46 Years Ago Today, a Disney Sci-fi Flop Was Released (But Now It’s a Cult Classic)

by

Disney now dominates the science fiction genre. After acquiring 21st Century Fox, they gained control of the incredibly successful Avatar franchise, which has earned over $2 billion in ticket sales across its two films. The upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash is expected to continue this success. While TV projects aren’t always guaranteed hits, Disney is still thriving in that area, as evidenced by the critically acclaimed Alien: Earth series, released in 2025, which took the iconic Xenomorph in exciting new directions.

Today, Disney seems like a guaranteed success, but almost 50 years ago, the company took a big risk with a science fiction film that was unusually dark for them. The movie didn’t do well with audiences at first, but over time, it’s gained a following and is now considered a cult classic by many science fiction fans.

Disney Brought Disaster to Space in the Late ’70s

Without a doubt, George Lucas’s Star Wars was the defining film of the 1970s. Viewers quickly fell in love with its imaginative world and memorable characters. Every studio except the one with Lucas under contract rushed to create their own Star Wars, but it proved much harder than they thought. Disney decided to revive an old script about a space disaster. After some revisions, The Black Hole started filming in late 1978, aiming for a December 1979 release.

The movie The Black Hole centers on a spaceship crew returning to Earth after a lengthy space mission. When they encounter a black hole, they decide to investigate and surprisingly find a ship thought lost years ago. Inside, they meet Dr. Hans Reinhardt, the sole survivor who has created robotic companions. It soon becomes apparent that Reinhardt is keeping a dark secret: the original crew died in a rebellion, and he’s transferred their minds into the robots. After abandoning Reinhardt, the astronauts venture into the black hole. While not as epic as the destruction of the Death Star, the film’s ending feels unfulfilled.

The Black Hole Has a Complicated Legacy

Despite its ambitious goals, Disney’s The Black Hole wasn’t a big success when it was released. The film cost $20 million to make – a huge sum at the time – but only earned $38 million at the box office. Negative reviews likely hurt its performance, with many critics unfairly comparing it to Star Wars and finding little to praise. It was also Disney’s first PG-rated movie, due to some mild language and unsettling scenes. However, despite these issues, The Black Hole has actually become more appreciated over the years.

Disney eventually recognized the potential in The Black Hole and tried to reboot it in the early 2010s, but several writers struggled to find the right approach. It seems Disney wanted a lighter, more family-friendly version, which would have missed what made the original so unique. The Black Hole has become a cult classic precisely because it’s a strange and ambitious film, unlike anything else Disney has made. To remake it successfully, Disney needs to be willing to take the same risks as the original, using today’s technology to create something truly special. Until they’re prepared to do that, it’s best to leave the original Black Hole as it is.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/movies/list/7-best-sci-fi-movie-reboots-of-the-last-15-years/embed/#

Read More

2025-12-22 00:44