Movies That Flopped After Heavy “Empowerment” Marketing

As a movie lover, I’ve noticed a big change in how studios are marketing films lately. They’re really pushing stories about social issues and characters finding their power, which is great in theory. But honestly, it hasn’t always translated into ticket sales. I’ve seen a lot of big-budget films with strong marketing campaigns focused on these themes that just didn’t perform well in theaters. This is a rundown of thirty of those films – the ones that really underperformed despite all the hype around their empowering messages.

‘The Marvels’ (2023)

‘The Marvels’ continues the story from the popular 2019 film ‘Captain Marvel’ and brings in characters from various Disney+ shows. The movie’s promotion focused on the teamwork of its three main female characters and the idea of women working together. However, despite being part of the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, it had the worst opening weekend of any Marvel movie. High production costs and the need for extra filming ultimately led to financial losses for the studio.

‘Madame Web’ (2024)

‘Madame Web’ stars Dakota Johnson as a paramedic who can see the future, and tells the story of how she discovers her powers. The movie was promoted as a team-up of female superheroes exploring the idea of fate within the Spider-Man world. However, critics generally disliked it, pointing to problems with the writing and how the film was put together. Ultimately, ‘Madame Web’ didn’t perform well in theaters, earning much less money than expected.

‘The 355’ (2022)

‘The 355’ is an action-packed spy thriller about a team of skilled female agents from around the world who must recover a dangerous weapon. While the film celebrated the diverse backgrounds and unique talents of its leading actresses, it didn’t perform well at the box office. This was likely due to mixed reviews and competition from other big action movies released at the same time.

‘Charlie’s Angels’ (2019)

Elizabeth Banks directed the 2019 ‘Charlie’s Angels’ reboot, hoping to update the story with a strong emphasis on the bond between women. The film was heavily promoted as a feminist take on the original TV show. However, it didn’t perform well in theaters, barely earning back its production costs before considering marketing. Experts suggested the film didn’t appeal to the wider audience it was intended for.

‘Ghostbusters’ (2016)

The 2016 film ‘Ghostbusters,’ sometimes called ‘Ghostbusters: Answer the Call,’ featured a completely new cast of female leads. Its marketing was marked by online debate and the studio had to publicly defend its casting decisions. Although critics generally liked the movie, it didn’t make enough money to cover its expensive production and advertising costs. It earned around $229 million, but needed to make $300 million to break even.

‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ (2019)

‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ aimed to continue the story directly after ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’, bringing back Linda Hamilton. The movie’s promotion highlighted its three main female characters and their mission to save the future. While some viewers thought it was as good as previous installments, the film didn’t connect with longtime fans and ultimately lost the studios over $100 million.

‘Mulan’ (2020)

Disney’s live-action ‘Mulan’ moved away from the songs and musical numbers of the animated classic, opting for a more realistic story about a woman finding her strength and upholding her family’s honor. The film’s release was difficult due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so Disney released it on Disney+ with a special premium fee, as well as in theaters. The movie also sparked debate over where it was filmed and how accurately it portrayed history. Despite doing well internationally, it didn’t earn enough money to cover its large $200 million production cost.

‘Strange World’ (2022)

Disney’s ‘Strange World’ tells the story of a family’s exciting journey into a world beneath the surface. While the movie was promoted for its diverse characters and forward-thinking ideas, it unfortunately performed very poorly in theaters, losing around $150 million. Many reviewers felt that the film’s focus on its message sometimes got in the way of a compelling story for most viewers.

‘Bros’ (2022)

The movie ‘Bros’ was promoted as a groundbreaking romantic comedy with a completely LGBTQ+ cast, highlighting its importance as a milestone in representation. While critics generally liked the film, it didn’t attract many moviegoers and underperformed at the box office, earning less than $15 million in the US despite costing $22 million to make and advertise.

‘Lightyear’ (2022)

Okay, so ‘Lightyear’ – the movie that’s supposed to tell us how Buzz Lightyear became the legend – definitely didn’t soar at the box office like a Pixar film usually does. I think the marketing tried to highlight the film’s inclusivity, which was great to see with a same-sex couple featured prominently, but it also might have confused audiences. There was a lot of competition from other family-friendly movies, and honestly, I think a lot of people just didn’t quite get what this movie was – a fictional backstory to a toy, not a continuation of the ‘Toy Story’ world. It just didn’t reach the financial heights we’ve come to expect from Pixar, which is a real shame.

‘Dark Phoenix’ (2019)

‘Dark Phoenix’ tells the story of Jean Grey becoming incredibly powerful, but also dangerous, within the X-Men. Marketing for the film focused on its strong female characters and a changing of the guard within the team. The movie faced production problems, including delays and a lot of re-shooting, which drove up the cost. Ultimately, ‘Dark Phoenix’ performed poorly at the box office, becoming the lowest-earning film in the ‘X-Men’ series and causing a significant financial loss for 20th Century Fox.

‘West Side Story’ (2021)

Steven Spielberg’s version of ‘West Side Story’ revisited the beloved musical, focusing on realistic portrayals and evolving the characters. The film’s promotion emphasized the strength and agency of its female leads, Anita and Maria, within the story’s setting. Though critics loved the movie and it received numerous Academy Award nominations, it didn’t perform well in theaters, failing to earn back its $100 million production cost during its first release.

‘Men in Black: International’ (2019)

‘Men in Black: International’ aimed to bring the sci-fi series back to life with Tessa Thompson as one of the lead agents. While the movie was promoted for featuring a female lead for the first time, critics didn’t like the story or the connection between the main actors. Ultimately, it earned significantly less money than previous ‘Men in Black’ films, and the studio decided to cancel any future plans for this new direction of the franchise.

‘The Last Duel’ (2021)

‘The Last Duel’ is a historical movie telling the story of a sexual assault case through the eyes of three different people, ultimately focusing on the victim’s experience. While promoted as a feminist look at how history has treated women and the problems within those systems, the film didn’t perform well at the box office, earning only $30 million globally. Experts believe its dark themes and difficulty connecting with audiences contributed to its lack of success, despite featuring well-known actors and receiving good reviews.

‘A Wrinkle in Time’ (2018)

Despite being promoted as a fresh take on the beloved book ‘A Wrinkle in Time,’ with a diverse cast and a female director, the movie received mixed reactions. While praised for its visuals, some found the story confusing. Ultimately, the film proved to be a financial disappointment for Disney, losing an estimated $130 million when factoring in marketing and distribution costs. The marketing campaign centered around themes of self-discovery and empowering young girls.

‘The Kitchen’ (2019)

‘The Kitchen’ features Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth Moss as the wives of mobsters who step up to run the family business while their husbands are away. The movie was marketed as a stylish and empowering story about women taking charge in a traditionally male world. However, critics didn’t like its uneven style and slow pace. Ultimately, the film wasn’t a success with viewers, earning only $15 million at the box office despite costing around $38 million to make.

‘Catwoman’ (2004)

The movie ‘Catwoman’ reimagined the character’s origins, straying from the traditional DC Comics storyline. Marketing emphasized Halle Berry’s portrayal of a confident and self-reliant Catwoman. However, the film was a major failure, both with critics and at the box office, and is often cited as one of the worst films ever made. It only earned $82 million worldwide, falling short of its $100 million production budget.

‘Elektra’ (2005)

‘Elektra’ is a sequel to ‘Daredevil’ centered around a highly skilled female assassin who unexpectedly takes on the role of protector for a father and his daughter, shielding them from dangerous, otherworldly killers. While promoted as an action-packed showcase for Jennifer Garner’s athleticism and the character’s abilities, the film received criticism for its simple storyline and underdeveloped characters. Ultimately, disappointing box office numbers led to the cancellation of any further ‘Elektra’ movies.

‘Ghost in the Shell’ (2017)

‘Ghost in the Shell’ is a live-action movie based on the popular manga series, with Scarlett Johansson playing a cyborg soldier. The movie’s promotion focused on the character’s quest to discover her origins and find herself. However, the film sparked controversy due to the casting of a white actress in a traditionally Asian role, which drew attention away from the marketing. Ultimately, the movie was a financial disappointment, earning $169 million at the box office but costing over $250 million to make and promote.

‘Red Sparrow’ (2018)

In ‘Red Sparrow,’ Jennifer Lawrence plays a Russian ballerina forced into a secret spy program. The movie’s promotion focused on her regaining control of her body and using her intelligence to defeat her opponents. Although it didn’t lose money, the film didn’t perform as well as expected, considering Jennifer Lawrence’s popularity. Its intense and violent scenes kept many moviegoers from seeing it in theaters.

‘The Huntsman: Winter’s War’ (2016)

‘The Huntsman: Winter’s War’ continues the story of ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ while also going back to explore events that happened before. The movie’s advertising highlighted the intense rivalry between the powerful female characters played by Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt, and Jessica Chastain. However, despite featuring a talented cast, the film received criticism for having a repetitive storyline and a lack of clear direction. As a result, it earned much less money than the first movie and was ultimately a financial disappointment for the studio.

‘Sucker Punch’ (2011)

‘Sucker Punch’ follows a young woman who escapes into a fantasy world while in a mental institution. Director Zack Snyder promoted the movie as a powerful story about women overcoming adversity with exciting action sequences and mental strength. However, many critics felt the film’s flashy visuals undermined its message, resulting in a very divided reaction. Ultimately, the movie didn’t make back its production costs in theaters.

‘Widows’ (2018)

‘Widows’ is a thrilling heist movie centered around four women who team up to pull off a robbery to settle the debts left behind by their late husbands. The film’s promotion focused on its empowering portrayal of women and how it challenged typical roles in crime stories. Despite receiving rave reviews, it didn’t perform well at the box office and ultimately wasn’t a major financial success.

‘Booksmart’ (2019)

‘Booksmart’ is a funny and heartfelt movie about two high school seniors celebrating their last night before graduation. It was promoted as a fresh, female-driven take on popular teen comedies like ‘Superbad’. Although critics loved the film and it sparked a lot of conversation, it didn’t initially do well in theaters. Eventually, it gained a wider audience through streaming, but its total earnings at the box office were lower than expected.

‘In the Heights’ (2021)

‘In the Heights’ is a movie based on Lin-Manuel Miranda’s popular musical, showcasing the lively culture of a neighborhood in Manhattan. The marketing emphasized inspiring the Latinx community and celebrating their aspirations. Despite being released both in cinemas and on HBO Max, the film didn’t perform well at the box office, which surprised many industry watchers considering its positive reviews.

‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ (2024)

‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ tells the story of how the fierce warrior Furiosa became the leader we see in ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’. The movie follows her escape from captivity and rise to power in the brutal desert landscape. While critics and fans generally liked the film, it didn’t earn as much money during its opening weekend as expected. Because it was a very expensive movie to make, it needed a bigger initial box office success.

‘Wish’ (2023)

Disney released ‘Wish’ as a celebration of its 100th anniversary. The movie centers on a determined young woman who wishes upon the stars to help her community. While the marketing highlighted her as a beacon of hope, the film received mixed reviews, with many critics finding it overly reliant on familiar Disney themes. Unfortunately, ‘Wish’ didn’t perform well in theaters, continuing a recent pattern of challenges for Disney’s animated films.

‘Battle of the Sexes’ (2017)

The movie ‘Battle of the Sexes’ tells the real story of the famous 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. While promoted as a celebration of King’s efforts for equal rights and her own personal growth, the film wasn’t a commercial success. Despite good acting by Emma Stone and Steve Carell, it only earned $18 million worldwide, falling short of its $25 million production cost.

‘Proud Mary’ (2018)

Taraji P. Henson plays a skilled assassin in ‘Proud Mary,’ and her life takes an unexpected turn when she connects with a young boy. The film’s promotion leaned heavily on the style of 1970s blaxploitation movies, emphasizing the character’s dangerous abilities. Unfortunately, the studio didn’t allow critics to see the film beforehand, which often suggests a lack of faith in the project. Ultimately, ‘Proud Mary’ received poor reviews and didn’t perform well in theaters.

Share your thoughts on these films and their marketing strategies in the comments.

2026-01-08 13:18