Despite critical acclaim, these high-qualityscience-fictionfilms bombed at the worldwide box office. And even if audiences have come around in more recent years, there’s no excuse for letting these movies go unnoticed upon release. Some of these movies are part of well-known franchises. But still, they came up short at the worldwide box office, often resulting in the cancelation of sequels or future projects.
In hindsight, seeing these star-studded casts go under the radar is shocking. On top of talented actors, these movies also feature talented directors at the helm. Most films featured herein deserve to be known as some of the finest movies the genre’s ever seen, with each title holding up even decades down the line. All that said, these are ten great science-fiction movies that flopped at the worldwide box office.
Science Fiction Movies That Flopped in Order of Budget
Film Title
Budget (In Millions)
A Boy and His Dog
A Scanner Darkly
Blade Runner
Annihilation
Titan A.E.
Treasure Planet
Blade Runner 2049
Terminator: Dark Fate
10Titan A.E. (2000)
Box Office Total: $36.8 Million - Budget: $75-$90 Million
Among themost underrated animated movies everisTitan A.E.(2000), directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. It follows a young man named Cale Tucker (voiced by Matt Damon), who teams up with an intergalactic ship’s crew to protect Earth’s population from a hostile alien species. The film features an engaging plot that, unfortunately, few fans experienced in theaters.
Impressive Animating Tactics
By combining computer-generated imagery with traditional, hand-drawn animation,Titan A.E.achieves an alluring visual style that resonates with pundits more than its story or characters. It holds a meager 50% approval rating on the critical consensus website Rotten Tomatoes, and at the worldwide box office, it made just $37 million against a $75-90 million budget. Those numbers are nowhere near indicative ofTitan A.E.’s quality.Stream on Starz and The Roku Channel.
9Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
Box Office Total: $261.1 million - Budget: Roughly $185-$196 Million
After a few mediocre titles, an all-timegreat science-fiction franchiserebounded in valiant fashion withTerminator: Dark Fate(2019). It ignores the events of the prior three movies, acting as a direct sequel toTerminator 2: Judgment Day(1991), which was directed by James Cameron. Now directed by Tim Miller, this installment rejuvenated the franchise for hardcore fans, and with good reason.
He Could Have Been Back
HadDark Fatemade more significant waves in theaters, theTerminatorfranchise would still be active today. Alas, it’s on a hiatus, asTerminator: Dark Fateflopped with $261 million at the box office against a budget of roughly $190 million. It’s considered one of theworst box office bombs of all time. Although Linda Hamilton returns as Sarah Connor, and Arnold Schwarzenegger again appears as T-800, it was too late — franchise fatigue had set in.Stream on Sling,Rent on YouTube, Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play.
8Annihilation (2018)
Box Office Total: $43.1 Million - Budget: $50 Million
Inspired by Jeff VanderMeer’s 2014 novel of the same name,Annihilation(2018) was written and directed by Alex Garland. It chronicles a group of explorers who traverse a mysterious region known as “The Shimmer,” rife with creatures andlandscapes infected with fungithat plague the psyches of the characters just as they threaten their lives.
The Perfect Blend of Genres
The film blends elements of horror with a science fiction backdrop, and Garland recruited a star-studded cast to bring the project to life. Natalie Portman plays the lead, a biologist named Lena who lost her husband to the aforementioned phenomenon. Other names include Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez, and Oscar Isaac. But in the end, not even star power among the cast could convince audiences to buy tickets as it failed to make its $50 million budget back.Rent on YouTube, Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play.
7Treasure Planet (2002)
Box Office Total: $109.6 Million - Budget: $140 Million
Today,Treasure Planet(2002) boasts a committed cult following as one of thebest outer space movies of the 2000s. But it only gained that status because it bombed at the box office, making just $110 million in theaters. Sure, that may sound like an admirable number. But considering its $140 million budget — which makes it the most expensive film ever animated traditionally — its performance in movie theaters paled significantly in comparison to its animated contemporaries.
Adapting Robert Louis Stevenson’s Adventure Novel
Based onTreasure Islandby Robert Louis Stevenson, this marks the third adaptation of the novel to be placed in a sci-fi setting, as the film features spaceships powered by solar sails that render its characters intergalactic pirates. It’s a unique adaptation, even if its success in theaters may indicate otherwise.Stream on Disney+, Rent on Vudu, YouTube, Apple TV, and Google Play.
6A Boy and His Dog (1975)
Box Office Total: Roughly $6 Million After Several Re-Releases - Budget: $400,000
Based on Harlan Ellison’s 1969 novella of the same name,A Boy and His Dog(1975) was written and directed by L.Q. Jones. It follows the eponymous pair as they traverse an apocalyptic landscape, scouring a wasteland of the Southwestern U.S. in search of two things: women for the boy (named Vic) to hook up with and food for the dog (Blood) to eat.
A Controversial Release
Though it’s held in high regard today by a certain corner of fans,A Boy and His Dogcame up short at the worldwide box office. This could be in part due to the film’s violent nature, with controversial dialogue in the final scene also having misogynistic interpretations. It’s easy to see why it failed upon release, though it eventually saw a healthy box office after several re-releases in theaters. With an intriguing premise and witty dialogue,A Boy and His Dogshould hit home for fans of science fiction.Stream on Pluto TV and Tubi.
A Boy and His Dog: The Movie That Inspired Fallout
With the announcement of a Fallout television series, there’s no better time for fans of the franchise to indulge in the film that inspired it.
5The Thing (1982)
Box Office Total: $20 Million - Budget: $15 Million
Among the most fan-favorite films of the eighties isThe Thing(1982), directed by John Carpenter from Bill Lancaster’s script.It’s a remakeofThe Thing From Another World(1951), which was in turn based on John W. Cambell’s novellaWho Goes There?And since John Carpenter’s cult classic, a prequel has been released, as well.
Coming Up Short at the Box Office
Unlike the original adaptation, the remake at hand (and the twenty-first-century prequel) bombed at the box office with a total of $20 million against a $15 million budget. But nowadays, Carpenter’s iteration of the story is revered by fans around the world. This was his third of five collaborations with Kurt Russell, and by far,The Thingis one of the greatest films of their respective careers. Too bad it failed in theaters.Stream on AMC and The Roku Channel.
4Dark City (1998)
Box Office Total: $27.2 Million - Budget: $27 Million
Since its release,Dark City(1998) has become acertified cult classic. But it earned that status because, despite positive reception from critics, it bombed at the worldwide box office. Made on a $27 million budget,Dark Cityonly reached $27.5 million in ticket sales. But really, critics had it right with this one.
An Imaginative Premise
Waking up in a bathtub, an amnesiac named John Murdoch receives a phone call and soon discovers he’s a suspect in a series of murders. He flees and then seeks to clear his name while discovering his identity as a whole. Directed by Alex Proyas from a script he co-wrote with Lem Dobbs and David S. Goyer, this thrilling premise was executed to critical acclaim, with pundits like Roger Ebert also praising its impressive visuals. From various perspectives,Dark Cityholds up wonderfully today.Rent on Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play.
3A Scanner Darkly (2006)
Box Office Total: $7.7 Million - Budget: $8.7 Million
Adapted from Phillip K. Dick’s novel of the same name,A Scanner Darkly(2006) was written for the screen and directed by Richard Linklater. He shot the film digitally and converted it to animation via interpolated rotoscope technology. It’s an involved process, but long story short, Linklater brought a unique novel to life by implementing a distinctive animation style.
Impressive Name Value Among the Cast
Alongside its unique visual style,A Scanner Darklyfeatures an off-the-wall plot. Undercover agent Bob Acker investigates a drug called Substance D — roughly 20% of the population partakes, and upon infiltrating a group of users, Acker develops an addiction to Substance D himself. He’s played by Keanu Reeves, while Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder, and Robert Downey Jr. play the people with an addiction. Despite that name value,A Scanner Darklymade just $7.7 million against an $8.7 million budget. It deserves more love today.Stream on Roku, Rent on Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play.
The 20 Most Underrated Animated Movies Ever Made
Amid blockbusters from studios such as Disney and Pixar, many animated films have fallen below the radar either critically or commercially.
2Blade Runner (1982)
Box Office Total: $41.6 Million - Budget: $30 Million
The original Blade Runner is a sci-fi neo-noir film set in 2019 in a dystopian cyber-punk society. Harrison Ford stars as Rick Deckard as a Blade Runner for the LAPD, tasked with hunting rogue replicants, genetically engineered humans designed to tackle tasks that human beings cannot. When four replicants go rogue and begin killing humans, Deckard is forced out of retirement to hunt them down and stop them - but the truth isn’t as simple as it seems. Deckard will have to reckon with the philosophical dilemma of what makes someone human.
One of thebest science-fiction movies of all time,Blade Runner(1982) combines neo-noir elements to create a truly memorable spectacle. With its mesmerizing visuals, captivating plot, and charismatic efforts from actors like Harrison Ford — across the board of storytelling and filmmaking,Blade Runnerstands tall as a masterpiece.
The Perfect Adaptation
Based on Phillip K. Dick’s novelDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, this is among the most faithful adaptations ever. Director Ridley Scott crafted a visual spectacle with revolutionary special effects, while Jordan Cronenworth used creative angles to tell a story with his shots alone. And althoughBlade Runneris held in the highest regard today by fans and pundits alike, hardly anyone was interested upon release.Rent on Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play.
1Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Box Office Total: $267.7 Million - Budget: $150 - $185 Million
With Denis Villeneuve as director,Blade Runner 2049(2017) was written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green. It’s a thoughtful script featuring a new roster of engaging characters. From Ryan Gosling and Ana da Armas to Dave Bautista and Jared Leto, several talented and high-profile actors joined Harrison Ford in the cast. As such, Warner Bros. likely suspected a surefire hit in2049but unfortunately fell short with a box office total of $267.7 million against a $185 million budget.
A Visual Masterpiece
Like the originalBlade Runner, this acclaimed sequel is among themost visually impressive moviesever made. Although it’s considered among the most horrific flops in the history of the box office, critics doled out endless praise to cinematographer Roger Deakins for his splendid shots and mesmerizing movements, and the plot holds up until the film’s final frame. Despite its lackluster success in theaters, Villeneuve and his team crafted a masterpiece inBlade Runner2049.Rent on Vudu, YouTube, Apple TV, and Google Play.
