While unfortunate for filmmakers and production companies, a film’s underperformance at the box office isn’t necessarily indicative of a lack of quality. Box office bombs can have fascinating stories and even contain some great performances from actors you would have otherwise missed if you only paid attention to the highest-grossing films.
Similarly, many fantastic movies get buried under the box office successes that overshadow them. The 2000s, in particular, boast plenty of great films that audiences may have missed or overlooked purely due to their underwhelming financial performance upon release.
'Children of Men' (2006)
Children of Men is one of the best science fiction dystopias of the 2000s. It may surprise you to learn that, commercially speaking, it didn’t do too well when it was released. It was nominated for three Academy Awards but only grossed $70 million worldwide, which, against its $75 million production budget, made the film a box office bomb.
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón (Roma), Children of Men features performances from Clive Owen (The Bourne Identity), Clare-Hope Ashitey (Seven Seconds), Julianne Moore (The Big Lebowski), and Michael Caine (Kingsman: The Secret Service). The film takes place in a world where humanity cannot reproduce and follows Owen’s Theo as he fights to escort the world’s last remaining pregnant woman to safety.
'Sunshine' (2007)
Directed by Danny Boyle (28 Days Later) and written by Alex Garland (Annihilation), it’s easy to see how Sunshine became the science fiction masterpiece it is. The film stars Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders), Chris Evans (Avengers: Endgame), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once), and more as a team of scientists on a mission to reignite the dying sun.
Not enough people were aware of Sunshine when it was released in 2007; however, the film underperformed at the box office, grossing only $32 million worldwide, marginally lower than its production budget of $40 million.
'Atlantis: The Lost Empire' (2001)
The 2000s were rough on 2D animated features. 3D films like the Toy Story movies were on their way to becoming the norm, and less technologically-sophisticated animated projects were falling by the wayside. Atlantis: The Lost Empire was one of those 2D flops. And yet, with a voice cast that boasts talent like Michael J. Fox (Back to the Future) and Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek), the science fiction adventure flick is one of the best animated Disney movies ever made, one we wouldn’t mind seeing a return in a live-action revival.
Unfortunately for both audiences, the animated film Atlantis: The Lost Empire only grossed around $186 million worldwide, a lackluster return for a Disney release budgeted at $120 million. Its underwhelming box office performance may have had something to do with being released alongside Shrek, but Atlantis’ status as a box office bomb doesn’t mean it should be forgotten.
'Donnie Darko' (2001)
A psychological thriller about a troubled teenager manipulated into committing various crimes, Donnie Darko was never exactly going for broad appeal. Still, it remains a fantastic film, with great performances from its cast, which features Jake Gyllenhaal (Spider-Man: Far From Home), Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Dark Knight), Jena Malone (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), and several other noteworthy stars.
Grossing only around $500,000, the film was a box office failure. But in the years that followed its release, Donnie Darko gained a cult following. It is now considered one of the best independent films of all time.
A Christmas Carol (2009)
This film uses the voice talents of Jim Carrey (Sonic the Hedgehog 2), Gary Oldman (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), Robin Wright (The Princess Bride), and Colin Firth (Mamma Mia!) to bring Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas ghost story to life. Despite its impressive cast and beloved source material, A Christmas Carol was a box office disappointment.
Like director Robert Zemeckis’ other animated films, namely Monster House and The Polar Express, the 2009 dark fantasy film is colorful, imaginative, and even a little spooky at times. Still, it made back a disappointing $325 million from its massive $200 million production budget, though it remains a loving adaptation of one of the most treasured Christmas stories in all of fiction.
'Speed Racer' (2008)
The 2000s buried one of the Wachowski’s most underrated gems. While critically and commercially unsuccessful on release, Speed Racer is a film that deserves to be visited again. Directed by the sibling team of Lana and Lily Wachowski, creators of The Matrix films, Speed Racer is an off-the-wall sports film filled with pulse-pounding races and unrivaled, stylish visual effects.
It only grossed $93 million worldwide, which made the film a box office bomb against its production budget of over $120 million. Now, the film is considered one of the few great live-action anime adaptations, with a loyal fanbase committed to seeing Speed Racer regarded as the loving reimagination one of the few great live-action anime adaptations, with a loyal fanbase committed to seeing Speed Racer regarded as the loving reimagination that it is.
'Treasure Planet' (2002)
Released in 2002, Disney’s Treasure Planet is an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel Treasure Island, though you’ll be hard-pressed not to notice the distinct science fiction twist the underrated animated film puts on the classic adventure story. The movie tells the story of Jim Hawkins’ voyage to find the elusive treasure horde of Captain Nathaniel Flint. Treasure Planet is loved for its beautiful score, its voice cast — which features talent like Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception) and Emma Thompson (Love Actually) – and for having one of cinema’s greatest show-stealing villains.
Earning $110 million worldwide, the film was a box office bomb, having failed to earn back the $140 million it cost to make. Still, despite its underwhelming financial reception on release, Treasure Planet is truly special, a film that should still be appreciated by audiences today.
'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford' (2007)
It’s a terrible shame that The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford didn’t do financially well upon release. Directed by Andrew Dominik (director of a few episodes of Netflix’s Mindhunter), the 2007 Western explores the relationship and dramatic downfall of Jesse James and Robert “Bob” Ford.
The highlight of the film is the performances of its cast, which consists of celebrated actors like Brad Pitt (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood), Casey Affleck (Interstellar), Sam Rockwell (Jojo Rabbit), and Jeremy Renner (Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye). Unfortunately, the movie grossed less than $4 million when it was released, but that didn’t stop it from being one of the greatest Westerns of its time.
The Road to El Dorado (2000)
Though a box office let-down, grossing only $76 million on a production budget of $95 million, The Road to El Dorado is DreamWorks’ most underrated gem. The animated adventure film follows two con artists and their unwitting rise to power after discovering the mythical golden city.
The movie shares the same animation style as the widely-acclaimed The Prince of Egypt and features original music by Hans Zimmer, Elton John, and more. Don’t let its performance at the box office lead you astray; there’s a reason why The Road to El Dorado has gained a cult following since its release: it’s one of the best animated films of all time.
'Zathura: A Space Adventure' (2005)
The box office failure of Zathura: A Space Adventure, or simply Zathura, is quite the puzzle for the ages. Though received well during its initial release, the Jumanji-esque science fiction adventure movie was not a commercial hit. Zathura was unable to make back its production budget of $65 million, grossing only $65.1 million worldwide.
The film follows siblings Walter (Josh Hutcherson), Danny (Jonah Bobo), and Lisa (Kristen Stewart) as they become embroiled in an adventure catalyzed by a mysterious board game come to life. Thankfully, the film’s disappointing financial reception couldn’t sink the careers of its cast, as it didn’t prevent the stars of the space adventure — notably Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) and Kristen Stewart (Spencer) – from accomplishing great things since.