Top 10 Box Office Bombs That Turned Into Mainstream Classics
#10: “Heathers” (1988)
At a time when John Hughes films defined what it meant to be a teenager, Veronica Sawyer found herself in a very different kind of movie. One with edgy jokes, a twisted romance, and yes, even murder. “Heathers” upended every genre convention imaginable, and did it all with a smile! But, sadly, the reason it’s beloved to this day is also why it failed to connect with audiences. It was too ahead of its time, and viewers weren’t sure what to make of a genre-bending black comedy masquerading as a teen drama. Thankfully, a popular run on home video turned “Heathers” into the generational hit we all know and love. How very!
#9: “Blade Runner” (1982)
No one can say 1982’s “Blade Runner” lacked ambition. But, that may’ve been part of the problem. While it’s a cultural staple today, initial audiences were lukewarm on its heady themes and slow pace. As a result, it couldn’t turn a decent opening weekend into a satisfying box-office run. Ironically enough, the same fate would befall its long-awaited successor in 2017! The “Blade Runner” franchise might just be cursed or something. Then again, some critics blame the original film’s performance on its competitive release date. Its June debut put it up against other sci-fi films like “Star Trek II,” “E.T.,” and “The Thing.” Speaking of…
#8: “The Thing” (1982)
In the middle of his rise to the king of horror, a new scary movie from John Carpenter was actually seen as a gamble with general audiences. In this case, it’s a gamble that didn’t pay off. For starters, there’s the aforementioned release date, which dropped “The Thing” in a summer full of other sci-fi flicks. To make matters worse, reviews weren’t exactly glowing, with most contemporary critics finding “The Thing” overly gross, cynical, and bleak. Not exactly the summer escapism viewers were looking for. At the very least, home video came to the rescue yet again, with modern audiences reevaluating “The Thing” as a landmark for the horror genre.
#7: “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” (1971)
Who doesn’t want to visit a world of chocolate, wonder, and pure imagination? The answer is, apparently, kids in the early 70s. Despite highly positive reactions, and Gene Wilder doing what Gene Wilder does best, Wonka’s chocolate factory didn’t fill as many theater seats as expected. To be fair, it wasn’t a complete bomb, and audiences were quick to realize their mistake. It didn’t take long for “Willy Wonka” to become an enduring favorite on TV and VHS. Like a good chocolate bar, people just kept coming back for more! A remake, musical, and prequel later, it’s safe to say Wonka’s decade-spanning legacy is as sweet as it comes.
#6: “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” (2010)
Squaring down against seven evil exes is hardly a walk in the park. But, Scott was so busy fighting for Ramona’s love, he forgot about the biggest threat of all - bad box-office! Now, in all honesty, this one kind of makes sense. “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” is an unhinged comedic masterpiece. However, we don’t even know how to begin describing it. Clearly, the marketing team had a similar issue, and the movie fell flat-on its face at the multiplex. Word-of-mouth is a powerful thing, though. Bolstered by strong reviews, an incredible cast, and one of the largest cult-followings in modern media, “Scott Pilgrim" is now a household name in comedy.
#5: “The Iron Giant” (1999)
If you want proof that there’s no fairness in Hollywood, just look at “The Iron Giant.” This movie is brilliant. People know it now, and people knew it then. So, how on Earth did it lose so much money in theaters? Distributor Warner Bros. has to levy some of the blame. They were unsure about the broad appeal of animation, and it showed in the lackluster advertising. Others point the finger at “The Iron Giant’s” very adult tone, which may have scared off families. Either way, the fact of the matter is the film barely earned back half of its 50 million dollar budget in theaters. “The Iron Giant” deserved better.
#4: “The Shawshank Redemption” (1994)
Just like Andy Dufresne never found justice, neither did this movie. At least, not at first. Even with seven Academy Award nominations to its name, “The Shawshank Redemption” still failed to make a profit during its first theatrical run. The confusing title, lack of female characters, and stiff competition from other adult dramas were definitely factors. But, none of that should have mattered when reviews were as good as they were for “Shawshank Redemption.” If there’s any solace here, it’s that the film proved moderately more successful on rerelease, and even became the most rented VHS of 1995. It’s not quite box-office gold, but we’ll take it.
#3: “It's a Wonderful Life” (1946)
This Christmas classic sure didn’t start out as a holiday miracle. As strange as it is to believe, “It’s a Wonderful Life” drew extremely mixed reactions from critics at the time. The lukewarm response paired all too well with the meager box-office returns, nearly dooming the film to obscurity. But, then, a real Christmas miracle happened. “It’s a Wonderful Life” became a fan-favorite on television, and soon turned into a full-on Holiday staple. There wasn’t a single Christmas in the 80s you wouldn’t find this movie airing on hundreds of channels. The film’s success has endured for generations now, with no sign of the sled slowing down any time soon.
#2: “Citizen Kane” (1941)
It’s a sad fact of Hollywood that, sometimes, the best films don’t get their due. Still, in the case of “Citizen Kane,” its early failings had nothing to do with its marketing, release date, or quality. Actually, it may have been too good! Due to the film’s frank portrayal of media tycoons, newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst had a total vendetta against it. He tried suing the studio, orchestrating smear campaigns, and even outright bribery. Hearst failed to stop the movie’s release, but he did successfully bury its debut amid a mountain of controversy. Sadly for him, “Citizen Kane” endured, with fans and critics later discovering the film in all its glory.
#1: “The Wizard of Oz” (1939)
As it turns out, going over the rainbow is quite the expensive feat! Dorothy’s Technicolor adventures needed to connect big-time if the studio wanted to see any of the color green. Unfortunately, even though “The Wizard of Oz” did reasonably well for itself, it wasn’t enough to offset the high production costs. However, it later became a phenomenon on the small-screen, so much so the Library of Congress cites it as the most-watched movie in film history. All those royalties didn’t just make “The Wizard of Oz” an unlikely financial success, it also turned it into one of the most beloved properties ever made. There’s no place like home, indeed!
Which of these surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments below!
