Since its launch in 1998,Rotten Tomatoeshas altered the way we see movies. It’s become the go-to resource for audiences, a tool that helps them discern which films are worth their time and money. If a film gets splattered with a low Rotten Tomatoes score, then you may be convinced to wait until that film is available to rent or stream at home. But on the other hand, if a movie gets hit with a high Rotten Tomatoes score, viewers might suddenly perceive that film as a must-see cinematic event and feel obligated to see it in theaters.
Because of this, Rotten Tomatoes has gained a tremendous amount of power in Hollywood and can make or break a movie at the box office. But of course, this isn’t always the case. There are many films out there that weren’t aided by a positive critical reception. Despite their critical acclaim, these movies tanked at thebox office.
Here are 10 films that have high Rotten Tomatoes scores but very low box office numbers.
10’The Fall Guy' (2024)
81% on Rotten Tomatoes
The Fall Guy
The Fall Guycenters on a stuntman who gets entangled in a conspiracy while working on an action movie that’s being directed by his ex-girlfriend.The Fall Guyis led by A-listers Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, both of whom had seen tremendous success the prior year with theBarbenheimerphenomenon. The film was even co-directed by David Leitch, who directedaction hitsJohn WickandDeadpool 2.On top of that,The Fall Guywas well-reviewed by critics, landing an 81% on Rotten Tomatoes.
And yet, despite stellar reviews,The Fall Guyfell flat at the box office. It grossed $181 million worldwide against a $125–150 million production budget, losing producers roughly $50 million.
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9’The Last Duel' (2021)
85% on Rotten Tomatoes
The Last Duel
The Last Duelis a historical drama based on one of the last real-life duels in Medieval France. Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) and Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) are knights and dear friends, until Jean’s wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer), accuses Jacques of raping her. Divided into three parts,The Last Duelcaptures each character’s perspective, interweaving them into one cohesive narrative.
The film garnered critical acclaim for its authentic medieval setting (despite the lack of French accents) and unique structure. It earned an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. However,The Last Duel was slaughtered at the box office, partly because of the lingering societal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It grossed $30.6 million against a whopping budget of $100 million.
8’Donnie Darko' (2001)
88% on Rotten Tomatoes
Donnie Darko
Donnie Darkofollows a troubled teenager who, after surviving a strange accident, experiences even stranger hallucinations that warn him of an impending apocalypse. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal in his breakout role as the titular character.
Donnie Darkois the kind of film that only an independent studio could pull off. It’s original, it’s out there, it’s weird. And that’s partially why it failed to draw in viewers and underperformed at the box office. The 9/11 terrorist attacks, which had just occurred a month and a half before the film’s premiere, also didn’t help.Donnie Darkogrossed only $7.5 million against a budget of $4.5 million. However, in the years since its 2001 release,Donnie Darkhas become a cult classic.
7’The Shawshank Redemption' (1994)
89% on Rotten Tomatoes
The Shawshank Redemption
Based on the novella by Stephen King,The Shawshank Redemptionfollows Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) as he’s wrongfully accused and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife and her lover.
The Shawshank Redemptionis widely regarded asone of the greatest films ever made, though it surprisingly only has an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. Its audience score falls more in line with what you’d expect – a 98%. It may also surprise you to learn that this classic film underperformed at the box office. It earned only $16 million against its $25 million budget during its initial theatrical run.The Shawshank Redemptiondid recoup some of those losses during awards season when it snagged a number of Oscar nominations – and infamously lost them all.
90% on Rotten Tomatoes
The Suicide Squad
The 2016 film,Suicide Squad, assembles a ragtag team of notorious supervillains and tasks them with saving the world. Five years later, Warner Bros. churned out a sequel that also served as a soft reboot:The Suicide Squad.These two films are very similar, from their nearly identical titles to their storylines and characters. And yet, they produced the exact opposite reactions.
Suicide Squad– the 2016 film, that is – was a critical catastrophe, but a box office hit, grossing nearly $750 million worldwide.The Suicide Squad, on the other hand – we’re talking about the 2021 film now – received a much warmer critical reception than its predecessor, scoring a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it had weak box office numbers, thanks to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with the original film.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
2015’sMad Max: Fury Roadwas a critical and commercial hit. It garnered critical acclaim, numerous Oscar nominations, and hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office. Warner Bros. had hoped to replicate this success with a spin-off prequel, 2024’sFuriosa: A Mad Max Saga. It features a stacked cast that includes Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth.
Like its predecessor,Furiosaalso garnered critical acclaim, landing an impressive 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. But despite positive reviews,Furiosatanked at the box office. It grossed $173 million worldwide against a budget of $168 million.ButFuriosadid eventually find success on streaming platforms, where it became one of the most popular movies available on Max.
4’Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' (1971)
92% on Rotten Tomatoes
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factoryis based on the iconic children’s book by Roald Dahl,Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. After finding one of five highly coveted golden tickets, Charlie and four other children are invited into the mysterious and imaginative chocolate factory of Willy Wonka. Gene Wilder stars as the eccentric chocolatier in arguably his most famous performance.
It may surprise you to learn thatWilly Wonka and the Chocolate Factorywas not a commercial success. It grossed only $4 million against a budget of $3 million. It didn’t become popular or profitable until years later, thanks to television airings and home video sales. In the years since its 1971 release,Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factoryhas become a timeless classic, just like the book it’s based on. That’s probably why it has such a high score on Rotten Tomatoes – a 92%.
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3’In the Heights' (2021)
94% on Rotten Tomatoes
In the Heights
In the Heightsfollows members of New York City’s Washington Heights community and their mutual longing for a better life. This musical is based on the stage play of the same name by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also wrote the lyrics and music.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic,In the Heightsbombed at the box office, grossing $45.2 million against its budget of $55 million. However, the film was well-received by critics. It scored a Golden Globe nomination, as well as an impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.In the Heightshas since been called one of the best musical films of the 21st century.
2’The Iron Giant' (1999)
96% on Rotten Tomatoes
The Iron Giant
Set during the Cold War in 1957,The Iron Giantcaptures the friendship between a young boy and a giant alien robot from outer space. The film was praised by critics for its beautiful animation, emotional story, and stellar performances.
And yet, itbombed at the box office, grossing only $31 million against a budget of $50 million. But things turned out OK forThe Iron Giantin the end. Many Millennials consider itan animated classic, a generation-defining film. It’s also been hailed as one of the greatest animated films ever made.
1’Citizen Kane' (1941)
99% on Rotten Tomatoes
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kanespans the life of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles), as an investigative journalist tries to uncover the meaning behind the multi-millionaire’s final word. The character is based on William Randolph Hearst, whose newspaper empire dominated the early 1900s. Hearst famously limited the film’s theatrical release, which negatively impacted its box office gross.
Obviously, Rotten Tomatoes, or even the internet for that matter, didn’t exist in the 1940s. ButCitizen Kanehas benefited from contemporary reappraisals over the years. With a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s widely regarded asthe greatest film ever made.
