While 2024 delivered its share of blockbuster triumphs, a look at Deadline Hollywood's fiscal year-end analysis reveals the less glamorous side of the industry: the films that likely left studio executives reaching for antacids and pink slips.
Following our previous report on the year's biggest earners, we now delve into the cinematic misfires that failed to recoup their hefty investments.
Topping the list of potential job-security destroyers is none other than Joker: Folie à Deux.
The sequel to the 2019 phenomenon, which famously transformed a modest $55 million production into a staggering $1.079 billion global box office haul, took a decidedly different creative path. For some reason, WB execs greenlit a $200 million budget for director Todd Phillips to helm a musical follow-up. From a financial standpoint, it appears the gamble to drastically alter a successful blueprint "shockingly" didn't resonate with audiences in the same way.
Diving into Deadline's report further unveils a silver lining, albeit a thin one, for films like Megalopolis and Borderlands. Despite their disappointing box office returns, these projects were somewhat shielded from even greater financial disaster due to relatively restrained marketing spends.
Deadline's report indicates a mere $16 million allocated to promoting Francis Ford Coppola's ambitious Megalopolis, while the video game adaptation Borderlands saw a $30 million investment in prints and advertising (P&A). Studio execs likely knew they had a flop on their hands and didn't want to exacerbate matters further by spending huge sums on advertising.
In stark contrast, the other entries on the list splashed out considerably more on their marketing campaigns. The ill-fated Joker sequel and the Mad Max: Fury Road prequel, Furiosa, both reportedly exceeded $100 million in marketing expenditures. Sony also shelled out a substantial $50 million to promote Kraven the Hunter, further amplifying the sting of its box office shortfall.
| Film |
Production Budget |
Box Office Gross worldwide |
Net Studio Loss |
| Joker: Folie à Deux |
$200 million |
$207.5 million |
-144.3 million |
| Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga |
$168 million |
$174.3 million |
-119.6 million |
| Borderlands |
$110 million |
$33 million |
-$80 million |
| Megaloplolis |
$120 million |
$14.3 million |
-$75.5 million |
| Kraven the Hunter |
$110 million |
$62 million |
-$71 million |
The list above serves as a stark reminder that even highly anticipated sequels and star-studded productions are not immune to financial failure. In looking at 2025, what films do you think will be on this list?
Right off the bat, Mickey 17 and Captain America: Brave New World figure to be strong contenders for sizable studio losses.
While creative ambition is often lauded, these numbers highlight the delicate balance between artistic vision and audience expectation, a lesson that often results in financial loss for the film's respective studio.