
It’s fresh waters for Guy Ritchie in this World War II story (Well maybe, not as fresh). The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare failed to ignite the box office. The film, which follows a group of British soldiers using a laundry list of unorthodox methods for warfare, strived to be a gripping and tense historical thriller garnished with classic Guy Ritchie chops. Audiences though felt differently – it was a commercial disappointment.
The poster | Credits: Lionsgate
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A still from the film | Credits: Lionsgate
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They are making a secret force | Credits: Lionsgate
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Henry Cavill is Gus | Credits: Lionsgate
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It’s a band of heroes | Credits: Lionsgate
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The film’s release was plagued by timing issues and the marketing campaign also failed miserably. Grossing only $27.2 million on a $60 million budget, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare came to represent another significant loss for Lionsgate, leaving it with nearly $33 million in deficits.
Check out The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare on Prime
4. Origin
This high-concept Ava DuVernay film tackles it all – race, history, and human nature – in an adaptation of Isabel Wilkersn’s book on caste in India. While praise should be attributed to its ambition and nuanced themes, Origin ultimately failed to draw in an audience.
Ava DuVernay’s Origin isn’t for an escapist audience | Credits: Neon
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A still from the film | Credits: Neon
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Josh Bernthal and Nicey Nash | Credits: Neon
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Based on the Isabel Wilkerson book | Credits: Neon
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A still from the film | Credits: Neon
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The film’s heavy subject matter may have contributed to its poor performance, with many opting for something more escapist. The marketing failed too – it is without a compelling hook. With a $38 million budget and only $4.8 million in global revenue, Origin became one of the year’s largest financial failures, losing over $33 million.
Check out Origin on Prime
3. The Book of Clarence
Films on faith often work – they have a devoted audience. The Book of Clarence could not channel this faith though and was unable to capture the attention of either the religious or otherwise moviegoers. Directed by Jeymes Samuel, who previously enjoyed success with the Netflix Western The Harder They Fall, this biblical comedy-drama (that has quite the big name or two in hiding), for the love of god, cannot find its footing. It follows Clarence, a down-on-his-luck man in Jerusalem who attempts to piggyback on the popularity of Jesus by positioning himself as a messiah.
A poster for The Book of Clarence | Credits: TriStar Pictures
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LaKeith Stanfield is Clarence in the Book of Clarence | Credits: TriStar Pictures
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A still from the film | Credits: TriStar Pictures
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Benedict Cumberbatch is Benjamin | Credits: TriStar Pictures
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A still from the film | Credits: TriStar Pictures
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The premise admittedly has space for soul-searching but The Book of Clarence is inconsistent, unsure whether to be a reverent religious piece or a biting satire. This confusion in tone, coupled with poor marketing, made all the makings of a failing. Despite its $40 million budget, comparatively way less than a lot of films on this list, it only managed to bring in $6.2 million, leaving Sony with a financial hole of nearly $34 million. Even Jesus could not save this one.
Check out the Book of Clarence on Prime
2. Borderlands
Adaptations of video games get a bad rep at the box-office. The Last of Us and the new Mario film bucked this trend. Borderlands, however, brings back the stereotype. One of the supposed big hitters of 2024, the film boasts a cast led by the talents of Cate Blanchett and the comedic chops of Kevin Hart. Director Eli Roth helms the project—he, too, has a strong fan base. None of this, however, could save the film from disaster.
The color-filled world of Borderlands left many blue | Credits: Lionsgate
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Cate Blanchette is Lilith | Credits: Lionsgate
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Ariana Greenblatt is Tiny Tina | Credits: Lionsgate
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Kevin Hart is Roland | Credits: Lionsgate
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A still from the film | Credits: Lionsgate
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While fans of the original game were excited to see its quirky, dystopian world come to life on the big screen, the film suffered from an identity crisis. The offbeat humor and unique style that made the game a cult hit were nowhere to be seen, instead, this clumsy offering alienated both longtime fans and general moviegoers.
The reviews were overwhelmingly negative. Poor direction, a disjointed script, and a general lack of cohesion meant Borderlands grossed just a meager $30 million worldwide. Lionsgate’s loss was estimated at around $170 million, making it one of the most catastrophic blips in recent years.
Check out Borderlands on Prime
1. Argylle
Argylle was easily the biggest financial disaster of 2024 – all things considered. With impressive names like Henry Cavill (found more than a few times on this list), pop and fashion’s Dua Lipa making a foray into acting, Bryce Dallas Howard, and John Cena in the mix, the studios must have assumed that they had all the ingredients for a blockbuster in this Matthew Vaughn film. Perhaps, it’s the recipe that did not work.
With an emphasis on its fast-paced action sequences, globe-trotting espionage, and slick visuals, the production budget eventually ballooned to a staggering $200 million. Despite its massive budget though, Argylle failed to connect with – well, what seems like anyone.
It’s a global network of spies in Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle | Credits: Universal
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Dua Lipa and Henry Cavill take to the floor | Credits: Universal
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Cat’s in the bag | Credits: Universal
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It is a frenzy of colour | Credits: Universal
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Dua Lipa is LaGrange | Credits: Universal
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An utterly derivative storyline, many compared it rather unfavorably to better spy franchises like James Bond or Mission: Impossible. This was only worsened by the film’s lack of emotional depth, with it relying too heavily on its action without building compelling characters to surround it. What is the good part? When it finally ends.
The box-office numbers truly reflect this lack of enthusiasm. A paltry $96.2 million worldwide, and it barely covers half of its budget. Factor in marketing costs, and the studio faces losses north of $100 million.
Check out Argylle on AppleTV
With a munching mix of smaller hits, like David Ayer’s The Beekeeper and the Mean Girls musical, there have been plenty of misfires to go around with the successes this year— both ambitious, big-budget blockbusters and smaller, original films have struggled to find footing.
Some of this year’s flops are cautionary tales for Hollywood; others are just strange and unfortunate miscalculations. All of them, nevertheless, now rank on the wrong side of various studio balance sheets.
