By definition, a box-office bomb or flop is a movie that performed poorly upon release at the box office, regardless of whether it is critically acclaimed, becomes a beloved cult classic, or is abhorrently loathed by all.
Usually, poor performances at the box office can be down to bad or limited marketing of the movie, which would include the movie's posters. But what if the poster was actually good? In this case, doing terribly at the box office could be down to being overshadowed by another more anticipated movie, bad timing, or an unfortunately limited release.
The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen (1988)
Monty Python star and animator Terry Gilliam is also known for directing and writing rather surreal movies. One such example is The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, which sees the eccentric titular character tell the rather fantastical tales of his adventures. But due to a limited international release, the movie bombed at the box office. Despite this, critics loved it and it went on to receive four Academy Award nominations.
The movie's poster is true to Gilliam's cutout animation style as seen in Monty Python, and it's a bizarrely wonderful and theatrical work of art. Munchausen's giant mustached grin atop the hot air balloon is extremely eye-catching and overall, it's a really fun poster to look at.
Titan A.E. (2000)
With a great voice cast and co-directed by nostalgic animation icon Don Bluth, it's strange to think that Titan A.E. did poorly in the box office. It might due to the fact that it was a 2D animated movie at a time where CGI movies were starting to take over. Despite its mixed response, it has become a cult classic over time, and with its great story, it certainly deserves a reboot.
Regardless, the movie's poster is great and akin to that of a comic book. It's action-packed, bold in color and design, and just screams "awesome space adventure." It would look great on anyone's wall.
Donnie Darko (2001)
The cult hit Donnie Darko is an example of a box-office bomb due to unfortunate timing. Because of the then-recent 9/11 attacks, and the trailer featuring a plane crash, the movie was d very little and had a limited theatrical release. Despite this, the movie was well-received by critics and it is still a popular movie today.
The movie's poster is successful because not only is it iconic but it captures the bizarre and wonderfully dark tones of the movie. With a limited and dark color palette, the infamous Frank's head is made up of characters and key elements of the movie. It should be an overcrowded mess, but it isn't, and it works well.
Grindhouse (2007)
Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino paid tribute to the exploitation films of the '70s with zombie horror Planet Terror and action-thriller Grindhouse. Despite positive reviews and popularity from fans, it was a surprise box office bomb. This might have been due to the unusual and slightly niche double-feature format, making it a three-hour watch in total.
As it is a double feature, the movie's poster presents it as such. The graphics and bold color palette are reminiscent of old horror movies and it's eye-catching. But what's particularly great about them is that all three posters are successful both on their own and as part of a set.
Man On The Moon (1999)
Jim Carrey in one of his best movies. The film wasn't well-received commercially and had mixed reviews, but Carrey's portrayal of Kaufman was unanimously praised and it bagged him a Golden Globe.
Partly what makes Man on the Moon's movie poster so effective is the use of negative space. With Carrey standing in front of a large red stage curtain with only a small spotlight on his face, it captures the essence of both the movie and Kaufman himself. Another reason why this poster is brilliant is how its tagline ingeniously breaks the fourth wall. Not many posters do this.
Treasure Planet (2002)
Treasure Planet is an extremely overlooked Disney classic. Turning the famous Treasure Island story into a galactic adventure, it is action-packed, heartfelt, has a wonderful cast of characters, and is visually stunning to watch. The movie's poster captures its essence to perfection - not only is it beautiful to look at, but it reflects Jim Hawkin's awe and want for adventure in the vast and stunning setting of space.
Unfortunately, due to the decline of 2D animation at Disney, and with films released that year such as the critically acclaimed This Disney gem definitely deserves more attention than it has.
Winnie The Pooh (2011)
Winnie the Pooh is one of the most famous and beloved franchises to date. Although successful with critics, the 2011 animated movie wasn't successful in the box office. This is because it was released at the same time as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - such a highly anticipated film would be difficult for even a Disney animated feature to compete with.
The movie's poster utilizes Pooh's famous yet insatiable appetite for honey, and it does so in the sweetest way (pun not intended). Pooh and his friends are afloat in a giant honeypot. With the use of color and negative space, the beloved Disney characters are given a modern update that does not take away from the nostalgic wholesome charm.
Pixels (2015)
The premise of Pixels -- aliens attacking Earth in the form of retro video game characters such as Pac-Man and Space Invaders -- sounds really good at first. But the film ended up becoming a box office flop and was received negatively by both audiences and critics. This might be due to the movie's star. People either love or hate Adam Sandler, who is notorious for making and starring in widely panned movies, and that alone may have put people off.
Pixels was a great concept poorly executed, but there is no denying that it has some fantastic posters. With gigantic versions of retro video game characters attacking recognizable landmark cities, they look like they should be graphic novel covers.
The BFG (2016)
With Disney and Steven Speilberg at the helm of a beloved Roald Dahl classic, Finding Dory. But with beautiful effects and Mark Ruffalo's charming performance as the titular giant, the movie mostly did well with critics.
With this in mind, this particular poster captures the magical charm and the essence of the movie. Viewers know it's the BFG, but it doesn't fully give away what he looks like, adding a sense of magic, mystery, and wonder to the piece. It's delightful to look at overall.
Idiocracy (2006)
Idiocracy is a smart, underrated comedy movie about a soldier of average intelligence accidentally frozen 500 years into the future, only to find that human intellect has declined so much that he is effectively the smartest man alive. Because of limited audience screenings and no prior critic screenings, the movie undeservedly became a box-office bomb. Despite this, the movie has been well-received since and has become a cult classic.
The movie's poster takes the iconic Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci and transforms him into a pot-bellied yet happy couch potato. It's a very witty, comical, and well-executed design that perfectly sums up what the movie is about, and is a good example of simple yet effective.
