The Mummy (2017) – Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise was brought in by Universal to star in 2017’s The Mummy, the first of a planned ‘Dark Universe’ of monster movies. These would be reboots of classic Universal movies starring the Universal Monsters. But with The Mummy getting a dismal 15% Rotten Tomatoes score and losing the studio as much as $100 million after box office returns, the Dark Universe plans were immediately shelved.

Battlefield Earth (2000) – John Travolta

Noted Scientologist John Travolta was signed on to play the lead in 2000’s Battlefield Earth, an adaptation of L Ron Hubbard’s novel of the same name. A pet project of Travolta’s, he’d been trying to get the film made since the mid-90s. Battlefield Earth went on to bomb at the box office, returning only $29 million of its reported $73 million production budget, while its Rotten Tomatoes score sits at 3%.

Inchon (1981) – Laurence Olivier

Set during the Battle of Inchon and starring legendary actor Laurence Olivier in the lead role, Inchon’s original concept initially showed some promise. This was quickly dispelled after release, however, as the movie went onto barely gross $5 million, with The Washington Post describing Inchon as “one of the biggest commercial disasters in film history”. Its Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%.

Going Overboard (1989) – Adam Sandler

Not all movie megastars have a hit their first time out, and this was certainly the case for Adam Sandler in 1989’s Going Overboard. The movie is so widely disliked (11% on Rotten Tomatoes) that even Sandler himself refuses to acknowledge it in interviews, instead citing 1995’s Billy Madison as his first real movie.

The Stepford Wives (2004) – Nicole Kidman

A remake of the 1975 cult classic of the same name, 2004’s The Stepford Wives, starring Nicole Kidman, would receive none of the same praise. On-set tensions between cast and crew made production difficult and, after poor feedback from early screen tests, the ending was entirely re-shot. The $100 million movie would make a box office loss and earn a measly 26% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Gigli (2003) – Ben Affleck

Earning barely 10% of its $75 million budget (and getting just 6% approval from Rotten Tomatoes critics), 2003’s Gigli is a project Ben Affleck should have stayed far away from. Awarded a total of seven Golden Raspberry Awards, the industry spoof Oscars, Gigli performed so badly that all UK theatres pulled the movie from their screens in its first week of release.

The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) – Vin Diesel

Released in 2004, The Chronicles of Riddick marked the second chapter in Vin Diesel’s Riddick series. Although it surpassed the earnings of its 2000 forerunner – Pitch Black, which more than doubled its $23 million budget at the box office – the $120 million Chronicles of Riddick fell way short. Critics weren’t kind either, lumping it with a 29% Rotten Tomatoes score.

The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002) – Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy has had a mixed career of successful movies with the odd dud thrown in, but maybe none rank lower than 2002’s The Adventures of Pluto Nash. Listed by the Los Angeles Times in 2004 as one of the most expensive box office flops of all time, this $100 million dollar production bombed with $7 million in returns. Critics, meanwhile, saddled it with an appalling 5% Rotten Tomatoes score.

The Green Lantern (2011) – Ryan Reynolds

Panned by critics and audiences alike upon its release, 2011’s The Green Lantern saw star Ryan Reynolds suffer the biggest bomb of his then rising career. The movie was supposed to kick off a series of DC superhero movies, but due to its poor performance, Warner Bros decided to officially restart the series with 2013’s Man of Steel, essentially ignoring the early contributions of Reynolds.

Around the World in 80 days (2004) – Jackie Chan

When Jules Verne’s timeless adventure novel Around the World in 80 Days was first brought to the screen in 1956, it proved a triumph, the film securing five Academy Awards including Best Picture. However, the 2004 endeavour to portray Verne’s narrative, featuring Jackie Chan alongside Steve Coogan, utterly tanked, netting around $80 million in losses and a 32% Rotten Tomatoes score.