Based on estimated financial losses (unadjusted for inflation), The Marvels (2023) is widely considered one of the biggest box-office bombs of all time, with estimated losses between $194 million and $237 million. Wikipedia
The first actor paid $1 million for a single film role was Marlon Brando for Mutiny on the Bounty (1962). However, Elizabeth Taylor was the first actress to achieve this, earning $1 million for Cleopatra (1963). Mary Pickford earlier signed a contract in 1916 that effectively made her the first million-dollar actress over time, not for one film, but through salary and profit-sharing.
Among the elite list of 60 billion-dollar grossing films are sequels, Disney remakes, and iconic franchises such as Star Wars, Avatar, James Bond, The Lord of the Rings, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Harry Potter, The Fast & The Furious, Jurassic Park, The Dark Knight, Transformers and Disney and Pixar toons.
On the film review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, films that every surveyed critic considered poor have a 0% rating. As of February 2026, only 44 films with either a critic's consensus or more than 20 reviews have received this rating.
Zyzzyx Road holds the title for the lowest-grossing movie ever, making just $30 at the box office.
The Swarm (1978)
On its UK release, The Sunday Times described The Swarm as "simply the worst film ever made". Leslie Halliwell described it as a "very obvious disaster movie with risible dialogue".
An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, in some cases, distributed by major companies).
The biggest box office flops of the 21st century
Upon its release, Zyzzyx Road set a new record for box-office lows, with gross ticket sales of only $30. It gets even worse — six patrons paid five bucks each to see the film and two got their money back, meaning $20 was the ultimate take.
India's Most Successful Directors ðð¥ Rajkumar Hirani 6 Movies - 0 Flop SS Rajamouli 12 Movies - 0 Flop Atlee Kumar 5 Movies - 0 Flop Lokesh Kanagaraj 5 Movies - 0 Flop Prashant Neel 4 Movies - 0 Flop. Anil Ravipudi 8 Movies - 0 Flop. Sandeep Reddy Vanga 3 Movies - 0 Flop With 100% Success Rate!.
If the positive reviews are less than 60%, the film is considered "rotten". Previously, an average score on a 0 to 10 scale was also calculated.
Many films have achieved a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, from classics like Toy Story 2 and Leave No Trace to newer releases like A Poet and All That's Left of You, though it's rare for major films to maintain it due to the sheer volume of critics, with titles often falling to 99% like Casablanca or Finding Nemo. The list includes various genres and eras, showcasing films like The Kid, Singin' in the Rain, The Last Laugh, Rome, Open City, and the recent The Dinosaurs series, demonstrating that true universal acclaim is difficult but possible.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker holds the official record with a net budget of $490 million. The production of the third and fourth Avengers films—Infinity War and Endgame—stands as the most expensive back-to-back film production, with a cost of over $1 billion.
James Cameron: The King of the Box Office! ð¬ð With three films crossing the $2 billion mark, he stands alone in cinematic history. Titanic (1997), Avatar (2009), and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)—each a masterpiece, each a record-breaker! No other director has achieved this feat.
Mithun Chakraborty holds the dubious honour of giving the highest number of flop films among lead actors in Bollywood. The actor has 180 flop films in a career that has spanned over 40 years.
Basically, no, there is no " hollywood bank ". But the companies / rich people who put the money in to make the movie end up losing money if the film flops. There are many studios that have gone bankrupt and closed due to having an expensive movie flop. Cutthroat Island being a good example.
A box office is the area of a theater or other venue where you can purchase tickets. If you buy your tickets online, they can usually be picked up at the box office. As well as the physical place where tickets are sold, box office is used to describe all the money a movie or play makes from ticket sales.
Independent film productions are more free-form, following the direction and desire of the producers and their artistic vision, often sourcing staff, equipment, and money as they go along.
Independent or low-budget films typically pay actors at minimum rates or offer deferred payments.