Disney Had Five of the Worst Flops in All of History… in 2023 Alone; The Marvels Is Just One of MANY

Before the last twelve months, landing on a “top flop” list would have been grounds for a company to make drastic change or even go under. Somehow, however, Disney has managed to decimate the record books for worst losses… over and over and over this year.

In the grand tapestry of North American cinematic history, there exist tales of triumph and success, but like any industry, it is not immune to the occasional misstep. At least it once was “occasional”. That has changed dramatically in the last year. As we delve into the annals of film history, we uncover the top ten biggest box office flops that have left an indelible mark on the industry. In the spirit of industry accuracy, let me present to you what were the biggest flops of all time before our present year.

The Greatest Flops of All-Time BEFORE 2023 (not listed in monetary order due to inflationary issues)

1. “Heaven’s Gate” (1980)

In the annals of cinematic infamy, few names resonate with as much weight as “Heaven’s Gate.” Directed by Michael Cimino, this epic Western spiraled into an abyss of financial failure, costing an astronomical $44 million and yielding a meager $3.5 million at the box office. The overspending and artistic ambitions of the director clashed with the harsh realities of the market, leaving a lasting lesson about the perilous intersection of art and commerce.

2. “Cutthroat Island” (1995)

In the spirit of maritime adventures, “Cutthroat Island” set sail with high hopes, only to find itself shipwrecked in the stormy seas of financial ruin. Starring Geena Davis and directed by Renny Harlin, this swashbuckling endeavor incurred a production cost of $115 million, making it one of the costliest failures in cinematic history. The lackluster script and an inability to recoup expenses at the box office made “Cutthroat Island” a cautionary tale of financial folly.

3. “John Carter” (2012)

Heralded as a potential franchise starter, “John Carter” failed to launch with the desired momentum. Based on the classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the film struggled to connect with audiences, resulting in a staggering $200 million loss for Disney. Despite its visual spectacle, the narrative failed to resonate, emphasizing the importance of a compelling story in the cinematic equation.

4. “Ishtar” (1987)

Billed as a comedy extravaganza, “Ishtar” stumbled into the realm of financial catastrophe. Starring Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman, the film’s bloated budget of $55 million clashed with its inability to generate audience interest, resulting in a paltry $14 million at the box office. In the aftermath, “Ishtar” became synonymous with cinematic missteps and overindulgence.

5. “The 13th Warrior” (1999)

Venturing into historical fantasy, “The 13th Warrior” became a cautionary tale about the perils of unchecked spending. Directed by John McTiernan and starring Antonio Banderas, this Viking epic amassed a production cost of $160 million, only to recoup a fraction of that at the box office. The film’s lack of appeal underscored the delicate balance required to marry grand vision with financial viability.

6. “Mars Needs Moms” (2011)

Even animated endeavors are not immune to the sting of box office failure. “Mars Needs Moms,” a motion-capture animated film, faced a dismal fate as it failed to recoup its $150 million budget. The disconnect between the film’s title and its actual content left audiences disinterested, highlighting the importance of effective marketing and audience engagement.

7. “The Lone Ranger” (2013)

Disney’s attempt to resurrect the iconic Western hero, “The Lone Ranger,” proved to be a misstep of epic proportions. Despite the star power of Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer, the film struggled to find an audience, resulting in a $190 million loss. The mismatch between audience expectations and the film’s execution highlighted the inherent risks of reviving classic franchises.

8. “Battlefield Earth” (2000)

Adapted from L. Ron Hubbard’s novel, “Battlefield Earth” suffered a catastrophic defeat at the box office. The film’s association with Scientology and its lackluster critical reception contributed to a $73 million loss. This cautionary tale emphasized the importance of understanding audience sensibilities and the potential consequences of controversial affiliations.

9. “Speed Racer” (2008)

The Wachowskis’ ambitious attempt to bring the beloved anime series to the big screen faced a harsh reality check. Despite its visually stunning aesthetic, “Speed Racer” struggled to resonate with audiences, resulting in a $75 million loss. The film’s failure demonstrated that visual spectacle alone cannot compensate for a lackluster narrative.

10. “Town & Country” (2001)

Closing our exploration of cinematic fiascos is the romantic comedy “Town & Country.” Starring Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, and Goldie Hawn, the film’s troubled production history, coupled with a lukewarm critical response, led to its financial demise. With a budget that swelled to $90 million, the film earned a mere $10 million, serving as a reminder that star power alone cannot salvage a project from the pitfalls of poor execution.

Disney’s Unbelievably BAD 2023

Now let’s take a look at how the list fares when Disney’s latest year is applied to the situation. In doing so, note that we’re not taking into account movies that released during the pandemic or lockdown years. To do so would be to equivocate films that were locked out of normal release and therefore unfairly damaged by forces beyond anyone’s control.

First, let’s take Ant-Man Quantumania. The film had an estimated $200 million budget allocation (although probably much higher in reality) and likely a $100 million marketing budget. We’re using minimums to be as fair as possible to Disney and provide them with best case scenarios. After taxes and theatrical payments are taken into account, the film would have needed about $600 million to break even… but it only grossed $463,635,303. At an estimated $75 million loss (again, at minimum), Quantumania easily put Disney on the top ten for all-time losses — it would not be the last time in 2023.

The Little Mermaid was another horrific financial mistake for Disney. With a budget estimated at $297 million, not to mention a gargantuan advertising budget, this is a film that needed somewhere between $900m and $1b to break even. That’s already insanity, With only $568 million in revenues worldwide, The Little Mermaid likely took a staggering loss that makes one wonder what Bob Iger was drinking before a recent earnings report in which he praised the film.

Let’s not forget that Strange World also finished its box office run in 2023. It wasn’t much of a run, however. Disney’s animated disasterpiece is estimated to have lost almost $200 million… which leaves one to wonder if it burned more money than The Little Mermaid or not. Still, articles such as MovieWeb and other corporate narrative weavers are unlikely to tell you that Disney has a massive problem which is clear to anyone paying a modicum of attention. After all, it’s just a marketing issue!

The strangest thing about 2022’s Strange Worldisn’t anything in the movie and is more so how Disney mishandled it. As their only original animated movie of the year, it would rely a lot on the marketing to sell the audience why they should see it. In the case of Strange World, it seemed as if Disney forgot the film existed.

— MovieWeb

Of course, we mustn’t leave Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny off the list. It was easily a contender for the biggest box office flop in all of history after its horrific stint in movie theaters. $381,579,529 is all it managed to muster, despite an unfathomable budget that had it sitting somewhere between $900 million and $1 billion for a break-even point (are you seeing a trend here). We’ve estimated in the past that Indy 5 managed to cost Disney somewhere between $250 million and $300 million in losses.

And yet… The Marvels has managed to outdo it.

I would be remiss to not mention The Flash. However, Warner Bros’ terrible failure at the box office — which certainly does make the top ten worst flops of all time — still would run laps around The Marvels and its insane 78-81% drop for the second weekend. According to astute entertainment analyst Valliant Renegade, The Marvels is going to lose a breathtaking $300 million unless a miracle were to drop down and save Disney somehow. And a likely prophecy to remember: that aint’ going to happen.

Disney in 2023: The Year of the Colossal Flops

And so there you have it.  In 2023, Disney managed to knock five flops out of the worst box office failures of all time. In their place are Strange World, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, The Little Mermaid, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and now The Marvels. Two of those films (Indy and Marvels) are the top two flops of all cinematic history — and it isn’t even close. And guess what, folks? Wish is coming out to lackluster reviews this Wednesday.

If you’re not yet clued into the terrible situation that Disney is facing, you’d better recognize it at this point. Wall Street, take notice. Content creation might not be the biggest sector of The Walt Disney Company, but it’s the lifeblood that feeds all the other sources of revenue other than ESPN. Do you think kids are rushing to the theme parks to see Strange World characters? Think again. Do you think mommies and daddies are buying up Captain Marvel toys this holiday season? No. This is a company that can only live off of sequel assembly line quick fixes for so long. And if they can decimate properties like The Little Mermaid so badly, why should we believe in Frozen 17?

Not only has Disney failed, but unfortunately the main stream press has failed in adequately foreseeing this, relaying this, and articulating this. But we here at That Park Place are just getting started.

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