Many modern cult classic movies have earned a ton of money on home video, from both VHS and DVD sales or home rentals (remember those?). Some have become cultural institutions in and of themselves. However, most of these movies with devoted fan bases actually came from humble beginnings and bombed at the box office on initial release. Whether it was because the movie was misunderstood, faced stiff competition, or was initially savaged by critics, many beloved films that have achieved cult status started out their existence with the label “box office bomb.” Here are 10 cult classic movies that totally tanked.
10. Donnie Darko (2001)
Today there is a sizable cult following around the 2001 film Donnie Darko, which is about a troubled young man played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who has apocalyptic or doomsday visions that seems to be coming from a demented rabbit named “Frank.” Made on a budget of $6 million, the film grossed less than $1.5 million at the box office. This movie tested so poorly in advanced screenings that serious consideration was given to releasing it direct to home video before a theatrical attempt was tried. Critics lauded the movie’s dark tone and themes and praised the acting, but audiences found it to be too weird and stayed away from it in theaters. Fortunately, Donnie Darko found an audience on home video and ended up grossing more than $10 million in DVD sales. This movie has also been released on Blu-ray on three separate occasions, and is today viewed as a modern sci-fi masterpiece.
https://www.popoptiq.com/sos-staff-gateway-films-donnie-darko-explained/ Via popoptiq.com