Beloved Movies That Were Actually Huge Box Office Bombs

You’d be surprised just how many beloved classic movies completely underperformed financially. Here are some of the greatest movies to ever flop at the box office.

‘The Shawshank Redemption’

The 1994 adaptation of a Stephen King novella, “The Shawshank Redemption” only managed to make $16 million at the box office during its initial theatrical run – far below its $25 million budget.

It was only after the movie was nominated for several Oscars that it got a second release and managed to earn $58.3 million, becoming the highest R-rated movie of the year.

‘Scott Pilgrim vs The World’

Based on the comic by Bryan Lee O’Malley, 2010’s “Scott Pilgrim vs the World” cost $60 million even after some sizeable tax subsidies. It’s a shame that this cult classic only managed to earn $47.7 million at the box office (I saw it in theaters twice, so this wasn’t my fault!).

‘Labyrinth’

The 1986 movie “Labyrinth” cost $25 million to make, but alas, it only generated $12.9 million domestically. The movie was famously difficult to film thanks largely to the sheer number of different puppets involved in its creation.

‘Fight Club’

It feels somewhat fitting that the anti-corporate 1999 movie “Fight Club” underwhelmed at the box office. The movie made $100 million in theaters from a $63 million budget, which doesn’t sound too bad until you factor in its expensive marketing campaign.

The movie was promoted during televised wrestling events a move that director David Fincher opposed as it ran counter to the movie’s actual message.