Not every single movie can be a major box office hit. Even critically acclaimed films sometimes fall flat, due to a variety of factors, from poor marketing to an overly competitive release schedule. It’s just the nature of things. Sometimes these movies end up fading away entirely, destined to be another entry in the box office bomb category and serving as a warning to other films and studios.
But sometimes, these financial failures can find a second life elsewhere. Back before the days of streaming, these would be your cult classics that would eventually find a fanbase to appreciate them or a film that would prove extremely popular on cable networks. Nowadays, quite a few films that nosedive in theaters can actually end up becoming major hits for streaming services, and at least saving some face for the studio and creatives behind it.
Doctor Sleep
This one deserved better box office numbers, though
In 2019, acclaimed filmmaker Mike Flanagan brought arguably his best Stephen King adaptation to the big screen with Doctor Sleep. I may be a biased King and Flanagan fanboy, but it’s a nearly perfect adaptation and sequel to The Shining, that honors both the movie and book versions of that classic story while being the perfect example of horror nightmare fuel. Unfortunately, it only made $72 million at the box office on a budget of around $55 million, which is obviously not ideal.
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However, Doctor Sleep definitely found a bigger audience on streaming services after its run at the box office, especially when it first hit HBO Max. While I still maintain that it should have been a smash hit in theaters, especially considering it was released during a time when King adaptations were performing quite well, I am glad that audiences eventually warmed to it. Nowadays, it still floats around various streaming networks, regularly finding its way into the top ten movie lists.
The Fall Guy
Another great film that deserved more success
This Ryan Gosling-starring film is the perfect love letter to stunt performers everywhere while also just being a charmingly hilarious movie in its own right. It was also critically acclaimed, with a lot of praise being directed towards Gosling and Emily Blunt’s on-screen chemistry and the lively action sequences. Yet it wasn’t as big a hit as its high budget demanded, grossing only $181 million on a budget that was likely as high as $150 million.
But The Fall Guy eventually made its way to Peacock and became a massive hit for the streamer, and also debuted an extended cut that gave viewers more incentive to rewatch the film. This is one of those movies that I recommend to everyone that I possibly can, because it’s easily one of the best action comedies to come out in the last decade. Even though it failed, I still hope that studios don’t abandon smart, higher-budget action films like this, because they clearly have an audience in some form.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Fun post-apocalyptic zaniness
The mainline Mad Max films have been quite successful at the box office overall and have definitely found a big fanbase. In 2024, the series branched out with the prequel/spin-off Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, which centered on the eponymous Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy), who first appeared in Mad Max: Fury Road. Like other films on this list, it was definitely well-received by critics, garnering a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. But it only made around $174 million worldwide against a budget of $168 million. Definitely not good enough to be considered a hit by any metric.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga eventually debuted on HBO Max, though, and quickly grabbed a big audience. Admittedly, it’s been tough for post-pandemic films to find a lot of success at the box office, even established franchises like this, so it’s not entirely shocking. Still, even though the film has found a lot of success on streaming, it has left the future of the Mad Max franchise as a whole in a state of uncertainty. Which is a shame, because it still felt like there was a lot of gas left in the tank.
Haunted Mansion
Destined to become another Halloween favorite?
In 2023, Disney released a reboot film based on its popular theme park attraction, Haunted Mansion. It was neither critically well-received nor a box office hit, grossing a mere $117 million on a budget of $150 million. Not great for a film with a star-studded cast that featured the likes of Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, and Jamie Lee Curtis. It was also released in the summer, which was considered an odd move for a horror comedy.
But then it premiered on Disney+ in October 2023, and quickly became a smash hit for the premium streamer. It topped the streaming charts for a few weeks during the Halloween season, so at least there’s that. Still, Disney hasn’t exactly been tearing it up at the box office lately. Here’s hoping the Star Wars franchise’s return to theaters can get it right, so the company can get some more wins.
Box office failure is no longer a death sentence for movies
While you would still have your outliers in the pre-streaming days that found success on home video, I believe it’s much easier for a movie to find success nowadays after a disappointing box office run. Not everyone has embraced a return to theaters since the pandemic, and with streaming services being so easily accessible, I can’t say I blame them. There are more opportunities now for these underwhelming financial failures to recoup some money, thanks to streaming and VOD sales, and that’s a net positive for the industry and creatives.
But if you’re looking for some immediately successful media to watch, check out these standout sci-fi shows and movies on Amazon Prime Video.
