In the glamorous world of show business, actors often find themselves facing unexpected setbacks at the box office. Hollywood, a place known for its thrilling unpredictability, has witnessed countless movies that were deemed failures but ended up surprising everyone by becoming massive hits.
Prepare to be amazed as we delve into the intriguing tales of some of our beloved Academy Award-winning actors. Can you believe that one of them shamelessly labeled their ’90s flop as a “piece of sh*t movie?” It’s true! Another actor valiantly defended their 1991 box office disappointment by suggesting that the audience simply didn’t “get it.” And brace yourself, because a ’90s action star even went as far as blaming President Bill Clinton for the failure of their 1993 fantasy action spoof. Talk about pointing fingers!
But it’s not all doom and gloom in Tinseltown. Some actors openly share their regrets about their biggest ’90s flops, while others firmly believe that their films were actually masterpieces that were just misunderstood during that time.
Get ready to be entertained as your favorite stars reveal their most captivating stories. Join the fun and share your thoughts on which tales tickle your fancy the most. Let’s engage in a lively discussion and celebrate these fascinating actors and their incredible journeys!
1. According To Kevin Costner, ‘Waterworld’ Is Beloved Around The World
Kevin Costner’s 1995 post-apocalyptic sci-fi flick, Waterworld, gained notoriety due to its well-documented production mishaps. These included a hurricane wiping out an entire set and director Kevin Reynolds throwing in the towel halfway through. The movie’s budget skyrocketed to a whopping $150 million, making it the most expensive film ever made at that time. Despite raking in $264 million worldwide, Waterworld is largely considered a box office bomb after factoring in marketing expenses and other costs.
However, Costner himself doesn’t view the movie as a disappointment or a failure. In a 2015 interview, he stated, “I know people might consider Waterworld a low point for me. It wasn’t. The film, with all its imperfections, brought me joy…a joy to reminisce about and be a part of.”
Costner also wanted to highlight the movie’s global appeal, mentioning, “I’m not sure if you realize how beloved the film is around the world.”
2. Bruce Willis Thinks That Nobody Got ‘Hudson Hawk’
In 1991, Bruce Willis showcased his singing talent in the film Hudson Hawk, which he also co-wrote. Combining multiple genres and incorporating fourth-wall-breaking effects is always a challenging task for filmmakers. Hudson Hawk blended elements of heist films, musicals, quirky slapstick humor, action, and satire.
Unfortunately, the movie did not fare well at the box office and received criticism from the reviewers. However, like many unconventional films with intricate plots, Hudson Hawk has gained a cult following over time and managed to recoup its original production budget.
Reflecting on the film’s reception, Willis defended Hudson Hawk during an interview for the Special Edition DVD release:
“When I see how it has become this cult film and what people tell me about it on the street, they appreciate the fact that it was self-mocking and satirical. Back then, nobody really understood that aspect of it. They didn’t know how to interpret it. The idea of me and Danny Aiello singing in a movie was completely unheard of, and some people were angry about it or something. They were upset that we were trying to make them laugh.”
3. Geena Davis Believes ‘Cutthroat Island’ Was Doomed From The Beginning
Sometimes, big budget movie projects are doomed from the very start. Take the case of Cutthroat Island, a 1995 adventure film starring Geena Davis as a pirate in the 1600s. Directed by her then-husband Renny Harlin, the movie faced endless production problems.
With its expensive sets and special effects, Cutthroat Island holds the Guinness World Record for History’s Biggest Box Office Bomb. The film cost nearly $100 million to make but brought in a meager $2.3 million at the box office.
Davis points the finger at Carolco, the production company behind the film, for much of its financial failure. According to her, Carolco was already on the verge of bankruptcy before they even started making the movie. In fact, Cutthroat Island was Carolco’s last production. Davis believes they were doomed from the beginning. With no money to promote the film upon its release, its lack of success was almost guaranteed.
People seemed to fixate on the film’s high cost, and this, combined with Carolco’s financial troubles, did not bode well. Davis and Harlin went on to make another movie together, The Long Kiss Goodnight for New Line. Although Davis loved her character in that film and it received some positive reception, it didn’t achieve the heights they had hoped for. Davis isn’t sure how much it impacted her career.
4. Jamie Lee Curtis Called ‘Virus’ An Unbelievably Bad Movie
The 1999 science fiction horror movie Virus had a massive budget of $75 million, but unfortunately didn’t come close to making back its costs. Despite this, the film, which revolves around Russians and advanced extraterrestrial life forms, has gained a small following and become something of a cult classic over the years.
Virus was actually based on a comic book of the same name by Chuck Pfafferer. Interestingly, Jamie Lee Curtis, the Academy Award-winning actress, doesn’t look back fondly on her involvement in the movie. In fact, she openly expressed her negative opinion about it in 2010, describing it as a “piece of s**t movie” and emphasizing just how bad it was from start to finish.
Curtis even recalled a specific scene that perfectly exemplified the film’s shortcomings. In this scene, her character is seen desperately running away from an alien creature and takes refuge by hiding under a flight of stairs. She found it utterly ridiculous that she, a vulnerable human, would choose to hide from a powerful being that could effortlessly break through steel walls. It was a moment she recognized as simply terrible, but she felt powerless to change it.
Reflecting on the movie as a whole, Curtis admitted that it was one of the few instances where she knew a project was inherently bad, yet had no control over the final outcome. She acknowledged that the success of a film can be unpredictable, with some bad movies becoming unexpectedly popular and great movies failing to resonate with audiences. In the case of Virus, she had hoped that its status as an independent film, preceding the current wave of Marvel comics movies, might attract a dedicated fan base. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
5. Sylvester Stallone Was Bothered With How ‘Judge Dredd’ Turned Out
Sylvester Stallone, known for his acting, writing, and directing in various successful movies, expressed his disappointment with the 1995 science fiction action film Judge Dredd. In his own words from 2008, he admitted, “The biggest mistake I ever made was with the sloppy handling of Judge Dredd. It could have been a fantastic, nihilistic, interesting vision of the future – judge, jury, and executioner. That [film] really bothered me a great deal.”
Stallone felt that Judge Dredd had the potential to be an amazing movie, but it didn’t live up to his expectations. He regretted the fact that it didn’t fully explore the intriguing concept it introduced. He also mentioned that the film’s performance and reception troubled him, saying, “With all the pop culture, that really bothered me a great deal. I thought it was a fantastic concept, but somebody has to take the fall when things don’t work – and because I was the most recognizable, highest profile.”
Despite its moderate box office success, Judge Dredd is widely regarded as one of Stallone’s worst films and was not well-received by critics.
6. Jim Carrey Just Really Likes ‘The Cable Guy’
Jim Carrey, the renowned actor, has had quite a diverse range of movies under his belt. He’s delivered us numerous hilarious films, along with a few that showcased his dramatic talent. One of his most remarkable years at the box office was back in 1994 when he burst onto the scene with the uproarious hits Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber.
However, not all of Carrey’s ventures have been smashing successes, especially when it comes to financial achievements. One such example is the 1996 film The Cable Guy, which was helmed by director Ben Stiller and didn’t fare too well in terms of box office numbers.
Interestingly, in a recent interview with Far Out in 2022, Carrey was asked about his three favorite movies, and surprisingly, The Cable Guy made the cut. Alongside it, he also mentioned Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Carrey expressed his admiration for The Cable Guy, praising Ben Stiller’s exceptional work and the brilliant cast of comedic actors who were just beginning to rise to prominence at that time. He even shared a personal connection to the film, stating that the character resonates with all of us as it reflects how we were all raised by television.
Overall, Carrey’s filmography is a mix of side-splitting comedies and thought-provoking dramas, and while not every movie may have been a hit, each one contributes to the unique tapestry of his career.
7. Tom Hanks Considers The Entirety of ‘The Bonfire of the Vanities’ Miscast, Including Himself
Brian De Palma’s 1990 adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s novel, The Bonfire of the Vanities, had all the ingredients for success – a star-studded cast featuring Hollywood heavyweights Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, and Melanie Griffith, a renowned director, and a best-selling source material. However, despite these factors, the film was a colossal failure both at the box office and among moviegoers. The movie was plagued with production issues, and one of the major problems was its miscasting.
In a recent interview in 2021, Tom Hanks himself referred to The Bonfire of the Vanities as his worst movie. He acknowledged the initial buzz surrounding the film during its production, saying, “When we were making it, that movie was huge. We couldn’t make a move anywhere in New York City. Everybody was talking about it.” However, Hanks admitted that the cast, including himself, was poorly suited for their roles, contributing to the movie’s downfall.
Hanks also criticized the film’s script, stating that it was impossible to transform a groundbreaking book like Tom Wolfe’s into a palatable movie without compromising its essence. He believed that the movie failed to capture the essence and impact of the source material, saying, “You can’t take a book like Tom Wolfe’s that has changed the way people talk and think and change it into a palatable movie or alter the thrust of what the source material is talking about. It may not translate in a way that is going to work.”
In conclusion, The Bonfire of the Vanities, despite its star power and acclaimed director, turned out to be a major disappointment. Miscasting and an inability to capture the essence of the original novel were among the factors contributing to its failure.
8. Demi Moore Thinks That She Was Punished Because Of Her $12.5 Million Salary For ‘Striptease’
Demi Moore had a successful acting career in the late-1980s and ’90s, becoming one of Hollywood’s most popular actors. Her decision to star in the 1996 black comedy Striptease generated a lot of attention, especially due to her $12.5 million salary.
The film did reasonably well at the box office, but it received heavy criticism from both fans and critics. It even earned six Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture and Worst Actress. In Striptease, Moore portrays a former FBI secretary who becomes a stripper.
During a 2020 interview with Variety, Moore opened up about the backlash and double standards she faced for her role as a stripper. She discussed the judgment placed on women in that profession, which overshadowed the true essence of the story. For Moore, the film was about a mother’s struggle to survive and not lose her daughter. Unfortunately, it was met with a lot of judgment and criticism.
Moore also expressed her disappointment that her salary for Striptease became a source of punishment rather than celebration.
9. Don’t Worry, Will Smith Hates ‘Wild Wild West,’ Too
Will Smith, a well-known actor with a successful career in blockbuster films, recently discussed his thoughts on his best and worst movies in an interview with GQ. Reflecting on his filmography, he couldn’t help but mention the 1999 film Wild Wild West, which was both a financial and critical disappointment.
When asked about his worst movie, Smith candidly expressed his feelings, stating, “I don’t know, Wild Wild West just is a thorn in my side. To see myself with chaps, I don’t like it.” It seems that this particular film was not one that he enjoyed making or watching.
Smith went on to explain his decision to choose Wild Wild West, a movie that ended up being widely panned and even won several Razzie Awards. He admitted that his focus at the time had shifted from his artistic intentions to wanting to be the biggest movie star. He became more concerned with winning and achieving success rather than creating meaningful art.
In his own words, Smith shared, “I had so much success that I started to taste global blood and my focus shifted from my artistry to winning. I wanted to win and be the biggest movie star, and what happened was there was a lag — around Wild Wild West time — I found myself promoting something because I wanted to win versus promoting something because I believed in it.”
To make matters worse, Smith revealed a missed opportunity that he regrets. He had turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix to work on Wild Wild West. This decision proved to be a disappointment for him, as The Matrix went on to become a groundbreaking and highly successful film.
In summary, Smith openly acknowledged his dissatisfaction with Wild Wild West and recognized that his desire for fame and recognition had influenced his choices during that time in his career.
10. Julia Roberts Thinks She Was Not Half Bad In ‘Mary Reilly’
In 1996, Julia Roberts took on the role of Mary Reilly in Stephen Frears’s gothic horror film in an attempt to break away from her rom-com typecasting. However, audiences were not particularly enthusiastic about seeing the beloved Pretty Woman star in such a dark period piece. Unfortunately, the film didn’t fare well at the box office and received negative reviews from critics.
Fast forward to 2022, and Roberts reflects on her experience with Mary Reilly. She maintains a positive mindset when it comes to her past performances and takes full responsibility for her decisions.
Roberts explains that as an actor, while there are people who assist in achieving a performance, the further you distance yourself from it, the more you feel alone. In the context of the “Mary Reilly” world set a hundred years ago, she looks back at her performance and realizes that she was fully responsible for it. She believes that she didn’t receive enough recognition for her portrayal and feels that she did a decent job in the movie.
Despite the film’s lackluster reception, Roberts can now proudly stand by her decision to take on the role. She applies this mentality to everything she does, questioning whether she wants to be associated with a project for the rest of her life. For her, the joy of being involved in a movie ends when filming wraps up, so she wants to ensure that she can look back on her work with contentment.