6 Hollywood Box Office Flops That Became Streaming Hits: From Wonder Woman 1984 To The Suicide Squad

A look at the top six Hollywood movies that performed poorly at the box office but worked wonders on streaming platforms.

Here Are The 6 Hollywood Box Office Flops That Became Streaming Hits ( Photo Credit – Twitter )

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Since the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted Hollywood, the industry has been determined to recover by releasing blockbuster movies, particularly from major franchises. However, the box office landscape isn’t letting go easily as the industry demands movies to make money to get a foreseeable future, irrespective of their creativeness. Lately, one of the most unusual things happening in the realm of the box office is the increasing number of flops in theatres, which unexpectedly proved successful on streaming services. Here, we list the six movies that grossed poorly at the box office but demonstrated likeness on streaming services.

The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

The Matrix Resurrections was budgeted at $190 million but sadly grossed only $159.2 million at the box office. In the series, nothing actually matched the action and creativity of the original 1999 classic. Still, the sequels remain notable for their intriguing contributions to the franchise. The Matrix Reloaded heightened both the action sequences and the complex storytelling, while The Matrix Revolutions concluded the trilogy with perplexing ambition. Nearly two decades later, a fourth film, The Matrix Resurrections, was released and arguably stands as the most unconventional entry yet. The sci-fi classic was revived, bringing back some key characters and returning to theatres. However, it faced challenges at the box office, probably due to the pandemic. Despite this, the film found moderate success on HBO Max but suffered from widespread piracy among at-home viewers.

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Mulan (2020)

The live-action remake of the animated movie of the same name from 1998, Mulan, was among the few movies that performed poorly at the box office due to the pandemic. The movie was initially scheduled for early 2020 release. However, the pandemic resulted in increased delay before it was finally released in some territories and Premier Access on Disney+ in other places. But this remake of Mulan had the worst box office flops of all time, grossing only $69.9 million at a $200 million production budget. Despite underperforming in theatres, it did manage to generate more revenue through Premier Access than at the box office.

The Suicide Squad (2021)

James Gunn’s movies are tied with the superhero genre even before his work on the Guardians of the Galaxy series. He wrote The Specials and directed the darkly comedic and ultra-violent Super. After his two successful ventures with Guardians of the Galaxy movies for Marvel, he shifted to DC to direct The Suicide Squad, which successfully appointed him as the head of a rebooted DCEU going forward. The remake of The Suicide Squad revitalised ideas and characters from the underwhelming 2016 Suicide Squad, transforming it much like the Beatles ‘Hey Jude’ turns a sad song into a better one. Unfortunately, the 2021 release faced struggles due to the pandemic, contributing to its lacklustre box office performance, grossing only $168.7 million at a $185 million production budget. However, the film thrived on HBO Max, as fans’ positive word of mouth helped it gain traction, and it earned nearly 5 million households streaming in the first three weeks.

The Last Duel (2021)

The Last Duel is set in medieval times. It follows a narrative of a horrific crime and the subsequent fight for justice from three perspectives, each with small but significant differences. The movie runs for 2.5 hours, and despite being fantastically acted and visually spectacular, the film faced an uphill battle for box office success. The poor performance was probably because of the length, genre, and the pandemic, leading to earning less than a third of its production cost, $30.6 million at a $100 million budget. Fortunately, its release on streaming platforms helped it gain recognition as a genuinely compelling and popular film.

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Wonder Woman 1984 grossed $169.6 million at a $200 million production budget. The pandemic year was an unusual year for superhero movie fans, particularly Marvels. 2020 was the first year without MCU movie releases due to pandemic-induced delays. But, DC managed to pull off Wonder Woman 1984, the sequel to the unexpectedly successful 2017 Wonder Woman. Despite its heavy budget, the movie didn’t break even in theatres but became a surprising hit on streaming platforms, ranking among the most-watched movies of its time. While it’s unclear if another Wonder Woman movie will follow within the same DCEU continuity, the streaming success of the movie keeps the possibility alive.

Turning Red (2022)

Unlike other box office flops, Turning Red deserved better financially than it ultimately received. The unique and heartwarming coming-of-age Pixar film follows a 13-year-old girl who turns into a giant red panda whenever she experiences heightened emotions, a peculiar family trait. Despite the high-energy narrative, the movie was heavily impacted by the pandemic and ended up with a direct launch on Disney+ in many regions and a limited theatrical release. Although the box office earnings were far below production costs, the strong reviews and the Pixar brand ensured it remained popular on the streaming platforms. The movie found an audience on streaming platforms and eventually achieved success in its own right.

Note: Box office numbers are based on estimates and various sources. Numbers have not been independently verified by Koimoi.

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