Hoci Mini at 17:30, 25 August 2021

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{{short description|Film considered highly unsuccessful or unprofitable during its theatrical run}}
{{For|the album|Box Office Bomb (album)}}
In the [[motion picture industry]], a '''box-office bomb''' or '''box-office flop''' is a film that is considered highly unsuccessful or unprofitable during its theatrical run. Although any film for which the production and marketing costs exceed the combined revenue after release can be considered to have "bombed", the term is more frequently used on major studio releases that are highly anticipated and expensive to produce.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmsite.org/greatestflops.html |title=Greatest Box-Office Bombs, Disasters and Flops |publisher=Filmsite.org |access-date=2013-03-06}}</ref><ref name="cnbc.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2012/03/20/The-15-Biggest-Box-Office-Bombs.html |title=The 15 Biggest Box Office Bombs |publisher=CNBC.com |date=2010-08-23 |access-date=2013-03-06}}</ref>

Although this may occur in conjunction with mixed or poor reviews, negative critical reception does not necessarily result in a negative [[box office|box-office]] performance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/as-battleship-flops-ten-other-memorable-box-office-bombs-20120521 |title=As 'Battleship' Flops: Ten Other Memorable Box-Office Bombs | The Playlist |publisher=Blogs.indiewire.com |date=1995-12-22 |access-date=2013-03-06}}</ref>

==Causes of a film's failure==
===External circumstances===
Occasionally, films may underperform because of issues unrelated to the film itself, such as the timing of the film's release. This was one of the reasons for the commercial failure of ''[[Intolerance (film)|Intolerance]]'', [[D. W. Griffith|D. W. Griffith's]] follow-up to ''[[The Birth of a Nation]]''. Owing to production delays, the film was not released until late 1916, when the [[United States non-interventionism#20th century non-intervention|widespread antiwar sentiment]] it reflected had started to shift in favor of [[American entry into World War I]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.filmsite.org/into.html|title=Intolerance (1916)|website=www.filmsite.org |access-date=2017-11-07}}</ref>

Another example of external events sinking a film is the 2015 critically panned [[docudrama]] about [[FIFA]] entitled ''[[United Passions]].'' It was released in theaters in the United States at the same time [[2015 FIFA corruption case|FIFA's leaders were under investigation for fraud and corruption]], combined with general indifference to "football", and the film grossed only $918 at the US box office in its opening weekend.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup/story/2496658/fifa-film-united-passions-the-worst-in-us-history|title=FIFA film 'United Passions' one of worst in U.S. box office history|date=June 18, 2015|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=June 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618160721/http://www.espnfc.com/fifa-world-cup/story/2496658/fifa-film-united-passions-the-worst-in-us-history|archive-date=June 18, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Sometimes, films that open during times of national crisis and just after disasters, such as the [[September 11 attacks]] in 2001, [[Hurricane Harvey]] in 2017, and the [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cinema|COVID-19]] pandemic, underperform at the box office.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/box-office-hitmans-bodyguard-annabelle-creation-mayweather-mcgregor-hurricane-harvey-1202539879/|title=Box Office Disaster: Lackluster Releases, Mayweather-McGregor, Hurricane Harvey Create Slowest Weekend in Over 15 Years|last=Kelley|first=Seth|date=2017-08-27|work=Variety|access-date=2017-11-09 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.boxofficeguru.com/091701.htm |title=Weekend Box Office |publisher=Boxofficeguru.com |date=2001-09-17 |access-date=2011-12-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| last = Erlichman
| first = Jon
| date = March 13, 2020
| title = Box office bomb: COVID-19's impact on the movie theatre business
| url = https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/box-office-bomb-covid-19-s-impact-on-the-movie-theatre-business-1.1405416
| work = [[BNN Bloomberg]]
| access-date = March 17, 2020
}}</ref>

===High production costs===
A large budget can cause a film to fail financially, even when it performs reasonably well at the box office; 1980's ''[[Heaven's Gate (film)|Heaven's Gate]]'', for example, exceeded its planned production schedule by three months,<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.filminquiry.com/the-production-of-heavens-gate/|title=Unmaking of an Epic – The Production of Heaven's Gate| website= filminquiry.com | first= Alexander |last= Miller| date= April 27, 2015 |access-date=2017-11-07| df=dmy-all}}</ref> causing its budget to inflate from $12 million to $44 million.<ref>{{cite news|last=Burr|first=Ty|title=Ty Burr revisits 'Heaven's Gate'|date=24 November 2012|newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |url= https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2012/11/24/burr-revisits-heaven-gate/km6gp1cBbxY75qxWrFs6tM/story.html|access-date=13 January 2020}}</ref> The film only earned $3.5 million at the box office.<ref>{{cite web|title=Heaven's Gate (1980)|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=heavensgate.htm|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=13 January 2020}}</ref>

For the 2005 film ''[[Sahara (2005 film)|Sahara]]'', its budget ballooned to $281.2 million for production, distribution, and other expenses.<ref name="Sahara expenses LATimes" /> The film earned $119 million in theaters and $202.9 million overall with television and other subsidies included, resulting in a net loss of $78.3 million.<ref name= "Sahara expenses LATimes">{{cite web|date= April 15, 2007|title= $78 million of red ink?|last=Bunting| first=Glenn F. |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]| url= https://articles.latimes.com/2007/apr/15/business/fi-movie15 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140507124536/https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-movie15apr15-story.html |archive-date= May 7, 2014|url-status= unfit |access-date= January 13, 2020| df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| first= Glenn F. |last= Bunting| url= https://articles.latimes.com/2007/mar/05/business/fi-cussler5 |title= Jurors hear tales of studio maneuvering| work= Los Angeles Times| date= March 5, 2007| publisher= | url-status= unfit| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090327110637/https://articles.latimes.com/2007/mar/05/business/fi-cussler5| archivedate= March 27, 2009| access-date= August 4, 2021| df=dmy-all}}</ref> In 2012, Disney reported losses of $200 million on ''[[John Carter (film)|John Carter]].'' The film had made a considerable $234 million worldwide, but this was short of its $250 million budget plus worldwide advertising.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17442200 | work=bbc.co.uk| publisher= BBC News | title=John Carter flop to cost Walt Disney $200m | date=2012-03-20| df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Recovery of flops==
Films which are initially viewed as "flops" may recover income elsewhere. Several films have underperformed in their countries of origin, but have been sufficiently successful internationally to recoup losses or even become financial successes.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mendelson|first1=Scott|title='Pacific Rim' And More Domestic "Flops" That Became Global Hits|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2013/09/02/pacific-rim-and-more-domestic-flops-that-became-global-hits/|work=Forbes|access-date=19 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Mike Jr. |last=Fleming |title=Isn't It Time To Take 'Waterworld' Off The All-Time Flop List? |date=August 7, 2013 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|url=https://www.deadline.com/2013/08/isnt-it-time-to-take-waterworld-off-the-all-time-flop-list |access-date=August 13, 2013}}</ref> Films may also recover money through international distribution, sales to [[television syndication]], distribution outside of cinemas, and releases on [[home media]].<ref>{{cite web|title=11 Beloved Movies That Were Box Office Flops|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/59990/11-beloved-movies-were-box-office-flops|publisher=Mental Floss|access-date=19 August 2015}}</ref> Other films have succeeded long after cinema release by becoming [[cult film]]s or being re-evaluated over time. High-profile films fitting this description include ''[[Vertigo (film)|Vertigo]],''<ref>[https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/vertigo-from-box-office-flop-to-greatest-film-of-all-time-1.3561982 Vertigo: From box-office flop to 'greatest film of all time'|The Irish Times]</ref> ''[[Blade Runner]]'', ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]'', ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]]'', ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' and ''[[Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory]]''<ref>[https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/59990/11-beloved-movies-were-box-office-flops 11 Beloved Movies That Were Box Office Flops|Mental Floss]</ref> each of which initially lost money at the box office, but have since become popular.

==Studios pushed into financial trouble==
In extreme cases, a single film's lackluster performance may push a studio into financial losses, [[bankruptcy]], or [[Closure (business)|closure]]. Examples of this include [[United Artists]] (''[[Heaven's Gate (film)|Heaven's Gate]]'')<ref>{{cite news |last1=Welkos |first1=Robert W. |title='Heaven's Gate': The film flop that reshaped Hollywood |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-heavens-gate-flop-archive-20040612-snap-story.html |access-date=25 December 2018 |work=latimes.com}}</ref> and [[Carolco Pictures]] (''[[Cutthroat Island]]'').<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sterngold |first1=James |title=Debacle on the High Seas |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/31/movies/debacle-on-the-high-seas.html |access-date=25 December 2018 |work=The New York Times |date=31 March 1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Largest box office loss |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/69937-largest-box-office-loss |access-date=17 July 2019 |work=[[Guinness World Records]] |date=30 April 2012}}</ref> The underperformance of ''[[The Golden Compass (film)|The Golden Compass]]'' was seen as a significant factor in influencing [[Warner Bros.]]'s decision to take direct control of [[New Line Cinema]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Davis |first=Erik |url=http://blog.moviefone.com/2008/02/28/breaking-new-line-cinema-says-goodbye/ |title=Breaking: New Line Cinema Says Goodbye! |publisher=Cinematical.com |date=2008-02-28 |access-date=2011-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028005801/http://blog.moviefone.com/2008/02/28/breaking-new-line-cinema-says-goodbye/# |archive-date=2012-10-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2001, [[Square Pictures]], a division of [[Square (video game company)|Square]], released its only film, ''[[Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within]]''. It received mixed reviews from critics and failed to recover its $145 million cost. Following the film's struggles, Square Pictures did not make any more films.<ref name=briscoe>{{cite news|title='Final Fantasy' studio to fold|work=[[The Independent]]|date=1 February 2002|last=Briscoe|first=David|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/final-fantasy-studio-to-close-9276846.html|access-date=2 June 2019}}</ref> They are now a consolidated subsidiary of [[Square Enix]] as [[Visual Works]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.square-enix.com/jp/ir/e/data/ar/download/20070831en.pdf|title=Square-Enix Co, LTD. Annual Report 2007|pages=29, 30, 53|access-date=March 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325013141/http://www.square-enix.com/jp/ir/e/data/ar/download/20070831en.pdf|archive-date=March 25, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2011, ''[[Mars Needs Moms]]'' was the last film released by [[ImageMovers#Disney era|ImageMovers Digital]] before [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]]'s stake got absorbed by ImageMovers to a loss of nearly $140 million – the largest box-office bomb of all time in [[Real versus nominal value (economics)|nominal dollar]] terms. Despite this loss, the decision to close the production company had been made a year prior to the film's release.<ref name="deadline">{{cite news | first=Nikki | last=Finke | url=https://www.deadline.com/2010/03/disney-closing-zemeckis-digital-studio-in-2011/ | title=Disney Closing Zemeckis' Digital Studio | website=Deadline Hollywood | date=2010-03-12 | access-date=2010-11-21}}</ref>

==Independent films==
The 2006 independent movie ''[[Zyzzyx Road]]'' made just $30 at the US box office. The film, with a budget of $1.2 million and starring [[Tom Sizemore]] and [[Katherine Heigl]], owes its tiny revenue to its limited box-office release – just six days in a single theater in [[Dallas]] for the purpose of meeting [[Screen Actors Guild]] requirements – rather than its ability to attract viewers.<ref name="CHUD">{{cite news
| last = Faraci
| first = Devin
| title = What if they released a movie and nobody came?
| work = CHUD.com
| date = 2006-12-31
| url = http://www.chud.com/8378/WHAT-IF-THEY-RELEASED-A-MOVIE-AND-NOBODY-CAME/
| access-date = 2007-01-02
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110607011632/http://www.chud.com/8378/WHAT-IF-THEY-RELEASED-A-MOVIE-AND-NOBODY-CAME/
| archive-date = 2011-06-07
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref name="EW">{{cite news
| title = The Strange and Twisted Tale of ... The Movie That Grossed $30.00
| url = https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20011268,00.html
| access-date = 2008-01-24
| work=Entertainment Weekly
| first=Rob
| last=Brunner
| date=2007-02-09}}</ref> According to co-star Leo Grillo, it sold six tickets, two of which were to cast members.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news
| last = Mueller
| first = Andrew
| title = This Film Is Absolute Dross – People Are Going to Love It!
| work = [[The Guardian]]
| date= 2007-01-16
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/jan/15/features.features11
| access-date = 2007-01-15
| location=London}}</ref>

Previously, the 2000 British film ''[[Offending Angels]]'' had become notorious for taking in less than £100 (~$150<ref name=MeasuringWorth>{{cite web |first=Lawrence H. |last=Officer |title=Dollar-Pound Exchange Rate From 1791: 2000–2002 |publisher=[[MeasuringWorth]] |url=http://www.measuringworth.com/datasets/exchangepound/result.php?year_source=2000&year_result=2002 |access-date=November 9, 2017}}</ref>) at the box office.<ref name="twitch">{{cite news
| last = logboy
| title = Offending Angels. £70k Budget, £89 Box Office. 8 DVD Sales to Double its Takings
| work = Twitch.net
| date = 2006-02-03
| url = http://twitchfilm.com/news/2006/02/offending-angels-70k-budget-89-box-office-8-dvd-sales-to-double-its-takings.php
| access-date = 2007-01-16
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110524001729/http://twitchfilm.com/news/2006/02/offending-angels-70k-budget-89-box-office-8-dvd-sales-to-double-its-takings.php#
| archive-date = 2011-05-24
| url-status = dead
}}</ref> It had a £70,000 (~$105,000<ref name=MeasuringWorth />) budget but was panned by critics including the [[BBC]], who called it a "truly awful pile of garbage",<ref name="BBC">{{cite news
| last = Russell
| first = Jamie
| title = Offending Angels (2002)
| work = [[BBC]]
| date= 2002-04-10
| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2002/04/10/offending_angels_2002_review.shtml
| access-date = 2007-01-16 }}</ref> and ''[[Total Film]]'', who called it "irredeemable".<ref name="Total Film">{{cite news
| last = Harley
| first = Kevin
| title = Offending Angels review
| work = [[Total Film]]
| date= May 2002
| url = https://www.gamesradar.com/offending-angels-review/
| access-date = 2021-06-15 }}</ref>

In 2011, the film ''[[The Worst Movie Ever!]]'' opened to just $11 at the US box office. It played in only one theater.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Worst Movie Ever! (2011) |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=worstmovieever.htm |publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=25 August 2011}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Film}}
* [[List of biggest box-office bombs]]
* [[List of films considered the worst]]
* [[List of films considered the best]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wiktionary|box-office bomb|flop}}
* [https://movies.yahoo.com/feature/getback-movie-flops.html GetBack.com: Biggest Film Flops and Fiascoes]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130512035847/http://blog.moviefone.com/2007/11/15/biggest-box-office-bombs Biggest Box-Office Bombs of All Time – Inside Movies Blog]

{{Film box office}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Box Office Bomb}}
[[Category:Film box office|Bomb]]
[[Category:Film and video terminology]]

Box office bomb - Revision history

Hoci Mini at 17:30, 25 August 2021