Studio heads, critics, and even directors themselves have spent decades misjudging what audiences want. Some of the greatest movies ever made were expected to be catastrophic failures—too weird, too expensive, too niche, too ambitious. And yet, they defied the odds, won over audiences, and made obscene amounts of money.

Without these so-called “flops,” we might never have had Star Wars, The Terminator, or even Pirates of the Caribbean. These films prove that playing it safe is often the real failure. They were gambles—risky, unexpected, and, in many cases, totally misunderstood until they hit theaters and made history.

So, here’s a look at the movies that Hollywood was ready to bury before they became box office gold.

1. The Terminator (1984)

In the early ‘80s, James Cameron was just another filmmaker with a wild idea. He had a wild vision about a skeletal, red-eyed cyborg emerging from fire, and it stuck. He wrote The Terminator on a shoestring budget, but no studio wanted it. Sci-fi was still stuck in Star Wars mode—glossy, family-friendly, full of noble heroes. A violent, low-budget thriller about a time-traveling robot assassin? Pass.

Even Arnold Schwarzenegger famously thought The Terminator was “some sh*t movie.” To be fair, it looked like one. A low-budget, R-rated sci-fi flick from an unproven director (James Cameron) at the time, with a former bodybuilder in the lead role? No one expected much.

Cameron, desperate, sold the script for one dollar to producer Gale Anne Hurd—on the condition that he direct. Even after that, it nearly fell apart. The studio wanted O.J. Simpson as the Terminator (they thought Schwarzenegger was too wooden to act), and Cameron was stuck directing Piranha II: The Spawning, a fish horror movie. Somehow, he convinced Arnold to take the role, and production limped forward on a tiny $6.4 million budget.

Then, just weeks before filming, Orion Pictures shut it down so Schwarzenegger could go make Conan the Destroyer. It was almost dead. Cameron bided his time, rewrote the script, and when filming finally resumed, he had a clear vision: relentless action, gritty horror, and zero compromises.

The result? The Terminator exploded into theaters, earning $78 million at the box office in 1984 and turning Arnold’s “I’ll be back” into one of the most iconic movie lines ever. It transformed Cameron into Hollywood’s hottest director, spawned a $2 billion franchise, and changed sci-fi forever. Not bad for a film nobody wanted.

 

2. Titanic (1997)

By the mid-90s, James Cameron had built a reputation for making big, ambitious, and expensive movies. But Titanic was something else. A three-hour historical romance with a budget so massive it made studio executives sweat. A film that recreated the most infamous shipwreck in history—with real water, real scale models, and real risk. A movie that, at one point, looked so doomed that Hollywood insiders started calling it “Cameron’s Folly.”

The production was an absolute nightmare. The budget ballooned to a final budget swelled to over $300 million—making it the most expensive movie ever made at the time. Cameron refused to compromise, building a near full-scale Titanic replica, dunking his actors into freezing cold water, and pushing everyone to their limits. At one point, crew members were spiked with PCP-laced clam chowder, sending cast and crew members to the hospital. The original release date had to be pushed back because the film simply wasn’t ready.

The studio panicked. Executives feared Titanic would be another Waterworld—a costly, high-profile disaster. The press piled on, predicting a monumental flop.

Then the movie came out.

Not only did Titanic break every box office record, it grossed over $1.84 billion initiallly, making it the highest-grossing movie of all time until Cameron himself topped it with Avatar. It won 11 Academy Awards, tying for the most Oscars ever won by a single film. And it turned Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet into global superstars.

A disaster? Hardly. Titanic was an unsinkable phenomenon—one that proved James Cameron knew exactly what he was doing all along.

 

3. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

This movie had everything stacked against it. A confusing title (was it Edge of Tomorrow? Live. Die. Repeat? All You Need Is Kill?), a marketing campaign that failed to explain the story, and a genre—sci-fi action—that was struggling at the box office. When it opened to a lukewarm $28 million in the U.S., it looked like a flop in the making.

Then, word-of-mouth kicked in. Audiences who actually saw Edge of Tomorrow couldn’t stop raving about it. The film’s innovative time-loop premise, Tom Cruise’s surprisingly vulnerable performance, and Emily Blunt’s scene-stealing badassery turned it into a sleeper hit. By the end of its run, it had grossed $377 million worldwide.

Now, it’s regarded as one of the best sci-fi films of the 21st century, and a sequel is in development. Not bad for a movie that no one could remember the name of.

 

4. IT (2017)

Stephen King’s IT had already been adapted once as a 1990 TV miniseries, so when Warner Bros announced a big-screen version, expectations were… let’s say, skeptical. Early images of Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise were mocked online, with many assuming the movie would be a forgettable cash grab.

Then the first trailer dropped, and everything changed. IT smashed box office records, earning $700 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing horror movie ever. Fans and critics alike praised its mix of genuine scares, heartfelt character moments, and Skarsgård’s terrifying performance.

The success led to a sequel (IT: Chapter Two), pushing the franchise past the $1 billion mark. What was supposed to be another throwaway horror remake instead became a cultural phenomenon.

 

5. Avatar (2009)

By the mid-2000s, James Cameron had been out of the game for over a decade. After Titanic shattered records, he could’ve made any movie he wanted—but instead, he vanished, obsessed with deep-sea documentaries and a script about blue aliens that nobody in Hollywood took seriously.

People thought James Cameron had finally lost it.  Even before its release, the skepticism was deafening.

Why? Because Avatar wasn’t just another sci-fi flick. Cameron wanted to create an entirely new world, complete with a fully digital alien race, motion-capture performances, and 3D technology that didn’t even exist yet. He waited years for the tech to catch up, and when he finally pitched it, studios balked at the insane $237 million budget. A CGI-heavy space epic with no major stars? Good luck.

Some criticized and while some mocked the project. Even Cameron’s past success didn’t guarantee anything—Hollywood had seen plenty of big-budget disasters before. The stakes were massive.

Then, Avatar hit theaters.

It didn’t just make money—it changed cinema. The film revolutionized 3D, made $2.7 billion, secured 3 academy awards, and became the highest-grossing movie ever (until Avengers: Endgame briefly took the crown). It turned Pandora into a cultural phenomenon, reignited interest in sci-fi blockbusters, and proved Cameron still knew exactly what audiences wanted—even when they didn’t.

 

6. Project X (2012)

A found-footage party movie starring unknown actors? On paper, Project X sounded like an absolute disaster waiting to happen. Warner Bros threw a measly $12 million at it, expecting a quick cash grab before audiences moved on. Critics torched it, calling it obnoxious, irresponsible, and morally bankrupt.

Teenagers, however, had other plans. They treated Project X like a cinematic rite of passage, fueling a word-of-mouth explosion that led to a $100 million box office haul. It became a cultural phenomenon, inspiring real-life copycat parties (and a few arrests).

Despite—or perhaps because of—its sheer chaos, Project X cemented itself as a millennial classic. It proved that sometimes, all you need is a wild idea, a killer marketing campaign, and a whole lot of debauchery.

 

7. Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

A hyper-violent, R-rated spy movie based on a relatively obscure comic book? Kingsman looked like a mid-budget curiosity at best. When the trailers hit, most audiences didn’t know what to make of it—was it a parody? A spoof? A serious action movie?

Then, the movie arrived, and it was pure dynamite. Audiences fell in love with its mix of brutal action, sharp humor, and Colin Firth throwing down in the most insane church fight scene ever filmed. Kingsman made over $400 million worldwide, proving that R-rated action movies could still make bank.

It went on to spawn sequels and solidify Matthew Vaughn as a director who could turn niche properties into major franchises.

 

8. Star Wars (1977)

Nobody—not even George Lucas—thought Star Wars would be a hit. The production was a nightmare: the studio didn’t understand it and Lucas’ filmmaker friends (except for Steven Spielberg) told him it was a disaster.

It’s almost impossible to imagine now, but back in the mid-70s, Star Wars was a joke in Hollywood. A weird, pulpy space opera filled with laser swords, aliens, and a plot ripped straight from old serials? Nobody took it seriously.

Not even the people making it. The cast thought the dialogue was ridiculous. Harrison Ford famously told George Lucas, “You can type this s**t, but you sure can’t say it.” The crew on set rolled their eyes at the clunky costumes and special effects. Studio executives at 20th Century Fox had zero faith in the project, slashing the marketing budget and betting on their other sci-fi film, a now-forgotten adaptation of Damnation Alley. Even Lucas himself wasn’t convinced—it’s said that after an early cut of the film, he thought his career was over.

And then it premiered.

Star Wars changed movies forever. It became the second-highest-grossing franchise in cinematic history behind the Marvel Universe. Redefining blockbuster cinema and launching a multi-billion-dollar franchise that still dominates pop culture decades later. The special effects revolutionized the industry, John Williams’ score became legendary, and characters like Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and Princess Leia turned into pop culture icons overnight.

 

9. Casino Royale (2006)

By the early 2000s, James Bond was a joke. Die Another Day (2002) had nuked whatever credibility the franchise had left, drowning in CGI, invisible cars, and Madonna’s robotic cameo. When Daniel Craig was cast as 007, the backlash was vicious. The internet exploded with complaints that he was too blonde, too rugged, too different from the classic Bonds before him. Some fans even launched CraigNotBond.com, convinced he would kill the franchise for good.

Then Casino Royale dropped, and Craig didn’t just prove them wrong—he shattered every expectation. The film rebooted Bond with a gritty, emotionally raw edge, trading in over-the-top gadgets for brutal realism. Craig’s performance was magnetic, and the film delivered one of the most intense poker games ever put on screen. It grossed $616 million worldwide, revitalizing the series and turning Craig into one of the most beloved Bonds ever. Without Casino Royale, there’s no Skyfall, no No Time to Die, and certainly no modern-day Bond renaissance.

 

10. Iron Man (2008)

Today, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is an unstoppable juggernaut, but back in 2008, Iron Man was considered a massive gamble. Marvel Studios wasn’t the powerhouse it is now. They were deep in debt, had sold off their biggest characters (Spider-Man and X-Men) to other studios, and were banking everything on a second-tier hero that most people didn’t even know. Worse? They cast Robert Downey Jr., a man Hollywood had practically blacklisted due to his drug addiction and legal troubles.

Then Iron Man hit theaters, and everything changed. RDJ was Tony Stark—cocky, brilliant, flawed—and Jon Favreau’s direction made the film a sleek, high-octane thrill ride. The post-credits scene teasing the Avengers Initiative sent fans into a frenzy. The film raked in $585 million worldwide, proving Marvel could stand on its own. It didn’t just launch a franchise—it birthed the biggest film universe in history, which has since grossed over $29 billion and counting.

 

11. John Wick (2014)

When John Wick was announced, nobody cared. Keanu Reeves was in his post-Matrix slump, and the movie’s marketing was almost nonexistent—Lionsgate dropped the trailer just 27 days before release, expecting it to fade into obscurity. On paper, it looked like another disposable action flick: retired hitman avenges his dead dog. Who would take that seriously?

Then audiences saw it. John Wick was electric. The neon-drenched action, the insane gun-fu choreography, the meticulous world-building—it was a shot of pure adrenaline. And Reeves? He gave one of his best performances, turning Wick into an instantly iconic character. The film grossed $87.8 million, modest but strong enough to justify a sequel. Then the sequels exploded, with each film making more money than the last. Today, the John Wick franchise has grossed over $1 billion, proving that if you execute an idea with style, precision, and sheer commitment, it doesn’t matter how simple it sounds.

12. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Imagine betting your entire company on a talking cartoon princess. That’s exactly what Walt Disney did in the 1930s when he decided to make Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first-ever feature-length animated film. Before that, animation was strictly for short films—fun little distractions before the main event. Nobody, not even Walt’s own wife, believed audiences could sit through 90 minutes of moving drawings without losing interest.

To make matters worse, the budget ballooned from $250,000 to over $1.5 million, a staggering amount at the time. Hollywood mockingly called it “Disney’s Folly,” expecting a catastrophic failure. But then the film premiered in 1937—and changed cinema forever. It grossed $8 million (about $160 million today) and became the highest-grossing movie of all time (until Gone with the Wind came along). It also won Walt a special Oscar—one normal-sized statue and seven tiny ones. Without Snow White, there’s no Lion King, no Frozen, no Disney empire. 

 

13. Batman (1989)

Before Batman (1989), the Caped Crusader was still associated with Adam West’s campy TV show, and nobody—not even DC Comics—thought a dark, serious Batman film would work.  Michael Uslan, a comic book geek who acquired the movie rights to Batman in 1979, believing audiences were ready for a gritty, film-noir take on the character. The response? Absolute rejection. Studio after studio told him Batman was dead, a relic of the ‘60s.

It took a decade to get Batman made. Warner Bros. finally bit, but then came another fight: Tim Burton was hired to direct, and he cast… Michael Keaton Fans revolted. Over 50,000 protest letters flooded Warner Bros., furious that “Mr. Mom” was playing the Dark Knight. But when the film hit theaters, everything changed. It made $401,188,924 worldwide, silencing doubters and kickstarting Hollywood’s obsession with superhero films. Without Batman, there’s no Dark Knight, no MCU, no superhero anything as we know it today.

 

14. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Before 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy was a footnote in Marvel Comics—an obscure, misfit team that barely anyone outside hardcore comic book circles knew about. So when Marvel Studios announced a film adaptation, Hollywood braced for what seemed inevitable: the studio’s first big failure.

Even the people making it expected it to fail. Director James Gunn worried that if the movie bombed, he’d never work in Hollywood again. Chris Pratt—who was still best known as the chubby, lovable goofball from Parks and Recreation—thought this role would end his career before it even really began. The concept sounded ridiculous on paper: a talking raccoon, a sentient tree with a three-word vocabulary, a green-skinned assassin, and a beefed-up sitcom actor leading the charge? Even Marvel insiders feared they were pushing their luck.

But despite this fears, Gunn stuck to his vision. He gave the film a self-aware, irreverent tone, injected it with heart, and leaned into the absurdity instead of running from it. And then it hit theaters.

Against all odds, Guardians of the Galaxy became a cultural phenomenon. It made over $770 million at the box office, turned Pratt into a legitimate action star, and proved that audiences were more than ready for weird, offbeat storytelling in their superhero films. The soundtrack—a collection of ’70s and ’80s rock hits—became an essential part of the movie’s charm, topping the Billboard charts. And perhaps most importantly, it expanded the Marvel Cinematic Universe beyond Earth, setting the stage for Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.

 

15. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

A pirate movie in the 2000s? You might as well have set fire to your budget. By the time Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl went into production, pirate films were considered box office poison. The genre had been dead for years, courtesy of notorious flops like Cutthroat Island (1995), one of the biggest disasters in Hollywood history. And to make matters worse, Pirates was based on a theme park ride—a move that seemed more like corporate desperation than a real creative endeavor.

Disney CEO Michael Eisner wanted to kill the movie mid-production. He had just watched The Country Bears—another theme park adaptation—crash and burn, and he was terrified of another failure. Even Pirates star Keira Knightley didn’t think it would work, famously referring to the project as “some pirate thing—probably a disaster.”

But then, in walked Johnny Depp.

Depp’s take on Captain Jack Sparrow—a bizarre, drunken, rock-star version of a pirate, inspired by Keith Richards—completely blindsided Disney executives. They were horrified. Eisner thought Depp was ruining the movie, asking, “Is he drunk? Is he gay? They wanted to fire him. But Depp didn’t budge.

And then the movie hit theaters.

The Curse of the Black Pearl made over $650 million worldwide, became a pop culture sensation, and turned Jack Sparrow into one of cinema’s most beloved characters. It revived the pirate genre, spawned four sequels (with a sixth in development), and remains one of Disney’s most profitable live-action franchises. Turns out, Depp’s performance didn’t kill the film—it saved it, earning him an Oscar nomination and redefining the modern blockbuster.