News culture This science fiction film is the biggest failure in the history of cinema: its $250 million loss could have bankrupted Disney
The history of cinema is full of failures, each more disastrous than the last, although few of them can boast of almost bankrupting their production companies. Such is the case with this science fiction film, which is still considered the biggest box office flop of the 7th century. It is available on Disney+.
Once upon a time there was John Carter. This project, whose first sketches date back to the 1950s, returns to Disney after a period in the hands of Paramount with Andrew Stanton as project manager. This director came to the attention of the general public with “Finding Nemo” and “Wall-E,” which were both critical and commercial successes. Unfortunately for him, This new project will put a damper on his career behind the camera.
The ultimate cinematic failure for Disney
This science fiction film is an adaptation of the Mars Cycle novel “A Princess of Mars”. It is a literary saga written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, who is considered a pioneer of space opera and has had a lasting influence on SF. Despite a cast that should appeal to the general public (Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins and Willem Dafoe), John Carter is a historic flop at the box office. With a budget of over $350 million (including marketing costs), it only grossed $284.1 million during its theatrical run. In reality (and according to the data from Box Office Mojo by IMDbPro, This would have resulted in Disney suffering a net loss of 250 millionwhich would have shaken the foundations of one of the most powerful entertainment companies in the world.
Upon release, critics praised the “great” graphics and ability to entertain, but highlighted the lack of rhythm and the plot and characters, which struggled to captivate a wary audience. With only 52% positive press reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences are reluctant to go to the cinema. In the end, the massive reshoots, disastrous marketing campaign and title change got the better of this ambitious sci-fi project that failed to find an audience. A little ancdote that shines at convivial dinners… the film “John Carter” was originally called “John Carter of Mars”.
John Carter’s summary: John Carter mysteriously finds himself on Barsoom (Mars) and is caught up in a conflict. The planet is on the verge of implosion when it realizes that the future of Barsoom and his people lies in his hands.
John Carter is available on SVOD on Disney+.
The 10 Biggest Failures in the History of Cinema
Here are the 10 biggest failures in the history of cinema. The amounts correspond to losses that production companies incur through the exploitation of films in cinemas.
- John Carter (2012) – $255 million
- The Lone Ranger (2013) – $240 million
- The Marvels (2023) – $237 million
- The 13th Warrior (1999) – $227 million
- Mortal Engines (2018) – $204 million
- Pirate Island (1995) – $202 million
- Sinbad: The Legend of the Seven Seas (2003) – $199 million
- Battleship (2012) – $199 million
- Avalonia, the Strange Voyage (2023) – $197 million
- Pan (2015) – $185 million
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