7 Sci-Fi Movies That Bombed Way Harder Than They Deserved To (& 1 Is A Masterpiece)

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Science fiction films are a gamble. If a story really connects with audiences, the rewards can be enormous, as seen with James Cameron’s Avatar movies, which consistently earn over $1 billion. But falling short of that mark is risky because these films are incredibly expensive to make. Cameron’s team spends a fortune on visual effects, plus significant amounts on marketing and other costs. Even smaller sci-fi projects face similar financial pressures.

Each year, major movie studios attempt to launch the next blockbuster like Avatar. In 2025, Disney tried to revive Tron with Tron: Ares, but the film didn’t perform well, earning $142 million despite costing around $200 million to make. Ares faced an uphill battle because audiences didn’t really respond to it. However, even well-received sci-fi movies sometimes fail. Here are seven sci-fi films that flopped despite being better than their box office results would suggest.

7) Ender’s Game

Reviving interest in an existing fanbase can greatly help a book-to-movie adaptation. Lionsgate attempted this in 2013 with the film version of Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game. While the movie deviated from the original book in some ways, it boasted a fantastic cast – including Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, Viola Davis, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, and Asa Butterfield – who all delivered strong performances. Despite their efforts, the movie wasn’t a major financial success, earning just over $100 million at the box office.

6) Edge of Tomorrow

Tom Cruise consistently delivers box office hits, as evidenced by the massive success of his 2022 film, Top Gun: Maverick, which earned $1.4 billion worldwide. However, not all of his movies achieve such high numbers. Edge of Tomorrow, inspired by Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s novel All You Need Is Kill, features a compelling story about a soldier caught in a time loop, fighting to prevent an alien invasion. Despite its inventive concept and Cruise’s involvement, the film grossed $370 million.

5) Gattaca

It’s hard to believe a good movie would fail in the 1990s, when going to the cinema wasn’t so expensive. But sometimes, films are simply released before their audience is ready. Gattaca didn’t do well in theaters because it lacked big action scenes or science fiction staples like aliens. Instead, it told the story of an ordinary man trying to achieve his dreams in a world obsessed with genetic perfection. Thankfully, Gattaca has since gained a dedicated following and become a beloved cult classic.

4) Donnie Darko

When people talk about movies that became popular over time, Donnie Darko often comes up. The film, directed by Richard Kelly, centers on a character who begins sleepwalking and having visions of a man in a rabbit suit. When it was first released, audiences didn’t quite understand the movie, and it only made $7.5 million at the box office.

3) Blade Runner 2049

Denis Villeneuve is proving to be a huge success with the Dune films, with at least one more movie planned. It’s great to see him recognized, especially considering the critical acclaim but disappointing box office performance of his previous film, Blade Runner 2049. While the film was a creative achievement exploring complex themes of humanity, and featured the return of Harrison Ford alongside Ryan Gosling, it didn’t reach the $300 million mark in ticket sales.

2) Annihilation

Certain films, particularly in science fiction, require multiple viewings to fully grasp their meaning. Alex Garland’s Annihilation, which follows a team of scientists investigating a strange and secretive zone, is one of those movies, but unfortunately, not enough people have even seen it once to make that a significant issue. When it was in theaters, Annihilation only earned $43 million, meaning it didn’t make back its production costs.

1) Starship Troopers

It’s unusual for comedies and science fiction to blend successfully, as sci-fi often aims for a serious feel. But the film Starship Troopers challenged expectations by offering a funny take on humanity’s battle against aliens. While it’s now a beloved cult classic, the movie wasn’t an immediate hit; it earned $120 million despite costing $100 million to make.

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2025-11-24 19:15