45 Great Films That Failed at the Box Office

“Babylon”

Damien Chazelle’s misunderstood Hollywood epic is a sprawling story of an industry in transition, documenting the rise and fall of an ensemble of artists at a moment when nobody knew what the future would hold. Equal parts tragic and hilarious, the film finds Chazelle applying his distinct visual style to the largest canvas of his career, and the end result is a rich tapestry of stories about the finite nature of Hollywood success despite the industry’s remarkable staying power. Yet initial discourse around the film seemed to reduce the meticulously-researched project to one word: excess. The film quickly became synonymous with its sex-and-drug-fueled bacchanals, and fans and critics alike seemed to ignore the narrative heft in favor of discussing the pros and cons of Chazelle’s maximalism. 

While the film will almost certainly be reevaluated in a more positive light as time passes (especially if Chazelle continues to establish himself as a filmmaker with a legacy worth studying), it faced a perfect storm of external factors that led to a dismal box office performance. Initial reviews were largely mediocre, and it didn’t play at any fall festivals that could have given it the opportunity to build buzz. It also boasted a three hour run time and highly adult subject matter that made it impossible for families to see together despite a Christmas release date. Factor in a nationwide snow storm that kept people inside and competition from “Avatar: The Way of Water,” and its disappointing $30 million gross (against a reported $80 million budget) becomes more understandable.  

“The Fabelmans”

In a different era, a film like “The Fabelmans” would have been seen as a guaranteed moneymaker with older audiences. A legendary filmmaker like Steven Spielberg directing a movie about his own childhood is an exciting proposition, and the film earned rave reviews out of Toronto and started picking up Oscar buzz as soon as the credits rolled at its premiere. 

But despite everything going for it, “The Fabelmans” was only able to scrape together $15 million in its domestic theatrical run — a far cry from the initial estimates of $35 million-$65 million. The film didn’t resonate with older moviegoers — a demographic whose viewing habits have changed in a way that the industry doesn’t fully understand yet — in the way that many expected it would. While a December VOD release and some likely Oscar success will probably help recoup a large portion of its $40 million budget, it’s hardly the result that Spielberg and company were hoping for. 

“Crimes of the Future”

In the weeks leading up to the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, “Crimes of the Future” was the movie on everyone’s mind. David Cronenberg’s first feature film since 2014’s “Maps to the Stars” was always bound to be a major event, and the fact that he was returning to the body horror genre that he pioneered in the 1980s only added to the excitement. 

It quickly became clear that Cronenberg is still at the top of his game, as “Crimes of the Future” is a phenomenal addition to the director’s filmography. The film — which takes place in a future where humans can grow new organs and governments struggle to regulate the rapid changes to the human body — is a moody, visually sumptuous rumination on the themes that have fascinated Cronenberg throughout his entire career.

Sadly, that didn’t translate to box office success. Despite a summer theatrical release that allowed it to capitalize on the Cannes buzz, the film grossed less than $5 million worldwide on a $27 million budget. Here’s hoping Cronenberg’s next film, “The Shrouds,” finds a wider audience. 

“Three Thousand Years of Longing” (2022)

George Miller’s ambitious and cozily old-fashioned “Three Thousand Years of Longing” works up a parable of the folkloric power of storytelling all in a single hotel room: Alithea (Tilda Swinton) is a literary scholar who accidentally frees a Djinn (Idris Elba) from a very long imprisonment in a bottle. From there, the Djinn grants her three wishes, while telling stories of his three imprisonments, across an impressive-looking visual spectacle full of unusual sights and sounds from the “Mad Max: Fury Road” director. Alas, the MGM/United artists film with a $60 million pricetag tanked on arrival opening to just $2.9 million in the deadly end-of-August corridor. With limited marketing and a lack of baked-in IP, “Three Thousand Years” was destined to struggle — though Amazon’s first-quarter acquisition of MGM should help recoup the loss. —RL

“The Big Lebowski”

Where’s the money, Lebowski? While now regarded as one of the Coen Brothers’ most iconic films, “The Big Lebowski” did not seem like an instant classic when it was first released in 1998. Many critics misunderstood the film’s humor, and even the Coen Brothers themselves were disappointed with how it turned out. The film’s original domestic run only brought in $18 million at the box office, barely more than the $15 million it cost to make. But the endlessly quotable film has become a cult classic over the years, inspiring countless Halloween costumes, cocktail orders, and even a literal religion. Decades of midnight showings have likely made its disappointing initial release hurt a little less for the film’s producers. —CZ

“The Shawshank Redemption”

The story of “The Shawshank Redemption” is the ultimate movie paradox. Frank Darabont’s Stephen King adaptation is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, yet by almost every success metric for films, it failed. The movie did not win a single Oscar (competition was stiff in 1994, with “Pulp Fiction” and “Forrest Gump” also in the mix), and its box office haul was equally unspectacular. The $25 million film made just over $28 million in its domestic theatrical run, not nearly enough to turn a profit. It fared a little better internationally, bringing its total up to an adequate $73.3 million worldwide. Respectable, to be sure, but those numbers hardly reflect its prestigious place in American film history. —CZ

“Wet Hot American Summer”

“Wet Hot American Summer” is seemingly every comedy writer’s favorite comedy, the kind of joke-dense movie that reveals new laughs with each subsequent viewing. The star-studded film is a cult classic now, but it was not exactly star-studded when it first came out. The film helped launch the careers of Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, and Amy Poehler, but they were all relative unknowns at the time. The film was mostly ignored at the box office, grossing less than $300,000 on a $1.8 million budget. Dreams of a sequel were dashed, but the cast eventually reunited for two well-received Netflix series. All’s well that ends well. —CZ

“The Thing”

It’s hard to imagine John Carpenter’s science fiction horror classic being received as anything but a masterpiece, but the 1980s were a different time. “The Thing” was a critical and box office bomb, only bringing in $19.6 million on a $15 million budget. In retrospect, it was probably a victim of timing. The alien movie genre in the early 1980s was dominated by Spielberg-esque feel good stories, something that “The Thing” very much isn’t. But history has vindicated it, with many now viewing it as Carpenter’s best film. —CZ

“Blow Out”

Brian De Palma has made some of the most lucrative films of all time, with blockbusters like the first “Mission: Impossible” under his belt. But one of his masterpieces, “Blow Out,” is not one of them. The Quentin Tarantino favorite stars John Travolta as a sound editor who accidentally captures audio footage of a murder, resulting in one of the best performances of Travolta’s career. The film is an excellent illustration of many of De Palma’s trademark editing techniques, including his iconic use of split screens. But it was probably ahead of its time, and failed to find much of an audience when it was originally released. “Blow Out” cost $18 million to make in 1981, only making $13.7 million of that back at the box office. —CZ

“Office Space”

“Office Space” turned Swingline red staplers into one of the best-selling office supply products in America, but it may have sold more staplers than movie tickets. Mike Judge’s beloved comedy was a box office flop when it first came out in 1999, only grossing $12.2 million on a $10 million budget. It took years of airings on Comedy Central, plus a few iconic memes, for the workplace satire to truly work its way into the zeitgeist. —CZ

“Kingdom of Heaven”

Name a more iconic duo than Ridley Scott and acclaimed director’s cuts of critically panned films. The British director’s career has been plagued by studio interference, but films like “Blade Runner” and “The Counselor” have found bigger audiences over the years as cinephiles discover Scott’s preferred versions of his films. There is no better example than “Kingdom of Heaven,” which debuted to poor reviews and grossed a paltry $47.4 million in North America despite costing $130 million to make. Six months after the historical epic’s initial release, Scott released his director’s cut to critical acclaim, and “Kingdom of Heaven” now occupies a prime slot in his discography. —CZ

“Idiocracy”

“Idiocracy” is a film you hear mentioned a lot these days, as many feel like Mike Judge’s doomsday comedy did a depressingly accurate job of predicting America’s sad future. But his bleak comedy about a dumbed down United States gets a lot more attention now than it did upon its original release, when it was largely abandoned by 20th Century Fox. The film had its wide release pulled at the last minute and was only shown in a handful of cities, and was not screened for critics, though it did receive positive reviews when it eventually came out. Some suspect that the lack of studio support stemmed from a fear of offending advertisers with the film’s anti-commercialist themes, while others feel it was simply ahead of its time. Regardless, the film’s meager $500,000 box office haul is not a reflection of its quality. —CZ

“The Hudsucker Proxy”

Any Coen Brothers comedy starring Paul Newman would gross billions in a just world, but alas, that’s not where we live. “The Hudsucker Proxy” is one of the most underrated comedies in the directors’ filmography, but it only grossed $11 million on a $25 million budget. Critics were lukewarm on the film, but like many of the classics on this list, its reputation has improved as the years have gone by. The business satire, co-written by a young Sam Raimi, is not the most approachable Coen Brothers film, but fans of their other work should find it a hilarious diamond in the rough that rewards multiple viewings. —CZ

“The King of Comedy”

Martin Scorsese is no stranger to box office bombs, but this one had to hurt. “The King of Comedy” is one of the auteur’s best character studies, deserving to be mentioned in the same breath as “Taxi Driver” and “Raging Bull.” But the film was a bona fide financial flop. Despite featuring the star power of Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis, “The King of Comedy” only brought in $2.5 million on a budget of $19 million. Decades later, the eerily similar “Joker” (which essentially saw De Niro play the Lewis part) grossed over $1 billion. Sometimes, there really is no limit to what’s possible in cinema if your film features a recognizable comic book character. —CZ

“The Tree of Life”

One of the least approachable films from an unapologetically esoteric filmmaker, nobody could possibly watch “The Tree of Life” and think, “That’s going make a lot of money.” Terrence Malick’s epic reflection on the meaning of life is considered by many to be his masterpiece, but the film only grossed $58 million worldwide on a $32 million budget (CGI dinosaurs aren’t cheap!), likely leaving the Oscar-nominated film in the red. —CZ

“Ad Astra”

Brad Pitt is the star of many a box office bomb (see “Jesse James” and “Fight Club” below), which only goes to show how many risks the actor has taken over the years. James Gray’s “Ad Astra” carried a $90 million production budget, backed by 20th Century Fox but released under Disney following the merger. The film managed to earn only $127 million worldwide, only $50 million of which came from the U.S. While not a box office hit, “Ad Astra” earned critical raves and a perfect “A” grade from IndieWire, which called it James Gray’s “interstellar masterpiece.” -ZS

“Missing Link”

A co-production between Annapurna Pictures and Laika Animation Studios, “Missing Link” lost just over $100 million at the box office in 2019 to become one of its year’s biggest box office bombs. Made on a reported production budget north of $100 million, the film didn’t even break the $30 million mark at the worldwide box office. Despite its financial loss, “Missing Link” won the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature and scored an Oscar nomination in the same category. IndieWire senior film critic David Ehrlich called the movie “a dazzling stop-motion stunner” in his B+ review. -ZS

“Doctor Sleep”

Mike Flanagan’s “Doctor Sleep” had insurmountable odds stacked against it the minute Warner Bros. greenlit it. Based on the Stephen King sequel novel to “The Shining,” Flanagan’s film fights a losing battle in trying to juggle King and Stanley Kubrick at the same time. Anyone expecting a sequel to Kubrick’s “Shining” movie was surely disappointed, and worth of mouth was nonexistent during the film’s theatrical release. The $45 million horror movie bombed in the U.S., where it grossed $31 million. “Doctor Sleep” is overburdended by the weight of “The Shining,” but on its own its a dread-induced character study with a fearless supporting turn from villain Rebecca Ferguson. -ZS

“Long Shot” (2019)

Jonathan Levine’s romantic-comedy “Long Shot” featured an A-list pairing in Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen, but the movie was a huge bust for Lionsgate in summer 2019. Opening at the start of the summer movie season in May, the $40 million production tapped out at the U.S. box office with $30 million. The movie’s global gross wasn’t much higher at $53 million, which is a shame given what infectious chemistry Rogen and Theron have in the lead roles. It’s a delight to see Theron let loose in a mainstream comedy. -ZS

“Destroyer” (2018)

Annapurna’s 2018 Oscar season nearly killed the company, as all of the studio’s December releases (“Vice,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” and “Destroyer”) underwhelmed at the box office. At least “Vice” and “Beale Street” got time to shine at awards ceremonies thanks to nominations and wins. “Destroyer” has since been forgotten, which is a crime given what a sturdy thriller director Karyn Kusama crafted. “Destroyer” grossed just over $5 million worldwide on a budget in the $10 million, making it one of Annapurna’s biggest bombs. -ZS

“Annihilation” (2018)

Paramount Pictures was so fearful about Alex Garland’s “Annihilation” being a tough sell to audiences that it sold off various international rights to Netflix for an undisclosed sum. For the studio, these deals minimalized the chances of bombing with such a challenging and heady science-fiction movie. At the U.S. box office, “Annihilation” only grossed $32 million on a production budget of at least $40 million. The film, starring Natalie Portman, earned critical acclaim and is often considered one of the best science-fiction efforts of the decade. -ZS 

“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” (2007)

Andrew Dominik’s “Jesse James” is widely considered one of the crowning achievements of Roger Deakins’ cinematography career. The Warner Bros. release was a massive box office bomb, grossing nearly $4 million in the U.S. on a $30 million production budget. Worldwide, the revisionist Western only mustered up $15 million. Despite starring Brad Pitt, the film always posed a risk for Warner Bros. with its 160 minute runtime. Deakins was nominated for an Oscar, as was supporting actor Casey Affleck. -ZS

“Blade Runner 2049” (2017)

Similar to Ridley Scott’s 1982 original, Denis Villeneuve’s 2017 sequel “Blade Runner 2049” bombed at the U.S. box office. The Warner Bros. release didn’t even crack the $100 million mark domestically despite a production budget in the $150 million range. The film managed $259 million worldwide but still netted producer Alcon Entertainment an $80 million loss given the additional marketing budget. Regardless, “2049” is considered one of the most visionary studio films of the decade. IndieWire called the film “mind blowing sci-fi storytelling” in a rave review and the film picked up an Oscar for Roger Deakins’ Cinematography. -ZS

“Bottle Rocket” (1996)

Wes Anderson got his start with a major box office flop. “Bottle Rocket,” the director’s 1996 feature directorial debut cost Columbia Pictures $5 million to make and bombed at the box office by not even getting close to the $1 million mark. In the U.S., “Bottle Rocket” ended its run with a paltry $560,000. Regardless, Anderson showed enough vision to famously make a big fan out of Martin Scorsese and get an even bigger $10 million budget for follow-up movie “Rushmore,” which would turn a profit and give Anderson his breakout film. -ZS

“Children of Men” (2006)

Alfonso Cuarón’s dystopian drama “Children of Men” is widely considered one of the best films of the 21st century, earning widespread critical acclaim and three Oscar nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing. Despite its critical bonafides, “Children of Men” only earned $70 million worldwide and a hugely disappointing $35 million in the U.S. Universal Pictures spent $76 million to produce the film, making it a bust for the studio. -ZS

“Cloud Atlas” (2012)

The Wachowski sisters are no strangers to box-office bombs (see “Speed Racer” and “Jupiter Ascending”), but “Cloud Atlas,” their 2012 collaboration with Tom Tykwer, deserved to be more of a hit for the sheer sake of proving to studios that huge cinematic ambitions can be worthwhile. The Tom Hanks and Halle Berry-starring sci-fi odyssey didn’t even cross $30 million in the U.S. on a production budget of nearly $150 million. “Cloud Atlas” is far from a perfect film, but its editing and original score represent the best of cinema this century and it’s one Wachowski vehicle that didn’t deserve its instant flop status. -ZS

“Dredd 3D” (2012)

Lionsgate was hoping its “Dredd” reboot would relaunch the action franchise with Karl Urban in the title role, but audiences shunned the reboot. The movie was a notorious bomb in the U.S., grossing just $13 million against a whopping $50 million production budget. As many critics will tell you, audiences missed out on one of the most dazzling 3D action films of the decade. -ZS

“Fight Club” (1999)

“Fight Club” is widely regarded as one of the most iconic films in the careers of director David Fincher and star Brad Pitt, but it didn’t start that way. Fincher notoriously clashed with 20th Century Fox over how to market his edgy psychological thriller. His idea was to take an in-your-face approach to the marketing in hopes of building viral word of mouth, but Fox preferred to play it safe by selling the film as simply a big studio film with movie stars” and leaning into the fighting plot line by marketing “Fight Club” at wrestling events. The marketing didn’t work and “Fight Club” was a notorious box office bomb, only opening to $11 million and tapping out at $37 million at the U.S. box office. Fox spent $65 million on the movie. -ZS

“The Fountain” (2006)

Even after retooling “The Fountain” from a $70 million epic starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett to a $35 million event picture with Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, Darren Aronofsky still managed to bomb at the box office. The director’s ambitious romance drama only grossed $10 million in the U.S. and about half of that at the international box office. With a worldwide gross of $16 million, “The Fountain” marks the biggest bomb of Aronofsky’s career. The film wasn’t a critical smash upon release but has since emerged as a cult favorite. -ZS

“Grindhouse” (2007)

Quentin Tarantino is one of the most reliable directors when it comes to getting adult audiences into movie theaters, but even the “Pulp Fiction” icon isn’t immune to a box office flop. Tarantino’s “Grindhouse,” which he co-directed with friends and frequent collaborator Robert Rodriguez, cost nearly $67 million to make but only grossed $25 million worldwide. The 190-minute movie was always a big risk for Dimension Films since it was actually two separate features (one directed by Tarantino, another by Rodriguez) released together. The old school appeal of a double bill wasn’t enough to get moviegoers excited despite the individual films (“Planet Terror” and “Death Proof”) earning strong reviews. -ZS

“Hugo” (2011)

“Hugo,” Martin Scorsese’s rare turn into family-friendly entertainment, was a critical darling and 11-time Oscar nominee, but Paramount’s massive budget near the $170 million mark was always going to be tough to match for a meditative 3D kids film. The film’s $73 million gross in the U.S. and $185 million worldwide total would’ve actually been impressive had Scorsese not driven the budget so high with his commitment to using 3D visual effects to tell a relatively small scale story. Critics praised Scorsese’s immersive 3D direction, but Paramount certainly wasn’t bragging about the film’s earnings. -ZS

“The Master” (2012)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master” is one of the crowning film achievements of the decade and earned Oscar nominations for all three main actors: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams. The Weinstein Company release opened huge at the indie box office but quickly went nationwide and got drowned out by the fall studio films. The $32 million period drama ended its run with just $16 million in the U.S. and only $28.3 million worldwide. -ZS

“Inherent Vice” (2014)

Anderson’s 2012 flop “The Master” ($28.3 million grossed on a $32 million budget) was followed by another one, the 2014 stoner detective comedy “Inherent Vice.” Another collaboration with Joaquin Phoenix that was a beloved critics favorite, “Inherent Vice” couldn’t crack $10 million at either the U.S. or international box offices. The movie ended its worldwide run with just under $15 million, well below its $20 million production budget. -ZS

“The Iron Giant” (1999)

Any list of the best animated movies ever made is certain to include Brad Bird’s 1999 critical darling “The Iron Giant,” but it took awhile for the movie to become such a widely regarded classic. In 1999, the film was an infamous flop for Warner Bros. The studio spent $70 million to make the movie, which barely made it over the $20 million mark in the U.S. The studio had hoped to release an animated movie that could compete against the rising power of Pixar and newcomer DreamWorks Animation, but while critics were in favor of “The Iron Giant” it would take longer for audiences to see its wonder. -ZS

“The Lost City Of Z” (2017)

James Gray’s mythical adventure drama “The Lost City of Z” was a giant gamble for Amazon Studios, who spent nearly $30 million on the movie and partnered with Bleecker Street for the theatrical release. Despite strong reviews and acclaim for the performances by Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, and Sienna Miller, “Z” failed to break past the $20 million mark at the worldwide box office. In the U.S., the movie earned just $8 million. These grosses were quite strong for an indie movie, but the movie’s lofty budget made it almost impossible from the start for it to break even. -ZS

“mother!” (2017)

Paramount spent $30 million to produce “mother!,” Darren Aronofsky’s wildly divisive allegory starring Jennifer Lawrence as a woman whose home gets overtaken and destroyed by a hoard of unstoppable guests. The film’s graphic violence and disorienting direction was always going to make it a tough sell to mainstream audiences despite its genre appeal, but not even the involvement of Oscar winner Lawrence could get it past $18 million at the U.S. box office. -ZS

“Mulholland Drive” (2001)

David Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive,” named the best film of the 21st century by BBC Culture, failed to break even in the U.S. The movie grossed $7 million but cost $15 million to make. Any studio that gives Lynch upwards of $10 million to see his vision through on the big screen deserves praise, even if said vision doesn’t attract the amount of viewers it deserves at the time. Subsequent years have been far kinder to “Mulholland Drive,” which regularly appears on other lists of the best films ever made as well. -ZS

“Only Lovers Left Alive” (2014)

Not even the vampire genre could boost Jim Jarmusch’s “Only Lovers Left Alive” into profitability. Pairing Tilda Swinton opposite Tom Hiddleston paid off big time with critics, many of which named “Lovers” one of 2014’s best movies, but moviegoers in the U.S. all but ignored the film. “Lovers” cost $7 million to make but made under $2 million at the U.S. box office. Jarmusch has since found genre success with “The Dead Don’t Die” this summer, which has earned over $6 million since opening in June. -ZS

“Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” (2009)

Universal Pictures expected comedy gold out of The Lonely Island’s music mockumentary “Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stopping,” which many critics have named one of the most underappreciated comedies of the decade. The studio spent a big $20 million on the movie, which stars Andy Sandberg as an immature music phenom. Audiences mostly ignored the comedy, which failed to crack the $10 million mark at the box office. -ZS

“Scott Pilgrim vs the World” (2010)

Edgar Wright’s cult favorite “Scott Pilgrim” adaptation was a big financial loss for Universal Pictures. Carrying a production budget of $60 million, the Michael Cera-led comedy bombed with $30 million in the U.S. and less than $50 million worldwide. While the film would earn strong critical buzz and launch the careers of newcomers like Brie Larson and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Wright’s punched-up vision just wasn’t enough to turn the adaptation into a hit for Universal. -ZS

“The Sisters Brothers” (2018)

Despite great buzz from the Venice Film Festival (where it won the directing prize) and the star power of Jake Gyllenhaal, Joaquin Phoenix, and John C. Reilly, Jacques Audiard’s “The Sisters Brothers” was a huge bomb for Annapurna in 2018. The movie cost $38 million and grossed a disastrous $3 million in North America and $6 million overseas. Something about the Western genre continues to be a tough sell for contemporary moviegoers. -ZS

“Steve Jobs” (2015)

Despite some of the best reviews of 2015 and Oscar nominations for Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet, Danny Boyle’s “Steve Jobs” failed to bring in audiences. The biographical drama about the Apple co-founder, written by Aaron Sorkin, only grossed $17 million in the U.S. and $34 million worldwide. Universal spent $30 million on the movie. Many critics praised Sorkin’s ambitious narrative, which told Jobs’ life story by focusing on the behind-the-scenes drama at three pivotal product launches. -ZS

“Sunshine” (2007)

Ambitious science fiction films are often the toughest sells at the box office. Danny Boyle struck out big time with the release of “Sunshine,” a visually-dazzling thriller about astronauts on a mission to save the dying sun. The Fox Searchlight release cost $40 million and only made just over $3 million at the U.S. box office. The movie fared much better internationally with $28 million, but that still wasn’t enough for the film to turn a worldwide profit for Searchlight. -ZS

“Under The Skin” (2014)

Releasing a movie as challenging and experimental as Jonathan Glazer’s “Under the Skin” is no easy task, so there’s no ill will against A24 over the film being a box office flop in 2014. Made for just over $13 million, the Scarlett Johansson-starring drama only made $2.6 million in the U.S. and ended its run with $7 million worldwide. Critical support was through the roof, which had many hoping A24 might be able to boost its box office despite the film’s daunting narrative challenges. -ZS

“Warrior” (2011)

Gavin O’Connor’s “Warrior” is one of the decade’s most emotional sports dramas, mainly due to visceral performances by Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, and Nick Nolte. The $25 million Lionsgate release earned strong critical support and even landed Nolte in the Best Supporting Actor Oscar race, but an early September release date worked against the buzz, as the film bombed with just $13 million in the U.S. -ZS