Close Menu
    Discussion: Movies that bombed at the box office but were saved through DVD sales and word of mouth?
    Pop Culture

    Discussion: Movies that bombed at the box office but were saved through DVD sales and word of mouth?

    Donnie Darko. A movie that was stalled multiple times due to real world events, it only made $7,509,519 at the box office. However, it got a cult following once teenagers and college students got hold of DVDs of the movie.

    The Thing (1982). Met with critics who hated it (''The Thing,''…is too phony looking to be disgusting. It qualifies only as instant junk. -The New York Times), it only made $3,107,897 in its domestic opening. It has since been re-evaluated as one of the greatest horror movies of all time with multiple theatrical re-releases.

    It's A Wonderful Life. Released at a time when people were looking for lighter movies post WWII, it didn't make back its budget with it's theatrical release. In 1974, it became public domain because Republic Pictures failed to renew their copyright so channels started using it in their holiday schedules. Repeated viewings of the movie slowly made it into a family holiday tradition.

    Dredd. Despite great critical reviews, the movie barely made back its budget (or didn't depending on what Hollywood math you are using). However, it became the most profitable DVD/Blu-Ray/VOD movie for Lionsgate in 2013.

    Hocus Pocus. Another movie that did poorly at the box office (who releases a Halloween movie in JULY?), but became a cult classic after being repeatedly shown on ABC/Disney during the holidays.

    Encanto. Considered a box office failure (despite making $261,292,688), its popularity exploded when it streaming. We Don't Talk About Bruno was the first Disney song to hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 29 years (it was number one for five weeks).

    Posted by Gaelfling

    Share.
    View 38 Comments

    38 Comments

    4. Sure_Lavishness_2403 on

      *Jennifer’s Body* (was marketed to the wrong audience).

      ![gif](giphy|L5GsxVgv1UL5KE7RRh)

    5. ItsonlyJono on

      Just gotta be that person to point out that the music in Donnie Darko is one of the best. 10/10 will listen to that mixtape

    8. rocker_bunny on

      Did Encanto do awful in box office? When I saw it in the cinema I thought it was brilliant!

    17. spider-man2401 on

      The Iron Giant and The Shawshank Redemption. The former suffered because Warner Bros. gave it little to no marketing after Quest for Camelot bombed. By the time The Iron Giant received outstanding test screening scores and glowing reviews, it was already too late. The Shawshank Redemption, on the other hand, struggled because of heavy competition and its difficult-to-market subject matter. Thankfully, both films found a second life through TV reruns and strong word of mouth, eventually becoming beloved classics.

    19. jano808 on

      ![gif](giphy|3osxYo25lvHX4Aranu)
      My homie Pop Star… I saw it in the theater with a bunch of friends but gladly it has taken on cult status

    21. Bubbly-End-6156 on

      Encanto premiered during lockdown. People weren’t leaving their homes. It wasn’t a box office failure.

    23. VivaLaCon88 on

      She’s The Man with Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum. Critics liked it, and it was a modest success, but it really blew up with DVD sales.

    24. Clara_Geissler on

      Donnie Darko was everywhere when it came out. My generation was obsessed with it. What a movie

    26. StatementLazy1797 on

      ![gif](giphy|l4hLJBRFYvSJ3i2VG)

      I am shocked no one has said Empire Records yet.

    31. MasemJ on

      ![gif](giphy|14oEyAEW6hyUus)

      Shawshank only made around $70m off a $25m production budget, and considered a flop if you include marketing. It was not critically panned but it didn’t get super great reviews.

      Then TNT got the rights to air it, and that’s where it took off.

    32. Own-Bar-8530 on

      Besides everything everywhere all at once this is the movie people give me the most shit about not liking.

    33. BrowsingWhileBrown on

      If I recall, the first Austin Powers bombed in theaters and gained massive appeal via rentals

    36. jarrettbrown on

      Donnie Darko was good when I was a teenager, but as an adult, I get more and more annoyed with it with each viewing.