Timing is everything! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the least profitable films that would have had a better chance of success if they had been released at a different time.
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00:00 - This city's afraid of me.
00:02 I've seen its true face.
00:04 The streets are extended gutters,
00:06 and the gutters are full of blood.
00:08 - Welcome to "WatchMojo."
00:10 And today, we're counting down our picks
00:12 for the least profitable films
00:14 that would have had a better chance of success
00:16 if they had been released at a different time.
00:18 - You know, I felt weird talking to Dad
00:20 without a top hat, so, ta-da!
00:23 - Number 10, "The Last Voyage of the Demeter,"
00:28 a supernatural horror about a crew of sailors
00:31 trapped on a ship with a vampire
00:33 held significant potential for success.
00:35 - We call him Dracula.
00:38 - Dracula is an iconic villain of the genre,
00:41 and the film's maritime setting
00:43 immediately raised the stakes.
00:45 Ideally, such a movie would have been perfect for Halloween,
00:48 but instead, the studio opted to show it in August 2023.
00:53 This meant it came out around the same time
00:56 as blockbusters like "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer."
00:59 Unfortunately, it was largely overshadowed
01:02 and only managed to recoup about half of its budget.
01:06 The "Last Voyage of the Demeter"
01:07 could have had a better shot
01:08 if it had come out with other thrillers in the fall,
01:11 leading us to wonder what could have been.
01:13 - The devil is real.
01:15 May God have mercy on us all.
01:19 - Number nine, "The X-Files," "I Want to Believe,"
01:25 a staple of the 1990s.
01:27 "The X-Files" not only achieved immense popularity on TV,
01:31 it also spawned two feature-length motion pictures.
01:35 The first film was released while the show was still airing.
01:38 However, the second one wasn't so lucky,
01:40 arriving a full decade after its predecessor
01:43 and six years following the series' conclusion.
01:46 - That's not my life anymore.
01:48 - I know that.
01:49 - You're not understanding me.
01:52 - I can't look into the darkness with you anymore, Mulder.
01:56 I cannot stand what it does to you or to me.
01:59 - "The X-Files," "I Want to Believe,"
02:01 was originally slated for release in 2001,
02:04 but faced constant production delays.
02:07 It ended up coming out shortly after "The Dark Knight,"
02:10 which was a critical and commercial smash.
02:13 With that stiff competition,
02:14 the chips were already against the sequel.
02:17 While it did end up turning a slight profit,
02:20 there was still a sharp drop in sales
02:22 from the original.
02:24 - You were good in there.
02:25 All I had were questions.
02:27 You pushed them, challenged them, like old times.
02:31 - Number eight, Steve Jobs.
02:34 There's no doubt that Steve Jobs
02:36 was an incredibly important person in the tech industry.
02:39 He was so influential, in fact,
02:41 that three separate biopics about him
02:43 were produced in the mid-2010s.
02:46 The first two debuted in 2013,
02:49 and each had a different take on his life.
02:51 The third and final, "Steve Jobs," came out in 2015,
02:55 and despite being well-made and well-received by critics,
02:59 it didn't do well financially.
03:01 - So how come 10 times in a day
03:03 I read Steve Jobs as a genius?
03:05 What do you do?
03:08 - I play the orchestra.
03:10 - By that point,
03:11 people had seemingly grown weary of the topic,
03:13 especially since the original biography
03:16 about him was a disappointment.
03:18 Had it been made earlier in the decade,
03:20 not only could it have recouped its losses,
03:22 it would have gotten more recognition in general.
03:25 (upbeat music)
03:27 Number seven, "Last Action Hero."
03:33 Between "The Terminator" and "Predator,"
03:36 Arnold Schwarzenegger quickly became a household name
03:38 in the 1980s.
03:40 However, this success also led to his downfall
03:43 when it came to 1993's "Last Action Hero."
03:46 It was a satirical deconstruction of action films
03:49 that poked fun at various tropes of the genre.
03:52 Unfortunately, the humor didn't quite land
03:55 among theater goers.
03:57 - Wait, where are you going?
03:59 - I'll be back.
04:01 - Ha, you did not go to say that, did you?
04:04 - That's what you always say.
04:05 - Schwarzenegger's previous work had set high expectations
04:09 for another epic role,
04:10 but "Last Action Hero" fell short,
04:12 leaving many disappointed.
04:14 Besides, "Jurassic Park" was airing at the same time,
04:18 which certainly did not help.
04:20 While audiences back then
04:21 didn't enjoy John McTiernan's attempt,
04:24 the film has since achieved cult classic status,
04:27 suggesting it might have fared better in a more modern era.
04:31 - You know why you're shouting?
04:32 Because it's in the script.
04:33 You had the comic relief, yes.
04:36 And you know what else?
04:37 I am the hero, so shut up!
04:40 - Number six, "Justice League."
04:42 "The Justice League" consists of some
04:44 of the most iconic superheroes in comic history,
04:47 including Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
04:51 So when it was announced that a live-action film
04:53 would be made about the group, DC fans were excited.
04:56 - Stop right there, I'm in.
04:58 - However, this was in a post-Avengers world,
05:01 and fans had seemingly developed new expectations.
05:05 Namely, they were used to the brighter tone
05:07 and sarcastic humor of the MCU.
05:10 While "Justice League" tried to emulate this,
05:13 many felt it came across as forced.
05:16 - Oh, yeah, oh, something is definitely bleeding.
05:19 - Comic enthusiasts were left disappointed,
05:22 especially because they could see
05:23 the potential the characters had.
05:25 Many felt that if the movie had come out in the 2000s,
05:29 it could have embraced a more serious tone
05:31 and would have been viewed less critically.
05:34 Number five, "Onward."
05:36 There was a time in the 2000s
05:38 when edgier animation dominated theaters.
05:41 While many would agree "Shrek" was the peak,
05:44 that didn't stop other studios
05:46 from tossing their hat in the ring.
05:48 - What have I done?
05:49 - Well, it's not too late.
05:51 I mean, you could just give us the map.
05:53 - This place used to be dangerous.
05:54 - Dangerous?
05:55 - Pixar's release of "Onward"
05:57 came towards the tail end of this trend,
05:59 and the film had trouble differentiating itself
06:02 from the rest of the subgenre.
06:04 Despite getting good feedback from fans and critics,
06:07 the box office told another story.
06:10 To be fair, it was also released just weeks
06:12 before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,
06:15 which definitely played into the lower sales.
06:18 However, had it come in that first wave
06:20 of animated comedies,
06:22 then it may have found a larger audience
06:24 and gained recognition for its positive qualities.
06:27 - So what other spells do you know?
06:30 - Oh, brace yourself, young me.
06:32 I know all there is to know of magic.
06:35 - Number four, "Starship Troopers."
06:38 "Starship Troopers" is a great example
06:40 of art being ahead of its time.
06:42 It was a sarcastic take on a pro-war novel
06:45 and opted to show why the viewpoints were so skewed.
06:48 - I'm doing my part too.
06:50 (audience laughing)
06:52 - The film showcased different examples of propaganda
06:55 and even made the decision to outfit US soldiers
06:58 in the regalia of their enemies.
07:00 At the time, Americans had a very different view
07:03 of their military and government,
07:05 which left viewers wondering
07:07 if the director was endorsing fascism.
07:09 However, it was only in the wake of the United States
07:12 response to 9/11 that the film's cognizant message
07:15 became apparent.
07:17 If it had been made within the last decade,
07:19 people most likely wouldn't have even questioned the satire.
07:23 Number three, "Watchmen."
07:25 "Watchmen" aimed to subvert typical superhero movie tropes.
07:29 However, when it first hit theaters,
07:31 others like the "Dark Knight" trilogy and "Iron Man"
07:34 were already breathing fresh life into the category.
07:37 So while it did have elements
07:39 that were genuinely surprising to viewers,
07:41 they paled in comparison to its competition.
07:44 - None of you seem to understand.
07:46 I'm not locked in here with you.
07:48 - That's it!
07:49 (grunting)
07:49 (thudding)
07:50 (screaming)
07:51 - You're locked in here with me!
07:52 - However, with the Marvel boom
07:54 that occurred in the following decade,
07:56 some of those cliches did start to reappear.
07:59 If "Watchmen" had been released alongside this rollout,
08:02 then it would have distinguished itself more.
08:05 The twist ending in particular
08:07 would have stood out among the slightly predictable
08:09 conclusions of that era.
08:11 In essence, it was a case of a good idea
08:13 being implemented a little too soon.
08:16 Number two, "Master and Commander,
08:19 The Far Side of the World."
08:21 2003 was a huge year for the film industry.
08:24 Superhero flicks and fantasy epics dominated the box office.
08:28 Then there was "Master and Commander,
08:31 The Far Side of the World,"
08:32 a well-made war drama that was sabotaged
08:34 by its release date.
08:36 - I think we've got him, sir.
08:38 - And the windpapers asked this time.
08:39 - Now don't count your eggs
08:40 before they're in the pudding, Mr. Calloway.
08:41 - It premiered between the first "Pirates of the Caribbean"
08:44 and the final "The Lord of the Rings" film.
08:47 With the combined hype for both franchises,
08:49 "Master and Commander" was quickly sidelined.
08:52 Due to their similar themes,
08:54 it was compared unfavorably with "Pirates."
08:57 And when asked to choose between a whimsical
09:00 or historical portrayal of a sailor,
09:02 spectators steered towards the former.
09:05 If it had come out even a year later,
09:07 then it could have stood on its own,
09:09 both with fans and during award season.
09:12 - England is under threat of invasion.
09:14 And though we be on the far side of the world,
09:16 this ship is our home.
09:17 This ship is England.
09:23 - Before we continue,
09:24 be sure to subscribe to our channel
09:26 and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
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09:36 and switch on notifications.
09:39 Number one, "The Thing."
09:41 "The Thing" is the ultimate proof
09:43 that an excellent movie coming out at the wrong time
09:45 can lead to its downfall.
09:47 While it had a great concept and execution,
09:50 viewers at the time failed to resonate with it.
09:53 - You see, when a man bleeds,
09:55 it's just tissue.
09:58 The blood from one of you things won't obey
10:03 when it's attacked.
10:05 - I'll try and survive.
10:07 - It was compared to "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,"
10:10 a film with a more wholesome portrayal of aliens,
10:12 which had come out a couple of weeks earlier.
10:15 Furthermore, "The Thing" was released
10:17 during a rough financial period
10:19 when audiences sought escapism at the theater.
10:22 This phenomenon also caused other existential films
10:25 of that era, like "Blade Runner," to struggle.
10:28 - Replicants are like any other machine.
10:30 They're either a benefit or a hazard.
10:32 - They're a benefit, it's not my problem.
10:35 - These days, John Carpenter's picture
10:37 is regarded as a genre masterpiece,
10:39 suggesting that a modern release date
10:41 could have given it the success it always deserved.
10:45 What other film do you think could have benefited
10:47 from a different release date?
10:48 Let us know in the comments.
10:50 - Have you lost your mind?
10:52 - Did you enjoy this video?
10:54 Check out these other clips from WatchMojo
10:56 and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell
10:58 to be notified about our latest videos.
11:01 (upbeat music)
11:03 (rock music)
11:06 (rock music)
11:08 (upbeat music)