Everyone makes mistakes, with some of them being more costly than others. For the biggest names of Hollywood, being in a bad movie might not be the end of the world (usually, they get paid either way), but it does put a dent in their image and what it means to go see a movie starring them.
What we’ve gathered here today aren’t obscure early-career misfires or movies where a famous actor happened to have a supporting role. Each film here arrived after its star had already established serious box-office power, only to receive poor reviews and disappoint financially.
1. Ben Affleck, Gigli
By the time Gigli arrived, Ben Affleck was a bona fide movie star following Armageddon and Pearl Harbor. The romantic comedy was savaged by critics and earned just $7.1 million worldwide against a reported $75.6 million budget.
2. Eddie Murphy, The Adventures of Pluto Nash
Eddie Murphy was one of Hollywood’s biggest comedy stars when The Adventures of Pluto Nash arrived. Critics gave it just 6% on Rotten Tomatoes, while the $100 million production earned roughly $7.1 million worldwide.
3. Halle Berry, Catwoman
Halle Berry had already won an Oscar and established herself as a major star before Catwoman. Critics gave the superhero movie an abysmal 8%, while its $100 million production earned only $82.4 million worldwide.
4. Kevin Costner, The Postman
Kevin Costner was one of Hollywood’s defining stars when he directed and starred in The Postman. Critics gave the ambitious post-apocalyptic epic only 14%, while its $80 million budget produced roughly $20.8 million worldwide.
5. John Travolta, Battlefield Earth
John Travolta was riding an extraordinary comeback when Battlefield Earth arrived, making its failure especially painful. The movie was savaged by critics and grossed roughly $30 million worldwide, dramatically underperforming expectations surrounding Travolta’s star power.
6. Mike Myers, The Love Guru
Mike Myers had already established himself as a comedy superstar through Austin Powers and Shrek when The Love Guru arrived. Critics gave it 13%, while the $62 million comedy earned only about $41 million worldwide.
7. Keanu Reeves, 47 Ronin
Keanu Reeves was already a global action star thanks to The Matrix and other hits when 47 Ronin reached theaters. Critics gave it just 16%, while its $175–225 million budget produced approximately $152 million worldwide.
8. Tom Cruise, The Mummy
Tom Cruise rarely makes genuine box-office disappointments, making The Mummy particularly notable. Critics gave the Universal monster reboot only 15%, while its $345 million combined production and marketing costs reportedly resulted in a $60–95 million studio loss.
9. Channing Tatum, Jupiter Ascending
Channing Tatum was already an established leading man when Jupiter Ascending attempted to launch a new science-fiction franchise. Critics gave it 28%, while its $176–210 million budget resulted in only $184 million worldwide.
10. Hugh Jackman, Pan
Hugh Jackman was already internationally famous as Wolverine when Pan attempted to reinvent Peter Pan. Critics gave it only 27%, while the $150 million fantasy adventure earned approximately $128 million worldwide, making the expensive production financially unsuccessful.
11. Jamie Foxx, Stealth
Jamie Foxx was an Oscar-winning star when Stealth arrived, yet the expensive military thriller landed with critics at just 13%. Its $135 million budget was followed by only $79.3 million worldwide, making the result an unmistakable financial disappointment.
12. Sandra Bullock, Speed 2: Cruise Control
Sandra Bullock was already a major star after Speed and While You Were Sleeping when she returned for Speed 2. Critics gave it 4%, while the $160 million production earned $164.5 million worldwide, essentially guaranteeing a loss.
13. Reese Witherspoon, How Do You Know
Reese Witherspoon was an established star following Legally Blonde and Walk the Line when How Do You Know arrived. Critics gave it 32%, while its $120 million production earned just $49.6 million worldwide.
14. Will Smith, After Earth
Will Smith had become one of Hollywood’s most reliable stars before After Earth, making its reception particularly damaging. Critics gave the sci-fi adventure only 12%, while its $130 million budget produced $243.6 million worldwide, disappointing relative to blockbuster expectations.
15. Johnny Depp, The Lone Ranger
Johnny Depp was one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars after the Pirates of the Caribbean phenomenon when The Lone Ranger arrived. Critics gave it 31%, while its enormous $215–250 million budget made its $260.5 million worldwide gross a major disappointment.
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