10 actors whose best movie was a box office flop

Box office success is a poor measure of a movie’s quality, and some great actors do their best work in commercial flops. Box office receipts are also affected by marketing campaigns, timing and several other factors that have nothing to do with the content of the movie itself. There have been many brilliant box office bombs over the years, proving that money isn’t everything.

The commercial viability of a movie is well beyond an actor’s control, so it’s not unusual to see brilliant performances in movies that underperform at the box office. Great movies have a good chance of having their reputations restored in the years following their release. This means that an actor can suddenly see one of their forgotten gems recognized as their best and most popular movie.

10

Jeff Bridges

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Jeff Bridges has been a powerful presence in both comedies and dramas for decades. He won an Academy Award for his performance in crazy heartAnd he had memorable roles in movies including Tron, the Fisher King And Iron Man. Among all this success, Bridges is most associated with his character from the big lebowski Known only as “The Dude” to his close friends.

Bridges delivers a deadpan comedy masterclass in The Big Lebowski. Despite being caught up in a dirty crime mystery, the dude just wants to get a new rug and go bowling. Bridgen reacts to everything that is thrown at him with a stoic expression or a quasi-philosophical non-sequitur. He tracks himself the most The Big Lebowskis best quotes, turning ordinary lines into hilarious gags. The Big Lebowski is now a touchstone of modern comedy, but its underwhelming box office receipts meant it took a while to gather a cult following.

9

Judy Garland

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Wizard of Oz Was MGM’s most expensive movie of all time when it was released in 1939, but it only earned $3 million on a $2.7 million budget. Despite some positive reviews and five Oscar nominations, it seemed as if MGM’s big gamble had not paid off. It was only when The Wizard of Oz It was re-released a decade later that it finally became a great financial success.

Judy Garland was only 16 when she filmed The Wizard of OzAnd it is still her most famous role. The Wizard of Oz is often cited as one of the most widely seen movies of all time. It was revolutionary at the time for its use of Technicolor, but its fantastical charm ensured that it remained a delight long after the technical novelty had worn off. Garland’s performance is outstanding for such a young star.

8

Morgan Freeman

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Morgan Freeman brings a lot of warmth and humanity to The Shawshank Redemption, The classic Frank Darabont based on a novel by Stephen King. He plays Red, an inmate in Shawshank who thinks he’s seen it all until Andy arrives with a radical new perspective. The Shawshank Redemption was initially a box office flop, but it received a more profitable re-release after being nominated for seven Oscars.

The Shawshank Redemption went up against both Forest Gump And Pulp fiction at the box office. This stiff competition, coupled with the general lack of enthusiasm for prison movies, ensured that The Shawshank Redemption Flew under the radar for most people. Another issue with the film’s release was that Columbia Pictures omitted this fact The Shawshank Redemption is based on a novel by Stephen King from its marketing, fearing that the audience would expect a horror movie.

7

Rachel Zegler

West Side Story (2021)

Steven Spielberg’s first musical was showered with praise when it was released, but that didn’t translate to box office success. West Side Story Made only $76 million on a budget of $100 million. There is still time for it to build the audience it deserves in the coming years. West Side Story Will always be compared to the 1961 movie adaptation, but Spielberg’s version is a brand new synthesis of throwback style and expressive modern filmmaking that sets it apart.

Rachel Zegler gives a brilliant performance as Maria, and demonstrates her singing and dramatic talents. She is still a rising star in HollywoodAlthough if West Side Story caused a bigger splash, she may be much more famous now. Zegler is set to star in Disney’s live-action remake of snow white, Which will certainly exceed West Side Storys financial performance, but it remains to be seen if it lives up to the original.

6

Clive Owen

Children of Men (2006)

Clive Owen starred in several critically-acclaimed movies during the 2000s, including Spike Lee’s Heist movie Inner man and the crime anthology Sin City. Although these two movies were huge commercial hits, the same cannot be said for Children of men. Alfonso Cuarón’s dystopian thriller only received a limited release, so it didn’t have a good chance to break even at the box office.

Children of men was immediately praised by critics when it came out, and it influenced an entire generation of sci-fi movies. The long takes in the action scenes are particularly effective, bringing out the best in Owen. He gets caught up in the quiet moments of the film, but he also sells the friendly panic of the post-apocalypse. His career-best performance certainly earned a bigger audience.

5

Gene Wilder

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Gene Wilder is remembered as one of the funniest actors of his generation. His collaborations with Richard Pryor and Mel Brooks resulted in some of his best work, but he is most fondly remembered as the titular chocolatier in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Although author Roald Dahl famously despised the adaptation, it has gone down as a classic for those who love the book and those who have never read it.

Wilder always maintains an air of mystery like Willy Wonka. There are some scenes, like the nightmarish boat ride, that suggest he has a darkness within him. It is no coincidence that he introduces himself to the public with a practical joke. He is a lovable trickster with more layers than an eternal gobstopper. Despite his captivating performance, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Made just $4 million on a budget of $3 million. In marketing costs, this is a significant loss.

4

Tim Curry

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Jim Sharman’s musical horror comedy has helped define what a cult movie is over the years. Almost half a century later, fans are still attending midnight screenings dressed as their favorite characters and responding to the action on screen like a pantomime, but it took a while The Rocky Horror Picture Show To achieve such success. It opened with a limited release, and ticket sales were so poor that a Halloween night premiere in New York City was canceled.

Tim Carrey’s dazzling, flamboyant performance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter is central to The Rocky Horror Picture Shows appeal. Its gender-bending character has helped the musical become a staple of queer culture in both the US and Canada. it. And the UK. It was the role that put Carey on the mapAnd although he gave memorable performances in Clue, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, The Hunt for Red October And more great films, this is the one for which he is most remembered.

3

Jacob Stewart

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

There is some debate about James Stewart’s best movie, since he was such a prominent figure in Hollywood for decades. His collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock produced some of his best work, including Vertigo And rear window, And he won an Academy Award for The Philadelphia Story. It’s a Wonderful Life is as good a contender as any of his other classics, even if it wasn’t appreciated at the time of release.

Despite receiving positive reviews and five Oscar nominations, It’s a wonderful life Registered a loss of over half a million dollars for RKO Radio Pictures. It’s a wonderful life It received a general release in January 1947, which is far too late for a Christmas movie to have any hope of achieving success at the box office. The movie gained a new surge of popularity decades later when it started showing on television, and it has since been recognized as a Christmas classic.

2

Ed Norton

fight club (1999)

20th Century Fox didn’t quite know what to make of David Fincher Action Club. Some studio executives hated the finished product, and they commissioned a marketing plan designed to reduce any losses. Action Club was not advertised as widely as it should have been, and Some trailers emphasized its action scenes to make it look like an action movie. It has since been recognized as a 1990s classic, and one of Fincher’s best movies.

Action Club is not an action movie, but it doesn’t fit into any one category. It’s a psychological thriller and a dark comedy about modern living rolled into one. Ed Norton’s performance is essential in striking the right balance. While Brad Pitt seems to be having a lot of fun as the eccentric and erratic Taylor Durden, Norton’s more reserved performance provides a relatable angle for the audience.

1

Orson Welles

Citizen Kane (1941)

Often touted as the greatest film ever made, Citizen no is the ultimate proof that box office receipts are not the best measure of a movie’s quality. Citizen no Charts the life and death of Charles Foster Kane, a narcissistic newspaper magnate based on William Randolph Hearst, among others. When the film was first released, Hearst threatened legal action, and he banned any mention of it in his newspapers.

Hearst’s actions undoubtedly had an impact on Citizen nos business viability. Although it received a lot of glowing reviews, Orson Welles’ directorial debut failed to recoup its budget. Welles was only 25 years old when he co-wrote, directed and starred in Citizen no. He went on to play in classics such as The Magnificent Ambersons And The third personBut it is difficult to argue that he has surpassed everything Citizen no.