Hollywood’s 2025 has been a tale of spectacular extremes. While films like Lilo & Stitch and Ne Zha 2 crossed the billion-dollar mark and became global sensations, the year also delivered some of the most catastrophic financial failures in recent memory. Despite the industry’s 5% growth projection, warning signs appeared everywhere. October 2025 posted the worst revenue in 27 years at just $425 million, excluding the pandemic. The summer box office nosedived after a strong Memorial Day weekend, with international ticket sales—traditionally Hollywood’s safety net—collapsing across major markets. Only one film crossed $1 billion worldwide this year, compared to multiple titles in previous years. With production delays from 2023’s labor strikes still rippling through release schedules, and audiences becoming increasingly selective about theatrical experiences, Hollywood faced a harsh reality: massive budgets and famous faces no longer guarantee success.
Despite spending huge amounts on production, hiring A-list actors, and banking on beloved franchises, several major films crashed spectacularly at the box office.
Here are nine movies that failed to win over audiences this year.
1. Snow White
Director: Marc Webb
Stars: Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot
Budget: $270 million
Box Office: $205 million
IMDb Rating: 2.2/10
Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White became a textbook example of what not to do. The film faced controversy from the start. Some people criticized Rachel Zegler’s casting. Others took issue with her comments about the original film. The portrayal of the Seven Dwarfs sparked heated debates.
The production was a nightmare. COVID-19 delayed filming. A set fire caused more problems. Then came expensive reshoots that changed the ending and removed entire subplots. All these delays and fixes pushed the budget to $270 million. Add in marketing costs, and Snow White became one of Disney’s most expensive failures.
2. Captain America: Brave New World
Director: Julius Onah
Stars: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez
Budget: $180 million (plus reshoots)
Box Office: $415 million
IMDb Rating: 5.9/10
This movie was supposed to introduce Sam Wilson as the new Captain America. Instead, it barely broke even. The budget started at $180 million but grew much larger. Extensive reshoots and marketing likely pushed the real cost above $400 million.
Even though the film made $415 million worldwide, that wasn’t enough. Movies typically need to earn 2.5 times their budget to turn a profit. This one fell short. Critics gave mixed reviews. Audiences weren’t impressed either. The film earned a B- CinemaScore—one of the lowest scores ever for a Marvel movie. That signaled serious problems that reshoots couldn’t fix.
3. Elio
Director: Adrian Molina
Stars: Yonas Kibreab, America Ferrera, Jameela Jamil
Budget: $200 million
Box Office: $154 million
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Pixar’s original sci-fi adventure struggled to find an audience. The movie cost over $200 million to make. It only brought in $154 million worldwide. That means it didn’t even recover half its costs.
The story follows Elio, an 11-year-old space fanatic. He gets accidentally beamed up to an intergalactic organization. Aliens mistake him for Earth’s official ambassador. Despite a somewhat better reception than other flops, Elio had the worst opening for a Pixar film in years. This continues a worrying trend for the legendary animation studio.
Also, Read – All 29 Pixar Movies (including Elio), Ranked from Worst to Best
4. Mickey 17
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Stars: Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette
Budget: $118 million
Box Office: $133 million
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
After winning an Oscar for Parasite, director Bong Joon-ho returned with this sci-fi film. It didn’t work out. Mickey 17 cost $118 million to make. It earned just $133 million at the box office.
The movie tells the story of an “Expendable”—a clone sent on a dangerous mission to colonize an icy planet. Things get complicated when a second clone shows up before the first one dies. Critics and audiences liked it reasonably well. But good reviews couldn’t make up for the high production cost.
5. Black Bag
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Regé-Jean Page
Budget: $50-60 million
Box Office: $44 million
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Even acclaimed directors can stumble. Steven Soderbergh’s spy thriller had a star-studded cast. But audiences stayed away. The story follows a secret agent on a dangerous global mission. The agent’s true purpose is hidden in layers of espionage.
With a budget between $50 and $60 million, the film needed to make much more than $44 million. It couldn’t even cover production costs. Universal and Focus Features lost an estimated $30-50 million on this one.
6. Thunderbolts
Director: Jake Schreier
Stars: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Budget: $180 million
Box Office: $385 million
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
Marvel’s anti-hero team-up failed to deliver the expected results. The movie cost over $180 million to produce. It made $385 million worldwide. That sounds like a lot, but it’s not enough for a Marvel film.
The story brings together super-powered misfits recruited by the US government. They take on dangerous secret missions. But the film got lost in a crowded superhero market. It didn’t meet Marvel’s high profit expectations, resulting in significant losses for Disney.
7. The Alto Knights
Director: Barry Levinson
Stars: Robert De Niro, Debra Messing
Budget: $45 million
Box Office: $10.1 million
IMDb Rating: 5.5/10
This gangster film was a complete disaster. Robert De Niro plays two rival mob bosses—Vito Genovese and Frank Costello—at the same time. The ambitious dual role didn’t attract viewers.
With a $45 million budget, the film earned just $10.1 million worldwide. It didn’t even make the top five on its opening weekend. The failure shows that even legendary actors and popular genres can’t guarantee success.
8. The Running Man
Director: Edgar Wright
Stars: Glen Powell, Michael Cera
Budget: $110 million
Box Office: $36.5 million
IMDb Rating: 6.4/10
Edgar Wright adapted Stephen King’s dystopian novel for the screen. The result was disappointing. The story takes place in a future America. Criminals compete in a deadly TV game show for their freedom.
Despite Wright’s unique directing style and Glen Powell’s star power, audiences weren’t interested. The $110 million film made only $36.5 million. People didn’t warm to the dark, cynical sci-fi concept. Paramount Pictures took heavy losses.
9. Tron: Ares
Director: Joachim Rønning
Stars: Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters
Budget: $220 million
Box Office: $141 million
IMDb Rating: 5.8/10
Disney gambled big on continuing the Tron franchise. The bet didn’t pay off. The movie cost $220 million to make. It earned $141 million worldwide.
The story follows Ares, an advanced computer program. He escapes the digital world and enters reality. This collision between digital and human worlds couldn’t justify the massive budget. Nostalgia for the original films wasn’t enough to bring in audiences. Disney lost a fortune on this sequel.
