20 Movies That Lost Hundreds of Millions Betting on “Strong Female Leads”

The modern film industry frequently invests in high-budget blockbusters that feature female protagonists in roles traditionally held by men or in new action-centric franchises. Studios often pour massive resources into production and marketing with the expectation of launching successful cinematic universes. While some of these projects find an audience, others fail to resonate and result in significant financial deficits. The following titles represent films that placed female leads at the forefront but struggled to recoup their costs during their theatrical runs.

‘The Marvels’ (2023)

This entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe teamed Captain Marvel with Ms. Marvel and Monica Rambeau for a cosmic adventure. The film faced a difficult production cycle and struggled to generate significant pre-release hype among the general public. It ultimately earned the lowest opening weekend box office in the history of the franchise. Disney reported a financial loss of over two hundred million dollars after accounting for production and marketing expenses.

‘Madame Web’ (2024)

Dakota Johnson starred as a paramedic who develops clairvoyant abilities in this extension of the Sony Spider-Man Universe. The marketing campaign was met with confusion and ridicule across social media platforms which hindered its commercial potential. Critics panned the script and performances leading to historically low review scores. The movie failed to reach one hundred million dollars globally and resulted in a complete halt of the planned franchise.

‘Borderlands’ (2024)

Cate Blanchett led an ensemble cast in this adaptation of the popular looter-shooter video game series. The project spent years in development hell and underwent extensive reshoots that ballooned the budget. Reviewers criticized the film for a lack of coherence and poor visual effects upon its release. It earned a fraction of its production costs during its theatrical run and became one of the biggest flops of the year.

‘Ghostbusters’ (2016)

Sony Pictures attempted to revitalize their supernatural comedy brand with an all-female team featuring Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig. The reboot faced intense backlash online and failed to win over the core fanbase of the original films. High production costs meant the movie required a massive global gross to break even. The studio took a write-down of approximately seventy million dollars and abandoned plans for direct sequels.

‘Mulan’ (2020)

Disney transformed their beloved animated musical into a gritty live-action war drama starring Liu Yifei. The production was mired in political controversy and faced challenges due to the global pandemic which shifted its release strategy. Audiences criticized the removal of key characters and songs that made the original special. Financial analysts estimate the film lost a significant amount of money due to its exorbitant budget.

‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ (2019)

Linda Hamilton returned as Sarah Connor to lead a cast that included Mackenzie Davis as an augmented super-soldier. The film ignored previous sequels to serve as a direct follow-up to the second installment but failed to interest moviegoers. The box office returns were disastrous despite positive reviews from some critics. Studios involved in the production faced losses estimated to be over one hundred twenty million dollars.

‘Dark Phoenix’ (2019)

Sophie Turner took the lead role in this second attempt to adapt the famous Dark Phoenix Saga for the big screen. The X-Men film underwent significant reshoots that delayed the release and inflated the budget. It opened to the lowest numbers in the franchise and suffered a steep drop in attendance in subsequent weeks. The movie lost the studio over one hundred million dollars and marked a quiet end to the Fox era of X-Men.

‘Charlie’s Angels’ (2019)

Kristen Stewart starred in this continuation of the spy franchise that was written and directed by Elizabeth Banks. The promotional campaign focused heavily on themes of female empowerment but did not translate into ticket sales. It opened well below studio projections and quickly vanished from theaters. The film grossed significantly less than its production and marketing budget.

‘The 355’ (2022)

Jessica Chastain produced and starred in this spy thriller alongside a cast of international actresses including Lupita Nyong’o. The plot followed agents from different intelligence agencies who must work together to stop a global threat. Critics gave the film negative reviews for its generic action sequences and dull screenplay. It failed to recoup its budget after earning less than thirty million dollars worldwide.

‘A Wrinkle in Time’ (2018)

Ava DuVernay directed this adaptation of the classic fantasy novel with Storm Reid as the young protagonist. Disney invested heavily in visual effects to bring the complex world of the book to life. The narrative was criticized for being disjointed and failing to capture the charm of the source material. The film resulted in a loss of over one hundred million dollars for the studio.

‘Mortal Engines’ (2018)

Hera Hilmar played the scarred fugitive Hester Shaw in this post-apocalyptic steampunk adventure produced by Peter Jackson. The film featured massive moving cities but failed to explain its complex world to general audiences. It opened to disastrous numbers and became one of the biggest box office bombs in history. The loss was calculated to be upwards of one hundred seventy million dollars.

‘Tomorrowland’ (2015)

Britt Robertson starred alongside George Clooney in this optimistic science fiction film about a futuristic dimension. The movie presented a complex original story that struggled to connect with mainstream family audiences. Its high budget required a blockbuster performance that the film could not deliver. Disney lost a substantial amount on the project after accounting for marketing costs.

‘Jupiter Ascending’ (2015)

Mila Kunis portrayed a cleaner who discovers she is galactic royalty in this space opera from the Wachowskis. The film was praised for its visual ambition but criticized for its confusing plot and performances. It earned less than its production budget domestically and relied on international markets to mitigate losses. The movie remains a high-profile example of an ambitious original sci-fi failure.

‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ (2024)

Anya Taylor-Joy took over the role of the wasteland warrior in this prequel to the acclaimed ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’. While critics praised the action and world-building the film failed to attract a large audience. The box office returns did not come close to matching the high cost of production. It stalled the momentum of the franchise despite its artistic achievements.

‘Catwoman’ (2004)

Halle Berry starred in this loose adaptation that deviated significantly from the comic book source material. The film was ridiculed for its script and costume design upon release. It failed to earn back its one hundred million dollar budget and is often cited as one of the worst superhero films ever made. Warner Bros took a significant financial hit on the project.

‘Argylle’ (2024)

Bryce Dallas Howard played a spy novelist who finds herself caught in a real espionage plot in this big-budget action comedy. Apple Original Films spent a massive sum to acquire and produce the movie for a theatrical release. The convoluted plot and stylized action failed to generate positive word of mouth. It grossed far less than its reported two hundred million dollar budget.

‘Ghost in the Shell’ (2017)

Scarlett Johansson starred as the cyborg Major in this live-action adaptation of the iconic anime and manga. The casting choice caused controversy regarding whitewashing that plagued the film before its release. Visuals were praised but the story was criticized for lacking the philosophical depth of the original. The film resulted in a write-down of roughly sixty million dollars for the studio.

‘Wish’ (2023)

Ariana DeBose voiced the lead character Asha in this animated musical intended to celebrate the Disney centenary. The film aimed to capture the classic studio magic but received mixed reactions to its story and animation style. It faced stiff competition and opened below industry projections. The movie failed to match the success of previous hits and ended its run as a financial disappointment.

‘Elektra’ (2005)

Jennifer Garner reprised her role from ‘Daredevil’ in this standalone superhero movie about the assassin. The film received poor reviews for its script and low-budget aesthetic. It earned a historically low box office gross for a Marvel property at the time. The failure of the movie discouraged studios from producing female-led superhero films for over a decade.

‘Cutthroat Island’ (1995)

Geena Davis led this pirate adventure that is infamous for being one of the biggest box office bombs of all time. The production suffered from delays and recasting issues that caused the budget to balloon out of control. It grossed a tiny fraction of its cost and forced the studio Carolco Pictures into bankruptcy. The financial catastrophe of this film is still referenced in industry discussions today.

Please share your thoughts on which of these box office disappointments was the most surprising in the comments.