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THREE Steven Spielberg films FLOP in a row!

posted 2 years ago by ReelReviews14 (1220)
12 replies | jump to latest

The BFG (2016)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
The BFG grossed $55.5 million in North America, against a production budget of $140 million. The BFG is one of the lowest-grossing films of Spielberg's career, specifically in North America and, when accounting for inflation, one of the year's biggest flops.

West Side Story (2021)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
The film needed an estimated $300 million just in order to break even. The film grossed $76 million against a $100 million production budget, making it a huge box-office bomb.

The Fabelmans (2022)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
The Fabelmans underperformed and was labeled a box-office bomb, grossing only $35 million against a $40 million budget. Variety called the projections "a disappointing result for a $40 million movie, especially one that hails from the most successful director of his time"

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Yikes... while a *Spielberg* film HAS failed at the Box Office in the past (e.g., "1941" was a disappointment when Spielberg directed it back in the 70s!), such an event has been a EXTREMELY RARE phenomena in the past, occurring only once in a blue moon. Spielberg is the GOLD STANDARD in Hollywood, THE biggest name "Hollywood director" in the industry today, and something like 7 out of 10 of the highest grossing films OF ALL TIME are Steven Spielberg pictures.

This guy striking out THREE TIMES IN A ROW... completely shocking... has Spielberg lost his mojo?

[–] christomacin (4658) 2 years ago

Ready Player One (2018) came after BFG and was a hit - so three out of four, not three in a row. Still pretty dire results.

[–] Porsche911 (3603) 2 years ago

Ready Player One did not do well here at home, however did much better overseas.
Clearly his latest films are not very good!!

[–] pjl69 (2647) 2 years ago

Haven't seen West side story or The Fabelmans, but box office numbers aren't indication of a good movie. Otherwise Avatar and bunch of Marvel movies would be the best movies there is.

[–] christomacin (4658) 2 years ago

Don't disagree with that, but it can effect funding for future films, which could start to become even more difficult than it already is.

[–] HarlemEagle42 (17800) 2 years ago

He should had directed that Blackhawk movie for DC Films when it was first announced. Something fantastical and fun for once instead of this schmaltzy Oscar-bait shit he's been doing for the last eight years.

[–] agaete2305 (386) 2 years ago

I think people just don't care about Spielberg's dramas, people want to see science fiction

[–] Rusty (548) 2 years ago

This. His dramas are mediocre. Spielberg is best when he’s blowing your mind.

He should make something like Minority Report. That was a cracking thriller with great ideas and awesome action scenes. He could make something like that now without a mega-budget.

[–] Jes' Sayin' (6375) 2 years ago

Wasn't a flop around this house. Rather this best film in years, which is all that should matter to anyone, really.

[–] SteveG (1370) 2 years ago

Surprisingly his collaborations with Tom Cruise didn't really blow up either even though I think they are good films. They were moderate successes at best but I am sure from a studio perspective they were disappointments. Remember that even great directors only have 3 great films in them. A lot of times they come in the beginning of their careers.

[–] filmgeek99 (656) a year ago

I don't think he's lost his mojo, just that his sensibilities are a bit out of touch with modern moviegoers. Today, there just isn't as much an appetite for the kind of old-fashioned, sentimental, uplifting crowd pleasers that once made Spielberg the king of mainstream Hollywood. Audiences now either want dark, morally challenging dramas that forgo the classical notion of good vs. evil (Parasite, Game of Thrones). That, or sarcastic, self-referential action spectacles that put greater emphasis on wit and humor over genuine emotions (Marvel, Fast and Furious).

I think with a bit of hindsight, these recent flops of Spielberg will be given greater appreciation overtime, but the current tastes of audiences now are just far too removed from the kinds of films Steven grew up with and likes to make. It happens to all the greats within a given period of time (Frank Capra, Alfred Hitchcock), but even their lesser works often receive greater acclaim in the years after their passing, and I think this will be the case with many of Spielberg's recent films.

[–] TrentnQuarantino (9187) a year ago

He doesn't need to worry about box-office, and movies like this eventually make their money back in streaming. I wouldn't worry about it. Personally I've never thought that highly of the babyish movies Speilberg has done. Never one of my favorite directors.

[–] retieredactor (946) a year ago

Imho films like War of the Worlds or Minority Report has not held up well… The Fabelmans was terrible same as the The Post.