Top 10 Sci-Fi Box Office Bombs That Aged Really Well

Upon release, Paul Verhoeven’s sci-fi action film “Starship Troopers” met with largely negative reviews. This was despite the revered source material - Robert A. Heinlein's 1959 novel of the same name. Critics praised the movie’s action and visual effects, but savaged the story as militaristic and even fascist. While it grossed a somewhat respectable $121 million at the box office, it had an inflated budget of $105 million. However, it’s now seen as something of a cult classic that satirizes jingoism and the military industrial complex - topics that are just as relevant today as they were in 1997. Maybe even moreso.

A thoughtful biopunk film, Andrew Niccol’s “Gattaca” used its futuristic setting to comment on contemporary fears around technology. The movie still looks amazing thanks to its Oscar-nominated art direction, and its themes regarding fate and destiny are both universal and timeless. It is also deeply interested in the concept of eugenics, which is even more relevant today thanks to huge advances in genetic engineering. Unfortunately, “Gattaca” was a massive bomb at the box office, grossing a mere $12.5 million against its $36 million budget.

Loosely based on Michel Faber’s novel, Jonathan Glazer’s provocative film was never destined to be a box office success, despite the presence of Scarlett Johansson. It’s just not one of those movies. Even with a relatively small budget of about $13 million, “Under the Skin” still bombed, with a worldwide gross of just $7 million. It is still a divisive film, but those who love it really love it, lauding its outsider perspective of human existence. The movie received widespread praise for its haunting atmosphere, disturbing and elusive story, and Johansson’s incredible performance. Those who never got around to seeing it owe it to themselves to check it out. They will be rewarded with one of the best sci-fi films of our time.

Director Chuck Russell blames the commercial failure of his film on poor marketing and an overcrowded summer. “The Blob” was released on the weekend of August 5, 1988, when movies like “Cocktail”, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” and “Die Hard” were also playing in cinemas. The result was a disappointing box office gross of just $8 million on a $10 million budget. It only opened in eighth place. However, Russell’s remake of the original 1958 film is a quality horror film. It’s well made, surprisingly funny, and contains a lot of nasty special effects that will please even the bloodthirstiest horror fans. It’s arguably one of the greatest horror remakes out there.

Before “The Matrix”, there was “Dark City”. Alex Proyas’s neo-noir epic is a richly imaginative film that is woefully underappreciated. Critics praised its innovative production design in particular, calling it one of the best sci-fi worlds in recent memory. The movie gleefully mixed elements of horror, science fiction, and film noir, resulting in a fascinating concoction unlike any other. Not only have the effects aged considerably well, but elements of its identity can be found in other movies - including in “Inception”, which it directly influenced. Despite its quality, the movie was a box office bomb, grossing just $27 million on a budget of roughly the same amount.

Warner Bros. clearly had a lot of faith in “Edge of Tomorrow.” Based on Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s light novel “All You Need Is Kill”, it had an all-star cast in the form of Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton and Brendan Gleeson. The movie looks great with its $178 million budget, and the distributor reportedly spent another $100 million on advertising. However, while the movie took home $370 million worldwide, it fumbled at the box office in North America, netting a disappointing $100 million. Despite this, the movie received widespread praise, and remains an entertaining time loop story. People do still have some bones to pick with the ending, but the acting, premise, and visual effects have all stood the test of time.

Richard Kelly’s dark sci-fi thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal was released at an unfortunate time. As the story centers around a crashing plane, distributors Pandora Cinema and Newmarket Films were hesitant to market the movie so soon after 9/11. The lack of marketing combined with the movie’s limited release spelled doom, and it performed horribly, raking in just $4.5 million on a budget of $7.5 million. At its widest release, “Donnie Darko” was playing in just 58 theaters. Fortunately, strong word of mouth and subsequent re-releases eventually made “Donnie Darko” a cult classic, as did the Michael Andrews and Gary Jules cover of “Mad World.”

Considering the legendary stature of John Carpenter’s “The Thing,” it’s amazing to think of the vitriolic response that it received in 1982. Critics thought it was too dark, too gross, and way too cynical. It also fared horribly at the domestic box office, opening in eighth and grossing just 19.6 million. But “The Thing” was critically re-evaluated over time, and people began to appreciate both its extravagant special effects and its nihilism. Little about the film has dated - not its cynical approach to human nature, not its themes on paranoia and mistrust, and certainly not its practical effects. “The Thing” is like fine wine. A really, really gross fine wine.

Based on P. D. James’s dystopian novel, director Alfonso Cuarón’s “Children of Men” presents a vision of the future that feels all too real. The film features some incredible production design and thrilling single-shot sequences. It’s not only a masterclass in direction, it also presents a thoughtful and engaging story. Its themes around hope, faith, and immigration are timeless, as is the heroic journey at the crux of the film. The movie also looks every bit as breathtaking today as it did in 2006. Tragically, “Children of Men” did not fare well at the global box office, scoring just $70.5 million on a $76 million budget.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Titan A.E.” (2000)
Beautiful Mix of 2D Animation & CGI That Still Astounds

“Dredd” (2012)
Movie Action Has Rarely Looked So Good

“Splice” (2009)
A Great Sci-Fi Horror Film About the Dangers of Genetic Engineering

“Annihilation” (2018)
A Thought-Provoking Movie About Grief & Self-Destruction

Many reasons have been given for “Blade Runner’s” initial commercial failure. Some think it was the theatrical version of the movie itself, as studio interference famously resulted in unnecessary voiceover narration and an upbeat ending. Some think it was poorly and incorrectly marketed as an action movie. And some think it was released at a bad time, with other movies like “E.T.” and “Star Trek II” hogging the spotlight. Regardless of the reason, fail it did, grossing just $23 million during its initial theatrical run. But thanks to the passage of time and a much-needed director’s cut, Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner” is now regarded as one of the best sci-fi movies ever made. Its legacy is undeniable, including the magnificent sequel “Blade Runner 2049.”