Year-Ender 2024: From тАШFuriosa A Mad Max SagaтАЩ to тАШJoker Folie a DeuxтАЩ, 10 Most Shocking Box-Office Bombs From Hollywood and Whether These Movies Deserved To Fail!
Hollywood experienced a mixed year at the box office in 2024. Sequels and franchises continued to dominate, with Inside Out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, Moana 2, Despicable Me 4, and Dune: Part Two becoming some of the year’s highest-grossers. However, the year also witnessed several high-profile flops, as big-budget films like George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Todd Phillips’ Joker: Folie ├а Deux failed to meet expectations.┬аYear-Ender 2024: тАШInside Out 2тАЩ, тАШDeadpool & WolverineтАЩ, тАЩMoana 2′ and More тАУ Check Out 10 Highest-Grossing Hollywood Movies of the Year ThatтАЩre All Sequels!
In this feature, we delve into some of the most shocking box office bombs of 2024. Did these films deserve their fate? Some might have, while others certainly didnтАЩt. HereтАЩs our take on each (worldwide collections taken from Box Office Mojo).
Madame Web
SonyтАЩs attempt to expand its Spider-Man universe without Spider-Man hit roadblocks both at the beginning and at the end of 2024. Let’s start with the beginning attempt. The Dakota Johnson-led Madame Web grossed USD 100.5 million worldwide on a USD 100 million budget. Honestly, even this amount feels generous, given the scathing reviews it received.┬аMadame Web Movie Review: Dakota Johnson’s Spider-Man Spinoff Gets Tangled In Its Own Inescapable Web of Mundanity.
Does It Deserve to Flop?: Oh yes, absolutely!
Argylle
Matthew VaughnтАЩs attempt to launch a new spy franchise stumbled right out of the gate. Argylle boasted an ensemble cast including Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, and Dua Lipa, but it earned a mere USD 96.2 million worldwide against a staggering USD 200 million budget.
Does It Deserve to Flop?: For misleading audiences into thinking Cavill was the lead? Yes. Plus, the film wasnтАЩt great.
The Fall Guy
David LeitchтАЩs romantic action-comedy starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt delivered plenty of fun and received solid reviews. Yet, The Fall Guy struggled at the box office, earning USD 181.1 million on a┬а USD 150 million budget.
Does It Deserve to Flop?: Definitely not!
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Nine years after Mad Max: Fury Road, George Miller returned with Furiosa, a prequel starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. Despite being a phenomenal action film, it grossed only USD 173.8 million worldwide on a USD 168 million budget.┬аFuriosa – A Mad Max Saga Movie Review: Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris HemsworthтАЩs Film Is an Exhilarating Wild, Wild Ride Not to Be Missed!
Does It Deserve to Flop?: Absolutely not!
Borderlands
Eli RothтАЩs adaptation of the popular video game featured a star-studded cast, including Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Jamie Lee Curtis. Yet, Borderlands could only muster USD 33 million worldwide on a USD 120 million budget.┬атАШBorderlandsтАЩ Movie Review: Cate Blanchett and Kevin HartтАЩs Inter-Galactic Adventure Is a Star-Studded Misfire!
Does It Deserve to Flop?: Yes. It was bland and forgettable.
Transformers One
The Transformers franchise returned to its animated roots with this prequel, featuring a stellar voice cast including Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, and Brian Tyree Henry. Despite positive reviews, it grossed USD 129.4 million on a budget reportedly between USD 75 and USD 147 million.
Does It Deserve to Flop?: Not really. ItтАЩs one of the better Transformers films, which doesn’t say much though.
Megalopolis
Francis Ford CoppolaтАЩs long-awaited dream project finally hit theatres amidst numerous controversies. However, Megalopolis felt more like an ambitiously mounted fever dream than a coherent movie, earning just USD 13.9 million on a USD 136 million budget.
Does It Deserve to Flop?: Unfortunately, yes. It was as confusing as its troubled production history.
Joker: Folie ├а Deux
The 2019 Joker shattered records, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film ever before Deadpool & Wolverine took that spot this year. Its sequel, however, failed to recapture the magic despite great performances from Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, grossing USD 206.4 million worldwide on a USD 200 million budget.┬атАШJoker Folie a DeuxтАЩ Movie Review: Joaquin Phoenix and Lady GagaтАЩs Doomed Musical Love Story Is Both Fascinating and Frustrating!
Does It Deserve to Flop?: While it has its admirers (including Quentin Tarantino and John Waters), its divisive musical elements and plotline alienated fans of the original. SoтАж yes.
Red One
With Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans leading the cast, this Christmas-themed action-comedy seemed like a surefire hit. Instead, Red One earned just USD 175.2 million on a USD 200 million budget, weighed down by poor reviews.
Does It Deserve to Flop?: Unfortunately, yes. It was dull despite its festive setting.
Kraven The Hunter
Released just a week before this article, it may be too early to fully assess Kraven Hunter’s box office fate. However, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the lead, the Spider-Man spinoff opened poorly, grossing USD 26 million against a USD 100 million budget. Last we heard, Sony is trying to shut down its villain spinoff movies, so make what you want of that.
Does It Deserve to Flop?: It hasnтАЩt released in India yet, so we reserve judgment. But the international reviews werenтАЩt promising.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
The Lord of the Rings franchise tried an anime-inspired prequel that barely made a ripple at the box office. With just $10.3 million earned on a $30 million budget, it became the lowest-grossing film in the series.
Does It Deserve to Flop?: While its anime visuals were a bold choice, the film lacked the epic weight of Peter JacksonтАЩs trilogy.
2024 proved that even big names and established franchises arenтАЩt immune to box office failures. While some of these films deserved their fate, others simply suffered from bad timing, poor marketing, or audience fatigue. HereтАЩs hoping 2025 brings a more balanced mix of hits and misses.
(The above story first appeared on Today News 24 on Dec 16, 2024 09:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).
