In Hollywood, films are judged by the bottom line.
How much money did they make, how much money did they cost, and how much cash did the studio
executive get to pocket?
But sometimes, movies that are flops at the box office get an unexpected second life,
becoming cult classics as audiences slowly discover them.
Here's a look at some beloved movies that totally bombed at the box office.
Highlander
While today it's considered one of the best sword-and-sorcery fantasy films of the '80s,
Highlander wasn't well-received when it premiered in 1986, earning a grand total of $12.9 million
against a $16 million production cost
Once Highlander was released for the video-rental market, though, it did much better with viewers
and gained a cult following.
The fanbase grew so large that high demand eventually resulted in the creation of five
sequel films, a live-action television series that ran for six seasons, a series of books,
and even comics, with a big screen reboot rumored to be in the works.
So much for the claim there could be only one!
The Boondock Saints
If it hadn't been for now-defunct video rental chain Blockbuster, The Boondock Saints never
would have stood a chance.
Showing in only five theaters in the U.S., the film earned just $411,000 worldwide in
1999 despite costing $6 million to make.
Then Blockbuster stepped in, inking a deal to distribute the film as a "Blockbuster Exclusive."
The movie soon gained a massive cult following, bringing in over $50 million in DVD/Blu-ray
sales, spawning a sequel in 2009 and a new TV series - one without stars Norman Reedus
and Sean Patrick Flannery.
Scott PIlgrim vs. The World
Critics loved Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, calling it "funny," "heartfelt," "hilarious,"
"vivid," and "wildly inventive."
Unfortunately, though, critics seemed to be the only people who actually went to the theater
to see it, as Scott Pilgrim failed to earn back its production costs, earning less than
$48 million worldwide against a reported $60 million production budget.
Throw in another $25 million spent on advertising, and Scott Pilgrim seemed doomed to be a massive
bomb - until it sold over 300,000 copies on Blu-ray and DVD in its first week alone.
Talk about your instant cult classic!
Dredd
Despite a built in fan base from the comics, and widespread critical acclaim, the 2012
action flick Dredd earned just $41 million worldwide, which sounds like a lot until you
consider it cost $50 million to make and another $25 million to market.
Part of that might be lingering bad taste from the 1995 Sylvester Stallone version,
Judge Dredd, but much of it had to do with bad timing: just a year earlier, the cult
hit The Raid: Redemption featured almost the exact same plot, leading many fans to consider
Dredd a second rate copy.
"Judgment time!"
Whatever the reasons for its theatrical failure, nothing could keep Dredd down once it hit
the home market, where it became an instant success.
Dredd sold 650,000 copies in the first week it was available on DVD and Blu-ray, and by
2017, its total video sales earnings topped the $20 million mark, leading to rumors of
a possible revival of the franchise.
"I am the law."
The Chronicles of Riddick
After first appearing in the 2000 film Pitch Black, Vin Diesel reprised the role of Richard
B. Riddick in the 2004 sci-fi epic The Chronicles of Riddick.
With a budget of $120 million, it needed to be a hit just to break even.
It wasn't, and it didn't, earning just $115 million worldwide.
Diesel was even nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst Actor for his effort.
Eventually, though, fans caught on and slowly turned The Chronicles of Riddick into a cult
hit, eventually spawning a 2013 sequel, as well as numerous books, action figures, and
even video games.
"I bow to no man."
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
It may be the movie with the longest-ever theatrical run, but The Rocky Horror Picture
Show bombed during its initial release in 1975.
Although it was based on a popular stage musical, the film adaptation earned only $21,245 in
its opening weekend.
The studio yanked the film from most locations, but one exec had a brilliant idea: why not
run it as one of the midnight shows in the Waverly Theatre in New York City?
Literally overnight, it became a hit with the Waverly crowd, who just a few months later
turned it into an interactive experience by shouting improvised lines at the screen and
singing along.
The midnight showings soon spread to other theaters around the country, along with the
habit of shouted audience "call-backs."
Eventually, dedicated fans began to form "shadow-cast" performance troupes—acting out the film
in costume on stage as the movie plays out on the big screen behind them.
Within a year, Rocky Horror went from a box-office bomb to a cult sensation that's still going
strong over 40 years later.
"I see you shiver, with antici ---"
"--- pation!"
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