The 2010s will go down as the decade when international markets became the biggest driver of Hollywood box office revenue. In fact, China’s box office is expected to surpass the US in 2020. While international markets can provide a second shot for films that struggle domestically, there are no guarantees when it comes to commercial success. Even the most beloved franchises produce a dud every now and then.
These are the films we’re focusing on today. Not the outright bombs but rather the ones that had every expectation of success, only to come up far short of where they should have been. Below, you’ll find the most enormous box office disappointments of the decade.
Note: Box office figures have been taken into account, but the list is ranked in order of how significant the failure was to everyone involved (fans, filmmakers, studios, etc.).
10. Scream 4
Domestic: $38.18M
International: $59.05M
Worldwide: $97.23M
Budget: $40M
The 2010s were something of a renaissance for the horror genre. Thanks to an influx of talented directors, a long list of horror films not only made bank at the box office but earned critical praise too (see: Get Out, It, Hereditary). However, audiences were less kind to established franchises, especially ones perceived as old and tired. Enter Scream 4, which kicked the decade off by reviving one of the biggest horror series of the 90s.
The film was an improvement over the much-maligned Scream 3, bringing back the core cast while adding new “scream queens” like Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere. However, with all three previous installments having earned well over $150 million worldwide (in the late 90s, no less), Scream 4’s $97 million hauls was a disappointing step back and a clear sign that the once groundbreaking franchise had run out of gas.
Source: Screenshot via Dimension Films
