Movies are expensive to make and market, and sometimes they fail to recoup their costs at the box office, resulting in huge losses for the studios, producers, and investors. These movies are known as box-office bombs or flops, and they can have serious consequences for the careers of the filmmakers and actors involved.
What happens if a film flops?
A film is considered a flop if it fails to break even by a large amount, meaning that its revenue is significantly lower than its budget and marketing costs. The exact amount of loss that qualifies a film as a flop may vary depending on the expectations and accounting methods of the studio, but generally speaking, a film that loses more than 50% of its budget is considered a major flop.
The consequences of a film flopping can be severe for the people involved. The studio may lose money and reputation, and may have to cut jobs or cancel projects. The producers may face lawsuits from investors or creditors, or have difficulty securing financing for future films. The director and the actors may lose credibility and opportunities in the industry, or have to take pay cuts or accept less desirable roles. The film may also damage the reputation of the source material, such as a book or a comic, or the genre or style of filmmaking.
Some examples of films that flopped badly at the box office are:
– John Carter (2012): Based on a series of sci-fi novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs, this film cost $263 million to make and $100 million to market, but only grossed $284 million worldwide, resulting in an estimated loss of $200 million for Disney. The film was criticized for its bland title, confusing plot, and lackluster marketing. The film also failed to launch a planned franchise based on Burroughs’ books.
– The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990): Based on a bestselling novel by Tom Wolfe, this film cost $47 million to make and $20 million to market, but only grossed $16 million in North America, resulting in an estimated loss of $51 million for Warner Bros. The film was criticized for its miscasting of Bruce Willis as a shady journalist, its deviation from the book’s satire, and its poor direction by Brian De Palma. The film also sparked controversy for its portrayal of race and class issues in New York City.
– Dolittle (2020): Based on a series of children’s books by Hugh Lofting, this film cost $175 million to make and $100 million to market, but only grossed $245 million worldwide, resulting in an estimated loss of $100 million for Universal Pictures. The film was criticized for its poor CGI, unfunny jokes, and awkward performance by Robert Downey Jr. as an eccentric doctor who can talk to animals. The film also faced production troubles, such as reshoots, rewrites, and director changes.
What does flopped mean in movie?
The term flopped is derived from the slang expression “to flop”, which means to fail or perform poorly. In movie terms, flopped means that a film failed to meet the expectations of the audience, critics, or investors, and did not generate enough revenue to cover its costs.
The term flopped is often used interchangeably with bombed, which has a similar meaning. However, some sources may distinguish between the two terms based on the degree of failure. For example, some may consider a film that loses less than 50% of its budget as a bomb, but not a flop. Alternatively, some may consider a film that loses more than 80% of its budget as a disaster or a catastrophe, rather than just a flop or a bomb.
