2024 has been a complicated year at the box office. Major movies likeInside Out 2andDeadpool & Wolverinehave broken records and cemented themselves among the most successful movies of the new millennium. Similarly, other hits likeDune: Part TwoandGodzilla x Kong: The New Empirehave proven that audiences are still willing to go to the movie theater… for the right movie.
However, 2024 has also had its fair share of box office disappointments, movies that failed to connect with audiences and ended their theatrical runs with a whimper. It’s not all lost, though, since the current age of streaming allows movies to have a second air once they hit services like Netflix and Max. Indeed,many 2024 movies that flopped at the box office became streaming hits, with audiences giving them an opportunity from the comfort of their homes.
10’Madame Web' (2024)
Directed by S.J. Clarkson
The line “He was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders right before she died” might just end up beingMadame Web’s biggest legacy. TheDakota Johnson-starring comic book movie is part of Sony’s misguided Spider-Man Universe (which, ironically, has everyone but the wall-crawler) and follows Cassandra Thomas, a young clairvoyant who must protect three young women from a dangerous man searching for them.
From the moment the first trailer was released, people knew this movie wouldn’t be great. However, few expected it to be so mediocre, from its shameless product placement to its awkward pacing and dialogue and one of the worst cases of ADR in modern cinema.People were never going to see it in theaters, but they were desperate to stream it for free. Indeed,onceMadame Webhit Netflix, it became a huge hit worldwide. With the benefit of a few months, it’s now clearMadame Webis a camp classic in the making,a so-bad-it’s-good superhero moviethat will only get “better” with age.
Madame Web
9’Argylle' (2024)
Directed by Matthew Vaughn
Bryce Dallas HowardandSam Rockwellstar inMatthew Vaughn’s spy comedyArgylle. The plot follows book writer Elliy Conway, who soon becomes involved in a real-life plot that closely mirrors her novels. As she gets deeper into a world like the one she imagines on the page, Elly realizes there might be more to her story than she previously believed.
Argyllewas heavily marketed aroundHenry Cavill, who ultimately ends up having only a few minutes of screen time in the two-hour-plus movie. Coupled with shoddy VFX and an overly complicated plot far too messy to satisfy,Argyllewas never bound to succeed at the box office. Still, the film persevered and ultimatelyfound a second life on streaming. Indeed,Argyllehas beena mainstay in AppleTV+’s Top 10 since its arrival, so this misguided spy effort can at least take comfort in that.
8’Lisa Frankenstein' (2024)
Directed by Zelda Williams
Zelda Williams' directorial debut,Lisa FrankensteinstarsKathryn NetwonandCole Sprouseand is written by Oscar winnerDiablo Cody. The film centers on outsider teenager Lisa, who develops a relationship with the reanimated corpse of a Victorian young man. Together, they embark on a murderous spree, looking for a place they can call their own.
Unapologetically ’80s and surprisingly dark,Lisa Frankensteinwas an odd sell for audienceslooking for traditional romantic fare during February. The film’s unconventional juggling of tones also made it hard for it to find an audience in theaters, and it ended its run with a disappointing gross at the box office. However, the dark gods smiled upon this film, andLisa Frankensteinbecame a hit on Max. Now, it seems that, much like Cody’s previous foray into teen dark comedy,Jennifer’s Body,Lisa Frankensteinison its way to becoming a modern cult classic.
Lisa Frankenstein
7’The Fall Guy' (2024)
Directed by David Leitch
Following the successes ofBarbieandOppenheimer, which earned them Oscar nominations and gave them the greatest hits of their careers,Ryan GoslingandEmily Bluntpaired forDavid Leitch’s romantic action comedyThe Fall Guy. The plot follows stuntman Colt Seavers (Gosling), who becomes embroiled in a dangerous plot when trying to find the missing star of her ex-girlfriend’s directorial debut.
Unlike other movies on this list,The Fall Guyreceived glowing reviews from critics. However, it still failed to connect with audiences, ending its run with$180 million, which wouldn’t be that bad if the film didn’t carry a $120 million production budget.The Fall Guysoon went to Peacock, where it had the best debut sinceOppenheimer, proving its crowd-pleasing prowess by doing just that. The case ofThe Fall Guywill be studied for years to come, and while there’sno simple answer for its disappointing box office, it can at leasttake pride in its streaming performance.
The Fall Guy
6’The Bikeriders' (2024)
Directed by Jeff Nichols
Jeff Nichols' dramaThe Bikeridersstars Oscar nomineesAustin ButlerandTom Hardyopposite Emmy winnerJodie Comer. An ode to ’60s counterculture, the film chronicles the evolution of a biker club that goes from a lighthearted hangout group to a sinister criminal gang. It’s a fictionalized version of the real-life Outlaws Motorcycle Club.
The Bikeriderswas one of the many flops from August 2024,barely making a dent at the box officeand saying goodbye with a whimper. However, it found greater successonce it hit Peacock, becoming a certified hit on the platform just days after its arrival. It’s great, consideringThe Bikeridersisa genuinely great movie that deserves to be seenif only to appreciate Nichols' insights into ’60s biker culture and Comer’s committed performance.
The Bikeriders
5’The First Omen' (2024)
Directed by Arkasha Stevenson
2024 has been a banner year for horror movies, with hits likeA Quiet Place: Day OneandLonglegsreigning supreme atop the box office charts. However, such an embarrassment of riches was always going to leave a few worthy contenders behind, andThe First Omenis the perfect example. A prequel to the seminalThe Omen, the film follows a young American nun who uncovers an apocalyptic plot brewing in the heart of Rome.
In hindsight, 2024 might’ve offered an overflow of religious horror, andThe First Omenwas the victim of an oversaturated market. Still,positive word of mouth made the film an anticipated title on streaming, andThe First Omenbecame a hit on streaming, with many recognizing it as one of the best horror prequels and a worthy addition to the venerableOmenseries. So, while this surprisingly deep horror movie deserved its flowers at the box office, it at least had found a comfortable home on streaming.
The First Omen
4’The Crow' (2024)
Directed by Rupert Sanders
August saw the release of some of2024’s biggest summer box office flops. One of the most notorious wasThe Crow,Rupert Sanders' emo remake of the 1994 cult classic starring modern horror princeBill Skarsgårdand
music starFKA Twigs. The film tells the story of Eric Draven, a man who comes back from his death to avenge his and his girlfriend’s murders.
The Crowreboot isn’t entirely terrible or unwatchable, so perhaps it will find more success once it becomes available at no extra cost on one of the major streamers.
The Crowreceived underwhelming critics, which translated to an even more disappointing showing at the box office. It hit digital just three weeks after its premiere, and although it took a while,The Crowmanaged to benumber one on Fandango’s Video on Demand charts. It might be a modest achievement, but it’s certainly more than it did at the box office. This reboot isn’t entirely terrible or unwatchable, so perhaps it will find even more success once it becomes available at no extra cost on one of the major streamers. Indeed,The Crowhas all the makings of a Netflix hit.
Rent on Amazon
3’Blink Twice' (2024)
Directed by Zoë Kravitz
Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut,Blink Twice, is a psychological thriller starring an ensemble led byChanning TatumandNaomie Ackie. The plot centers on a group of people invited to a tech billionaire’s private island. However, things soon take a sinister turn when strange things begin happening to the female attendees.
It might be unfair to callBlink Twicean outright flop at the box office;it did pass a few milestoneson its way to a decent, if unimpressive,$46 million worldwide. However, the film did much betteronce it was released in Video on Demand, dominating the charts and proving that its sinister approach might’ve been a better fit for streaming all along. Still,Blink Twicemade almost $50 million at the box office,a surprisingly strong showing compared to other movies on this list.
Blink Twice
Directed by George Miller
Perhaps no 2024 box office failure hurt more than that ofGeorge Miller’sFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga. A prequel and spin-off to the critically acclaimed, Oscar-winningMad Max: Fury Road,FuriosastarsAnya Taylor-Joyas a younger version of the character first played by Oscar-winnerCharlize Theron. The film tells Furiosa’s origin story and her quest for revenge against the man who stole her, Dementus (Chris Hemsworth).
Unfortunately, and despite great critical acclaim, people weren’t interested in this sci-fi spectacle, and the film crashed and burned at the box office, not even crossingthe 200 million mark. However,Furiosaeventually found an audience on Max, becomingone of the most successful films on the platform. It might not be a great consolation, considering it’s a film that was truly meant to be seen on the big screen. Alas, at leastthis modern sci-fi masterpiece won’t be ignored anymore.
Watch on Max
1’The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' (2024)
Directed by Guy Ritchie
Henry Cavill’s second major release of 2024 wasGuy Ritchie’sThe Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, starring oppositeAlan RitchsonandEiza González. The plot is inspired by the real-.life Operation Postmaster and follows a special unit of elite agents to sabotage the Nazi’s U-boat resupply operation based on the island of Fernando Po.
Opening in April,The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfarefailed to gain traction at the box office. However,the film later became a bonafide streaming hit, spending weeks on the iTunes Top 10 and ranking consistently in Prime Video’s Top 10 following its international debut on the platform. Cavill and González will be reuniting with Ritchie for 2025’sIn the Grey, co-starring Oscar nomineeJake Gyllenhaal, meaning the legacy of this film will only keep growing in the next couple of years.
