According to the Daily News in NYC, Keanu Reeves’ performance as Kai, a ronin (half-breed Samurai), could not have been less inspired. “47 Ronin” stars Hiroyuki Sanada, Jin Akanishi, Keanu Reeves, Kô Shibasaki, Rinko Kikuchi, Tadanobu Asano. This film had everything going against it. Too much holiday box office competition opening on Christmas day, a suffocating budget as high as $225 million, and very little interest, apparently. Opening in Japan, box office totals were a disappointing $3 million dollars.
“47 Ronin” was directed by Carl Rinsch as his directorial debut. Universal distributed the film and several production companies contributed resources, time, and money. What we know is: critics didn’t like it, audiences didn’t show up to see it, and it lost a bundle. Worldwide, all told, it grossed $151.8 million, but it lost even more.
Estimated loss: $97-$150
Cutthroat Island (1995)
If you like pirate movies and the eponymous pirate attraction at the land of Disney, then you may just love it. With Geena Davis bringing Morgan Adams, the sword-slashing, musket-wielding pirate(ess) to life, it’s an irreverent adventure comedy. Still, for MGM and United Artists, it’s called a box office bomb. It did so poorly that it frightened film companies away from the genre for years until "Pirates of the Caribbean" came along.
The box office totaled $18.3 million. Put that next to the production budget of $98 million and you’ll find the bottom line. "Cutthroat Island" lost about $143 million. On-site filming in the gorgeous, see-through blue tropical seas and all those exciting explosions sure adds up… To one of the biggest movie flops known to the big screen.
Estimated loss: $89 million
Robin Hood (2018)
Those involved in this film's creation insisted that the 2018 version of Robin Hood, took a more sophisticated and darker angle than the classic narrative. Well, the public sure didn't find anything spectacular about the reboot. Although it was released at the end of 2018, it still managed to secure a top spot as one of the biggest flops of the year.
Not even a huge name like the Academy-Award-winning actor, Jamie Foxx, was able to save this film. Robin Hood was nominated for three(!) Golden Raspberry Awards, including "awards" for Worst Remake and Work Picture. Movie critics even went as far a calling it a "wasting of the cast". Ouch. Hopefully, we don't see any more modern twists to Robin Hood this year, next year, or better yet, the next decade.
Estimated loss: $100 million
Supernova (2000)
"Supernova" started out as a sci-fi B-movie way back in 1990. Ten years later, MGM’s financial albatross was produced by United Artists and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Jack Sholder, and Walter Hill. Hill was officially credited as Director, although, at one point, he became so frustrated with MGM and the film’s progress that he quit and demanded his name be removed from the project.
"Supernova" takes place way off in the 22nd century. When the crew of the Nightingale 229 find their hurling ship getting sucked into an enormous dying star (a supernova event) and must save themselves from certain annihilation. In the meantime, poor acting, gratuitous sex scenes, and humor heavily weighted “down there” dominate. Don’t take the kids. All told, Supernova lost $118 million, adjusted for inflation. The ten-year project cost $90 million to make, and it only brought in $14.8 million during its box office showing.
Estimated loss: $83 million
I Know Who Killed Me (2007)
Lindsay Lohan has starred in some of the most successful and well-known films in the last two decades or so. Apparently, she has some flops under her belt too. Starring Lindsay Lohan — this was after her career peak in the 90s and early 2000s — the film focuses on a student who is abducted and brutally tortured. After her ordeal, she assumes another identity.
The film won Worst Picture, with Lohan herself picking up a few Razzies; among them Worst Actress and Worst Screen Couple. Not to mention, it lost a little over $2 million of the $12 million originally invested in it. Sometimes with child/teen stars, it’s better they make their money young, invest, and enjoy the funds.