Sometimes, there are some movies out there that just bomb. Like, either fall flat entirely or end up being disappointments. But there were actually a ton of those types of movies in the 2000s from so many different studios and different genres, and many of them happen to be great – or, at the very least, entertaining. Here are some box-office bombs (all according to Box Office Mojo) that are actually worth the time.
Treasure Planet (2002)
I literally can’t think of a better example than Treasure Planet. It is an adaptation of the novel Treasure Island, one of Disney’s 2000s films that just utterly flopped. The film has stunning animation, a really cool soundtrack, and memorable characters. But while it cost $140 million to make, it only earned $109.6 million. Thankfully, the film itself has gained a lot more praise over the last few decades.
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
When you think of Adam Sandler’s best rom-com movies, I’m sure there are plenty that come to mind. Still, one of his best dramas is Punch-Drunk Love, a film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson that tells the story of a man with social anxiety who falls for his sister’s co-worker. The movie, while very heartfelt and a great testament to Sandler’s acting skills, only earned $24.7 million on a $25 million budget.
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
Directed by Jake Kasdan, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story stars John C Reilly as the titular subject. It tells a fictional story of a rock and roll star and is hilarious and so much fun. But the film only ended up earning $20.6 million on a $35 million budget, which is honestly shocking considering how many stars are in it.
Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas (2003)
Prior to the later years of DreamWorks, when we were just consumed with all the Shrek films and so much more, the animation company was still releasing some 2D hits – one of them being Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas. It’s all about a pirate who travels the sea with his crew to recover a stolen magical book that would save Sinbad from a death sentence. As someone who does love this film, I was shocked to see it only made $80 million on a $60 million budget, which is a disappointment.
Death To Smoochy (2002)
Directed by Danny DeVito and starring Robin Williams, Death to Smoochy is a black comedy film about a former children’s television host who makes it his mission to sabotage the man who replaced him. Despite having a great star at the helm and a good cast, the film only made $8.3 million on a $50 million budget, but the movie is funny and has a great story.
Osmosis Jones (2001)
I don’t know how it happened, but Osmosis Jones has become ingrained into my brain as an older Gen Z’r who grew up viewing this film in her science classes. The movie is all about a white blood cell that teams up with a cold pill and how it works to save the humans it inhabits. Yes, this is a movie, and it’s hilarious. It stars Chris Rock, but somehow, the movie made only $14 million on a $70 million budget.
The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (2007)
I know that title is a handful, but hands down, I think The Assassination of Jesse James by The Coward Robert Ford is one of Brad Pitt’s best films, and no one talks about it. The movie, based on the novel of the same name, follows the lives and relationships of Jesse James and Robert Ford and what led to James’s murder. While the movie cost $30 million to make, it ended up only making $15.3, but it is worth every second.
The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
I was shocked when I found out The Emperor’s New Groove was actually a box office disappointment, despite growing up loving this movie. The movie is about an Emperor who is selfish and accidentally turns into a llama thanks to his ex-advisor. He now has to find a way to become human again. The movie is so much fun, but it had a $100 million budget and only earned back $169.7 million, which makes it a disappointment.
Solaris (2002)
There was so much going for Solaris – directed by Steven Soderbergh, produced by James Cameron, a star-studded cast, and telling a fun sci-fi story in a space station that orbits a planet and the struggle of survival. But the movie only made $30 million on a $47 million budget.
Sunshine (2007)
Director Danny Boyle is responsible for many notable films, from Slumdog Millionaire to 28 Days Later; however, Sunshine is one of the few that was a total bomb. The sci-fi thriller follows the story of several astronauts who are sent to reignite the sun as it threatens Earth’s lives. Sure, there are some scientific inaccuracies, but the movie is stunning and has excellent acting. Unfortunately, it only made $34.8 million on a $40 million budget.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
As someone who has binged all of Wes Anderson’s movies, I was surprised to see that The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou bombed. The movie had so many stars, plenty of color (as most Anderson films have), and a fun story, but it only earned $34.8 million on a $50 million budget.
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
Chances are, you haven’t heard of this film, as I didn’t before I checked it out. Kerry Conran directed the movie, which has a stellar cast, a fun story, and really cool visual effects. But the movie was a bomb, only making $57.9 million on a $70 million budget.
Children Of Men (2006)
Children of Men is another great thriller on this list, and Alfonso Cuaron brought it to the big screen. Set in the year 2027, the film follows the brink of human collapse as refugees seek help in the United Kingdom. While it’s an interesting idea with a lot of promise, the movie didn’t even make back its budget, with only $70.5 million against $76 million. There are so many great behind-the-scenes facts about Children of Men, too, ones you should check out.
Almost Famous (2000)
Directed by Cameron Crowe, Almost Famous is a comedy-drama that is so much fun. It tells the story of a teenage journalist who follows a rock band in the 1970s to write his first cover story for Rolling Stone magazine. The movie itself received several Academy Award nominations but only earned $47.4 million on a $60 million budget.
Idiocracy (2006)
Mike Judge brought Idiocracy to the screen in 2006. The movie tells the story of a librarian and a prostitute who are put in an experiment to wake up several hundreds of years in the future in a world that isn’t intelligent. The movie received good reviews but failed to even make back its $2.4 million budget, earning an abysmal $495,303.
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
There are some fantastic stop-motion films out there, and Fantastic Mr. Fox certainly tops that list. But did you know that Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox was actually a box office disappointment? Despite receiving critical acclaim, the movie only made $46.2 million on a $40 million budget.
Peter Pan (2003)
Was I a part of the generation that absolutely went feral over Jeremy Sumpter as Peter Pan in Peter Pan? You betcha, but what I didn’t know was that this adaptation of the classic fairytale, despite having a big fanbase now, was actually a bomb. The film cost $130 million, while it only earned back $122 million. That’s honestly stunning to me because you have seen this movie. Excellent, all of it.
A Christmas Carol (2009)
You know, it’s funny. I distinctly remember going to the theater to see this movie with my dad because I was such a fan of Jim Carrey’s best movies. I remember seriously loving this interpretation of A Christmas Carol. But despite the interesting animation and great motion-capture performance from Carrey, this movie didn’t make a profit against its budget.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
Disney really lost a lot of money in the 2000s with some of its releases because Atlantis: The Lost Empire bombed so hard. While the movie itself is beautifully animated and has a voice cast that features the likes of Michael J. Fox, James Garner, and more, it did not do well and only surpassed its budget but didn’t make a profit.
Slither (2006)
While James Gunn has made himself known nowadays for his other sci-fi movies, there was a time when some of his older films did bomb. Slither, a sci-fi horror film, tells the story of a town that becomes the host for an alien parasite. The movie, while it had a small budget, didn’t even make it back, earning only $12.8 million.
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is an excellent example of a movie that has earned a lot more fame over time rather than when it was initially released. It follows a horse that tries to escape capture during the American Indian Wars and receives help from other horses. It’s not like most other animated films out there, and while people love the movie now, the film only earned $122.6 million against a $80 million budget, making it a disappointment.
The Ruins (2008)
If you’re looking for a horror film, then The Ruins might be the one for you. Based on the novel of the same name, The Ruins is about a pair of couples who happen to go on vacation to Mexico and visit an old Mayan ruin, only for it to be inhabited by vines that eat people. An original horror idea, the movie is a ton of fun, but when it came out, it only earned $22.9 million on a $25 million budget.
Donnie Darko (2001)
Donnie Darko has become a cult classic over the years. It tells the story of a teenager who suffers from sleepwalking. This actually prevents him from getting in an accident, and because of this, he ends up having visions of someone saying the world is going to end soon. Yeah, this movie is weird, but it’s a heck of a good time. When it first came out, it only earned $4.5 million on a $7.5 million budget.
Speed Racer (2008)
In a world where the Fast and Furious movies have dominated the big screen in any form when it comes to car chases, Speed Racer was a welcome change from that. Directed by The Wachowskis, the film is based on the manga of the same name and follows a teenage racer. The movie is a ton of fun and has some great action sequences, but it only earned $93.9 million on a $120 million budget.
The Road To El Dorado (2000)
Everyone always forgets about The Road to El Dorado, at least in my experience. The movie, hailing from DreamWorks Animation, tells the story of two con artists who won a map that supposedly leads them to the city of El Dorado, but of course, when they arrive, the people who live there think they are gods. While the movie is hilarious in many ways, it didn’t earn that much money, earning only $76.4 million against a $95 million budget.
Grindhouse (2007)
What do you get when you combine two crazy directors, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, and make a horror comedy/slasher film? You get Grindhouse, a movie that has two films in one. While Grindhouse won’t be on any list for the best horror movies ever, it’s a heck of a lot of fun for a scary film. But, despite its impressive cast, the movie only made about $25.4 million and didn’t surpass its budget.
Ali (2001)
When you think of the best Will Smith movies, hands down, Ali is one that comes to mind. He portrayed the famous boxer Muhammed Ali, earning him an Academy Award nomination. However, despite being a career win for Smith, the film only earned $87.7 million and didn’t surpass its initial budget.
Pay It Forward (2000)
If you’re looking for a romantic drama that no one seems to talk about, then you have to check out Pay It Forward. The film is about a child who decides to launch a movement called “pay it forward” and how it changes the community and the people he loves. The movie teaches some good lessons and is sweet in many ways, but it only earned $55.7 million against a $40 million budget.
Poseidon (2006)
Adapting the 1969 novel The Poseidon Adventure, the film tells the story of the survivors of a capsized ship and how they must survive. The film has a big cast, led by Kurt Russell, but it didn’t earn that much money. On a budget of $160 million, the movie only earned back about $181.7 million, which is a disappointment, which is a shame because it really is a lot of fun.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
While David Lynch is known for making some pretty successful films, Mulholland Drive is one of the few that wasn’t. Starring Justin Theroux and Naomi Watts, the film mainly follows a new actress and her time in L.A., as well as the people she meets and the mysteries that happen. Despite having great reviews, the film only earned $20.1 million worldwide.
Evan Almighty (2007)
A spinoff of Bruce Almighty, this film starring Steve Carell is one that I have always personally enjoyed. This time, it follows Evan as he is chosen by God to essentially become the new Noah and create a boat for a giant flood. While the film did not receive the best reviews, it’s a film I always think is fun for families to enjoy and has plenty of funny moments – and the movie only earned $174.4 million, not surpassing its initial budget of $175 million.
The Alamo (2004)
The Alamo is what you would expect it to be—a movie about the famous battle at the Alamo. Is it going to be one of the best war movies out there? No, but it is still exciting to watch, especially with its big cast. However, the movie only earned $25.8 million when it had a budget of $107 million.
Honestly, there are other tremendous or exciting movies out there that bombed but deserve so much more praise now. Maybe now you’ll have a movie marathon with all these great picks.