This is The Biggest Box Office Disaster in Movie History

In 2012, Disney took a huge gamble on a live-action sci-fi film directed by Andrew Stanton, the mind behind Pixar hits like Finding Nemo and WALL-E. The movie, John Carter, was based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ early 20th-century Barsoom novels and promised an epic adventure on Mars. But despite Stanton’s passion and the film’s ambitious vision, it became one of the biggest box-office disasters in history.

The story follows Civil War veteran John Carter, played by Taylor Kitsch, who is mysteriously transported to Mars. There, he navigates warring kingdoms and falls for a princess. The cast also included Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, and Willem Dafoe. Stanton, who had long dreamed of bringing Burroughs’ universe to life, made his live-action debut with this film.

Even with a worldwide gross of nearly $300 million, the film lost Disney an estimated $200 million. The production budget was reportedly $263.7 million after tax credits, and marketing pushed costs to around $350 million. Paul Dergarabedian of Hollywood.com explained, “John Carter’s bloated budget would have required it to generate worldwide ticket sales of more than $600 million to break even … a height reached by only 63 films in the history of moviemaking.”

Critics and audiences alike were confused by the film’s promotion. The marketing failed to explain the story or the Martian setting, and dropping “of Mars” from the title left many wondering what the movie was about. Plans for sequels, including Gods of Mars and Warlord of Mars, were immediately cancelled.

Despite the financial disaster, the cast has defended the movie. Taylor Kitsch told The Hollywood Reporter, “I learned a ton on that movie. I honestly don’t see it as a failure.” He noted that European fans still recognized him for the role and praised the film. Lynn Collins added, “[p]eople started reaching out to me and expressing to me how much the movie changed their life… It’s posterity forever.” She said she eventually realized, “a movie that is that polarizing is good no matter what, because that’s what art is supposed to do.”

Since John Carter, Kitsch has shifted toward television, starring in shows like The Terminal List: Dark Wolf and American Primeval. Andrew Stanton returned to animation but also directed live-action projects, including episodes of 3 Body Problem and the sci-fi film In the Blink of an Eye. Willem Dafoe continues to be a prominent figure in cinema, appearing in projects like Nosferatu and the upcoming Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Lynn Collins has worked on The Walking Dead and independent films.

Even years later, John Carter remains a cautionary tale about big-budget risk-taking in Hollywood. Yet fans and cast members still argue it deserves a second chance for its ambition and creativity.

Tell us in the comments if you think John Carter was unfairly overlooked or if audiences were right to ignore it.