Movies That Ruined The Careers Of Their Stars

A Hollywood career can often live or die based on one key role. While some actors recover from flops, others find a single film permanently damages their reputation and career prospects. These movies are often pointed to by experts as the turning point where an actor or director’s career stalled or faded from prominence. This list highlights thirty examples of films that dramatically changed the professional futures of their leading stars and directors.

‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ (1937)

Adriana Caselotti famously voiced and sang for the main character in this groundbreaking animated movie. After the film became a hit, Walt Disney allegedly made her sign a contract that stopped her from doing other voice work or acting roles. He wanted to keep the character’s voice completely unique, and this decision unfortunately limited Caselotti’s career. For many years, she didn’t receive much recognition for her work and was primarily known only for this one role, until later in her life.

‘The Conqueror’ (1956)

John Wayne’s performance as Genghis Khan in this historical film received a lot of criticism and is often considered a major miscasting. This negatively impacted his usually reliable box office success. The film also became infamous because it was filmed near a nuclear test site in Utah. Later, reports suggested that the cast and crew experienced health problems potentially linked to radioactive fallout, which sadly affected Wayne for the rest of his life.

‘Mommie Dearest’ (1981)

Faye Dunaway gave a bold and dramatic performance as Joan Crawford in this film, which was based on Christina Crawford’s book about her mother. Though it has since become a cult classic, critics initially criticized Dunaway’s acting as over-the-top. This negative reaction hurt her career, and she began to appear less often in leading roles for major film studios.

‘Superman IV: The Quest for Peace’ (1987)

As a Superman fan, it was really disappointing to see Christopher Reeve’s last outing as the Man of Steel. It was made by Cannon Films and, honestly, it just didn’t live up to the first two movies. They clearly didn’t have enough money, and the special effects looked really bad. It pretty much killed the original Superman film series, and it sadly stalled Reeve’s career as a big action hero. After that, he mostly did TV shows and smaller, independent films, until the terrible accident that changed everything for him.

‘The Godfather Part III’ (1990)

Sofia Coppola stepped into the role of Mary Corleone when Winona Ryder unexpectedly had to leave the film. Unfortunately, critics were very harsh on her performance, describing it as unpolished and stiff. The negative attention was so strong that it led her to stop acting and instead pursue directing, a path where she achieved great success and even won an Academy Award.

‘Showgirls’ (1995)

Elizabeth Berkley tried to move from being a popular teen star on TV to more mature roles in this controversial film. However, it was heavily criticized when it came out, and Berkley received much of the blame for her bold performance. She reportedly lost her talent agency soon after, and struggled to find significant film roles for years. Though the movie later developed a dedicated fan base, Berkley’s career as a leading actress never quite bounced back.

‘Cutthroat Island’ (1995)

Geena Davis appeared in a costly pirate movie that unfortunately became a massive financial failure. This flop contributed to the bankruptcy of the production company Carolco Pictures and marked the end of Davis’s career as a leading action star. Despite having won an Academy Award and receiving positive reviews previously, the film was seen as evidence that she couldn’t successfully headline big-budget movies. As a result, she shifted her focus to television and roles in smaller projects.

‘Jade’ (1995)

David Caruso was already well-known for his role on ‘NYPD Blue’ when he decided to try a career in movies. However, his first big film, an erotic thriller, wasn’t successful with critics or audiences. This quickly stalled his attempt to become a movie star. Years later, he went back to television and found success again with ‘CSI: Miami’.

‘Mallrats’ (1995)

Shannen Doherty was already a well-known actress, especially after leaving ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’, when she starred in this Kevin Smith comedy. Unfortunately, the movie didn’t do well in theaters, and Doherty later said people in the industry blamed her for its failure. This setback significantly hindered her chances of becoming a leading film star while she was still popular on television. As a result, she mostly worked on TV shows and movies released directly to video for the next several years.

‘Speed 2: Cruise Control’ (1997)

Okay, so when they made the sequel, Keanu Reeves decided not to come back, and Jason Patric stepped in as the lead. Honestly, it just didn’t work. Everyone pretty much trashed it – it felt really slow, and Patric and the female lead had zero chemistry. It totally missed the energy of the first movie. People thought Patric was way too subdued for a big summer action flick, and it kind of derailed his chances of becoming a huge star. After that, he mostly focused on smaller, independent films and more character-driven roles, which is a shame, because he could have been big.

‘Batman & Robin’ (1997)

Chris O’Donnell starred as Robin in a superhero sequel that was heavily criticized for being overly silly and focused on marketing. Though George Clooney’s career wasn’t harmed by the film’s poor reception, O’Donnell’s rising star quickly faded. The movie essentially ended the Batman film series for almost ten years and marked the end of O’Donnell’s appearances in large-scale action movies. He later found more steady work starring in popular television crime and drama shows.

‘Chairman of the Board’ (1998)

Carrot Top tried to become a movie star with this strange and unusual comedy, but it failed badly. The film made very little money and critics hated it, frequently ranking it among the worst movies of all time. This showed audiences that his prop comedy style didn’t work in a full-length movie. After this flop, he stopped trying to be a leading man and instead built a successful, long-running show in Las Vegas.

‘Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace’ (1999)

Jake Lloyd played young Anakin Skywalker when the ‘Star Wars’ series returned to the big screen. Unfortunately, after the movie came out, he faced harsh criticism and bullying from fans and reviewers who didn’t like the new films. This negativity and sudden fame were incredibly difficult for him, and he decided to stop acting at a young age. He has since shared that this period made his childhood very unhappy.

‘Battlefield Earth’ (2000)

John Travolta poured his energy and resources into making this movie, which was based on a novel by L. Ron Hubbard, and he even played the bad guy, Terl. Unfortunately, the film was a complete disaster, winning numerous Razzie Awards and becoming a joke within the film industry. The movie seriously damaged Travolta’s career, which had recently been boosted by ‘Pulp Fiction,’ as people began to doubt his choices as both an actor and a producer. Adding to the issues, the film’s connection to Scientology created ongoing public relations problems that affected his career for years to come.

‘Freddy Got Fingered’ (2001)

At the height of his popularity on MTV, Tom Green created, directed, and starred in this wildly silly comedy. Its over-the-top and often shocking humor turned off most critics and viewers, leading to harsh reviews. Though it gained a small, dedicated following, the film ultimately stalled Green’s career as a leading actor. The movie is now often used as an example of what happens when a performer is given complete creative freedom without guidance from experienced studio professionals.

‘Town & Country’ (2001)

This romantic comedy, starring Warren Beatty, was plagued by years of delays and went way over budget. Despite the high costs, it didn’t make much money at the box office and was widely criticized as an unsuccessful and outdated film, seen as a project designed to showcase its older stars. The movie essentially marked the end of Beatty’s time as a reliable box office attraction; he only directed one more film himself in the following twenty years.

‘Swept Away’ (2002)

Let’s talk about Madonna’s ‘Swept Away,’ a remake directed by her then-husband, Guy Ritchie. Honestly, it was a disaster. Critics, myself included, found Madonna’s performance incredibly stiff and unbelievable. The film flopped spectacularly at the box office, barely earning a million dollars here in the US, and it cleaned up at the Razzies – she even won Worst Actress. It was a pretty clear sign that her ambitions of becoming a serious dramatic film star just weren’t going to happen, and it effectively ended that chapter of her career.

‘The Adventures of Pluto Nash’ (2002)

Eddie Murphy’s sci-fi comedy was a major disappointment, becoming one of the biggest box office failures of the early 2000s. This failure significantly impacted his career, ending his streak of successful, big-budget comedy films. Although he continued to work, primarily through voice acting and some dramatic roles, it became much harder for him to lead expensive live-action movies, and studios became hesitant to invest heavily in projects built around his star power.

‘Pinocchio’ (2002)

After achieving international acclaim with ‘Life Is Beautiful,’ Roberto Benigni directed and starred in a live-action version of the classic story of Pinocchio. However, the choice of the 50-year-old Benigni to play the role of Pinocchio confused critics and led to overwhelmingly negative reviews – some review sites even gave the film a 0% rating. The movie flopped in most countries outside of Italy and significantly harmed Benigni’s reputation as a director, causing him to largely withdraw from international filmmaking for several years.

‘Boat Trip’ (2002)

After winning an Oscar for ‘Jerry Maguire,’ Cuba Gooding Jr. starred in a string of films that weren’t well-received, and this comedy was the low point. Critics and audiences strongly disliked it, citing harmful and outdated stereotypes. This film marked a turning point in Gooding Jr.’s career, effectively ending his run as a major star in high-profile Hollywood movies. He subsequently spent the next ten years primarily appearing in action films released directly to home video.

‘The Master of Disguise’ (2002)

Dana Carvey tried to revive his film career with a comedy featuring a lot of different characters, produced by Adam Sandler’s company. However, the movie received negative reviews for being too silly and didn’t showcase Carvey’s impressive talent for impressions in a way that connected with viewers. This flop essentially marked the end of his career as a movie star, and he stepped back from major film roles. Since then, he’s mostly focused on voice acting, stand-up, and making appearances on television.

‘Rollerball’ (2002)

After gaining attention for his role in ‘American Pie’, Chris Klein was chosen to star in a large-scale remake of a science fiction film. However, the production faced numerous problems, and the movie was a critical and commercial failure. Critics found Klein’s performance unengaging, and the film’s poor reception significantly hindered his career. He had difficulty landing leading roles in major films afterward and eventually returned to the ‘American Pie’ series.

‘Gigli’ (2003)

The romantic comedy starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez became a major media event because of their real-life romance. However, the film flopped badly with both audiences and critics, turning the couple into a national joke. Jennifer Lopez returned to her music, while Ben Affleck had to change his career path and become a director to rebuild his reputation. The film is still remembered as a prime example of how too much attention from the tabloids can ruin a movie’s chances of success.

‘Catwoman’ (2004)

After winning a historic Academy Award, Halle Berry starred in the superhero film ‘Catwoman,’ which was a critical and commercial failure. The movie strayed far from the original comic book and even earned Berry a Razzie Award, which she surprisingly accepted herself. ‘Catwoman’s’ poor performance slowed her career as an action star and led to talk of an ‘Oscar curse.’ Though she continued to work, Berry found it difficult to land leading roles in big-budget films for many years.

‘The Love Guru’ (2008)

This comedy marked Mike Myers’ attempt to start a new film series and was his first starring role in a live-action movie in years. However, it received harsh criticism for its offensive jokes and insensitive portrayal of other cultures, leading to poor ticket sales. After achieving huge success with ‘Austin Powers’, Myers quickly lost his prominence in Hollywood. He hasn’t led a major live-action movie released in theaters since.

‘The Spirit’ (2008)

Gabriel Macht wasn’t a well-known actor when he landed the lead role in this visually striking film directed by Frank Miller. However, the movie wasn’t successful with critics or audiences, who found it confusing and overly dramatic. Macht’s performance didn’t quite connect with viewers, and the film’s failure to launch his career as a major movie star. He ultimately achieved greater recognition and success with the television show ‘Suits’ instead.

‘Abduction’ (2011)

Taylor Lautner tried to launch an action movie career after his success with ‘Twilight’ in this film directed by John Singleton. However, critics weren’t convinced he could lead action movies outside of the ‘Twilight’ series, and the film didn’t do well in theaters. This led studios to doubt his potential as a major action star, and his movie roles decreased, prompting him to focus more on television and smaller projects.

‘John Carter’ (2012)

Taylor Kitsch had a huge chance to star in a big-budget Disney science fiction movie that was meant to kick off a new series of films. However, the movie flopped badly, becoming one of the biggest financial failures ever, and many people blamed Kitsch, suggesting he wasn’t a big enough star to carry the film. When his other big movie, ‘Battleship,’ also failed that same year, it seemed to confirm that he couldn’t lead a blockbuster. After that, he successfully reinvented himself as a solid character actor on TV, but his days as a leading man in major films were over.

‘Jupiter Ascending’ (2015)

The movie starring Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis was a big, bold science fiction film that didn’t go over well with audiences or critics when it came out. It wasn’t a success at the box office, and its unusual style hurt Tatum’s chances of becoming a leading man in sci-fi action movies. Kunis also changed course, focusing more on voice work and smaller comedic roles. While both actors continued to find success, this film effectively ended any plans for a major franchise built around them.

‘The Last Face’ (2016)

Sean Penn’s romantic drama received a very negative reaction when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, with audiences actually booing and laughing. Critics found the film insensitive and felt it misused a war-torn environment simply to tell a superficial love story. This harsh criticism significantly harmed Penn’s standing as a respected director and slowed down his work behind the camera. Since then, he’s largely focused on acting and his humanitarian efforts, and hasn’t directed many high-profile films.

Tell us which of these career-altering films surprised you the most in the comments.

2026-02-05 07:18