15 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Movies That Crashed And Burned Spectacularly 15 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Movies That Crashed And Burned Spectacularly

Television pilots are meant to showcase the potential of a series, convincing networks that a show deserves a full season. While some pilots launch legendary series, others crash and burn so spectacularly that they never see the light of day. Whether due to terrible writing, bizarre concepts or miscast actors, these 15 TV pilots were so bad they never made it past the first episode.

John Carter (2012)

Disney bet big on this adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars, sinking $250 million into production. Unfortunately, poor marketing, a confusing title and a lack of star power led to one of the biggest box office bombs in history. Despite its stunning visuals and grand ambitions, John Carter lost Disney over $200 million.

Jupiter Ascending (2015)

With the Wachowskis at the helm and a star studded cast including Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis. This film promised to be an epic space opera. Instead, audiences were given a convoluted plot, wooden performances and laughably bizarre dialogue. The film was ridiculed and bombed hard, barely making back its $176 million budget.

The Last Airbender (2010)

M. Night Shyamalan attempted to bring the beloved Avatar: The Last Airbender series to live action, but everything went wrong. From the awful dialogue and miscast actors to the butchering of the source material, fans were outraged. Despite making some money, its terrible reception ensured any planned sequels were scrapped.

Mortal Engines (2018)

Based on the YA book series, Mortal Engines had an intriguing premise giant, mobile cities devouring smaller ones but failed miserably in execution. Despite its impressive visuals, weak characters and a generic storyline caused it to bomb. The $100 million loss ensured there would be no sequels.

Battlefield Earth (2000)

Widely regarded as one of the worst films ever made, this John Travolta led adaptation of L. Ron Hubbard’s novel is infamous for its terrible acting, weird camera angles and nonsensical plot. Audiences rejected it, critics shredded it and it became a legendary cinematic disaster.

Eragon (2006)

Hoping to be the next Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, Eragon was a massive letdown for fans of the book series. The film stripped away most of what made the books compelling, leaving a generic, forgettable fantasy flick. Plans for a franchise died instantly, though a TV reboot is now in development.

R.I.P.D. (2013)

Imagine Men in Black, but with ghosts sounds fun, right? Unfortunately, this film, starring Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges, fell flat with a weak script and uninspired action. It flopped hard, making only $78 million against a $130 million budget.

The Dark Tower (2017)

Stephen King’s Dark Tower series is a sprawling, epic saga, but its film adaptation turned it into a rushed, 90-minute mess. Fans and newcomers alike were disappointed by its shallow characters and incoherent story. Hopes of a franchise were crushed after its poor box office and critical panning.

Dungeons & Dragons (2000)

Long before the successful Honor Among Thieves, there was this disaster starring Jeremy Irons hamming it up to an embarrassing degree. Cheap CGI, terrible acting and a nonsensical plot made it an instant failure. It barely made a dent at the box office, becoming a fantasy cautionary tale.

Tomorrowland (2015)

Despite an original concept and a huge Disney budget, Tomorrowland struggled to find an audience. The film’s muddled message, uneven pacing and lack of emotional depth made it forgettable. Its box office failure led to massive losses for Disney.

Seventh Son (2014)

Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore could not save this dull and formulaic fantasy adventure. The film’s uninspired plot and overuse of CGI led to both critical and commercial failure. Its weak box office return sealed its fate as yet another failed fantasy franchise attempt.

The Lone Ranger (2013)

This Johnny Depp led Disney blockbuster had a massive budget and high expectations, but it was doomed from the start. Bloated, tonally inconsistent and weighed down by controversy, The Lone Ranger lost Disney over $190 million. It became one of the biggest flops of the decade.

A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

Ava DuVernay’s adaptation of the beloved novel had a stellar cast and Disney backing, but failed to connect with audiences. Its overreliance on CGI and disjointed storytelling made it feel lifeless. The film lost nearly $130 million, putting an end to any potential sequels.

The New Mutants (2020)

After years of delays, this X-Men spinoff finally arrived and instantly flopped. Originally pitched as a horror/superhero hybrid, it suffered from reshoots and studio interference, leaving it feeling directionless. It barely made a dent at the box office and ended the X-Men film era on a whimper.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

Luc Besson’s visually stunning but narratively hollow space epic suffered from weak leads and an overstuffed plot. Despite a massive budget, it underperformed and faded from public memory. The planned franchise never materialized, making this another expensive sci-fi misfire.

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Fantasy and sci-fi films require bold ideas, grand world-building, and compelling storytelling, but when those elements fall apart, the results can be disastrous. Whether it was poor execution, studio meddling, or just plain bad writing, these films failed to live up to their ambitions. Have you watched any of these flops or do you have your own pick for a sci-fi or fantasy movie disaster?

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.

15 Box Office Bombs That Made You Wish You Could Get A Refund

We have all been there sitting in a dark theater, popcorn in hand, expecting an unforgettable cinematic experience. Only to realize we have been duped by flashy trailers and overhyped marketing. Some movies crash and burn at the box office because of poor storytelling, cringe worthy performances or just plain bad decisions. These 15 films not only flopped financially but also left audiences wishing they could turn back time and get their money back.

Read it here:15 Box Office Bombs That Made You Wish You Could Get A Refund

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Read it here: The Ultimate List Of Movies That Makes Absolutely No Sense

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