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Damien Chazelle’s ode to excess,Babylon, debuted to a paltry$3.6 millionover its three-day opening weekend, officially becoming one of 2022’s highest-profile bombs. The film, which carries a weighty $160 million production tag including marketing costs, needed to gross $250 million to break even, a prospect that’s become outright impossible.
Babylonis the latest in a series of disappointing films that underperformed at the box office. Because while films likeAvatar: The Way of Waterare soaring, other projects aren’t so lucky, sinking at the box office despite a myriad of talent in front of and behind the camera.
Updated on July 14, 2025, by David Caballero:
2023 is already in full swing, but the flops from 2022 still haunt cinema. From major misfires likeAmsterdamto unexpected failures likeBlack Adam, 2022’s most financially disappointing films left a considerable mark on the business. And while not all these films were necessarily bad, they all failed to attract audiences, becoming cautionary tales and horror stories in business characterized for never forgetting about previous disappointments.
15’Amsterdam'
Disgraced directorDavid O. Russellunited an all-star cast for his period mysteryAmsterdam.Christian Bale,Margot Robbie, andJohn David Washingtonstar as three friends who witness a murder and become involved in a larger conspiracy after becoming suspects themselves.
Amsterdamwas not only a financial disappointment but also a massive critical flop. Audiences and critics tore it apart, criticizing its script, direction, and even the performances of some members of its esteemed cast. Commercially,Amsterdamcrashed and burned, grossing a pitiful$31 millionagainst a pricey production tag of$80 million.
Watch on HBO Max
14’Devotion'
Jonathan MajorsandGlenn Powellstar in the war biopicDevotion. The film tells the real-life story ofJesse Brown, the first Black aviator in U.S. naval history, and his close friendship with fellow pilot Todd Hudner during the Korean War.
Despite positive reviews and a talented cast headlined by two promising and charming leading men,Devotioncouldn’t capture audiences' interest. The film grossed a sad$21 millionworldwide against a massive production budget of$90 million. Perhaps audiences had their share of pilot action with Powell’s other 2022 release, the hugely successfulTop Gun: Maverick.
Watch on Paramount+
13’The 355'
The 355featured an impressivestrong female ensemble cast, including Oscar winnersJessica Chastain,Lupita Nyong’o, andPenélope Cruz, plusDiane KrugerandFan Bingbing. The plot centers on four skilled women who team up to recover a powerful weapon from a dangerous group of mercenaries.
Despite the talent assembled,The 355was a major disappointment. The film was critically panned, with reviewers considering it boring, uninspired, and a waste of its talented leading ladies. Audiences didn’t respond to the film either, withThe 355grossing a truly disappointing$27 millionagainst a production budget of$40 million.
Watch on Prime Video
12’Moonfall'
Once an institution in the blockbuster genre,Roland Emmerichis now a shadow of his former self, and his latest effort proves it.Moonfallfeatures a world-ending premise, with the moon knocked out of its orbit and speeding toward Earth.Halle BerryandPatrick Wilsonstar oppositeJohn BradleyandDonal Sutherland.
Despite featuring the same kind of ridiculous premise that madeEmmerich’s beloved disaster moviessuch guilty pleasures,Moonfalldidn’t land with modern audiences. The film grossed$67 millionworldwide, which wouldn’t be that bad if it wasn’t for its staggering$140 millionproduction tag.
Watch on Hulu
11’The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent'
Nicolas Cageand the internet’s boyfriend,Pedro Pascal, star in the satirical, tongue-in-cheek comedyThe Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Cage plays a fictionalized version of himself, who gets recruited by a CIA agent to go on the adventure of a lifetime.
Advertised as a wacky take on Cage’s wild reputation,The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talentlived up to critical expectations. The film received highly positive reviews, with major praise for Cage’s self-deprecating performance. However, the film proved a niche effort, grossing$29 millionagainst a moderate but still considerable$30 millionproduction budget.
10’Babylon'
Damien Chazelle earned plenty of goodwill with the critical and commercial success of his 2014 comedyLa La Land. FollowingFirst Man’s tepid response in 2016, Chazelle went back to exploring show business withBabylon. The cast ofBabylonis an ensemble led byDiego CalvaandMargot Robbie,Babylonfollows a group of characters during Hollywood’s transition from silent films to talkies.
Babylonreceived mixed reviews from critics, which, coupled with a vague marketing campaign, resulted in a disastrous opening weekend of only $3.6 million.Babylon’s budget is reportedly around$110 million, which is far higher than its box office total at $63 million. The film still gained some traction, but its terrible commercial performance clearly hurt its Oscar prospects and ultimately madeBabylona flop.
9’Black Adam'
Dwayne Johnsonspent years working on hisBlack Adamadaptation. The film is an origin story for the DC antihero, co-starringPierce Brosnan,Noah CentineoandSarah Shahi.Black Adamset up several potential films, with Johnson being confident enough in the film’s success to declare the character would become a leading player in the larger DCEU.
Alas, lightning didn’t strike for this antihero.Black Adamearned $391 million worldwide against a production budget of$190 million. The film’s underperformance killed any chance for Black Adam to return, especially now thatJames GunnandPeter Safranare re-tooling the DC live-action universe.
8’Strange World'
Disney Animation hit a bump on its road to success withStrange World. Featuring an all-star voice cast, includingJake Gyllenhaal,Dennis QuaidandLucy Liu, the film follows a family of explorers who set out on an adventure to an uncharted subterraneous land.
With a mighty production budget of$135 million,Strange Worldcrashed and burned at the box office with an embarrassing$66 millionworldwide. Lukewarm reviews and friendly fire fromBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverkilled its box office chances, signaling a bleak future for Disney animation.
Watch on Disney+
7’Three Thousand Years of Longing'
George Miller’s first film since the spectacular success ofMad Max: Fury Roadwas the fantasy romanceThree Thousand Years of Longing. StarringIdris ElbaandTilda Swinton, the film follows a djinn who retells his long life to the lonely professor who released him.
One of the fewdirectors who have mastered multiple genres, Miller is a titan in the industry. However, even he isn’t infallible, andThree Thousand Years of Longingproved it. The film, which carried a massive production tag of$60 million, grossed a truly disappointing$18 millionworldwide, although it did receive positive reviews from critics.
6’Ambulance'
Michael Bay’sAmbulanceseemed like a sure bet. Jake Gyllenhaal,Yahya Abdul-Mateen IIandEiza Gonzalezstarred in a story about a duo of thieving brothers who steal an ambulance, taking two first responders as hostages.
Despite the talent attached and positive reviews that praised it as a great heist film,Ambulanceunderperformed at the box office, earning only$51 millionworldwide. However, the film had a subdued budget for a Michael Bay production, costing only$40 million. Still,Ambulance’s disappointing box office is a significant dent in Bay’s once-impressive resumé.
