DreamWorks Studios have churned out some of the most beloved animated feature films in recent years. From the wilds of Madagascar to the insular slums of a derelict high fantasy swamp, they have put out some of the most successful movies of the twenty-first century and are second only in the minds of most filmgoers to Disney/Pixar. Of course, like anything, where there are successes, there must be failures to go along with them and DreamWorks certainly has had their fair share of mistakes. While most of these underperforming films have either been forgotten or swept under the rug, there are a surprising couple of films which audience may still despite their mediocre box office performances. Everyone re Shrek and Kung Fu Panda, but only true DreamWorks fans can say they recall seeing something like Chicken Run or Rise of the Guardians in theaters. Yet, even when they fail, DreamWorks almost always seems to find a way to bounce back.
Though the quality of their films is more or less consistent, the same cannot be said about their box office revenue. The moviegoing public seems to be fickle and, though they often complain about constant subjection to prequels and sequels to familiar franchises, it's what they flock to see. With that in mind, and looking specifically at a movie's domestic box office earnings, here are 10 DreamWorks movies that completely flopped in theaters (and 10 which became surprisingly massive hits).
Flop: The Prince of Egypt (Box Office: $101,413,188)
DreamWorks second ever outing in theaters, The Prince of Egypt was a 1998 religious-themed feature film which explored the life of the biblical figure Moses. An odd framework for a movie considering the subject matter of some of the films which would later bring the studio success, this project would go on to be the tenth least successful expenditure in DreamWorks history. That said, it was by no means unsuccessful and it managed to just cross the hundred million dollar threshold, no small feat for an animated movie releasing before the turn of the century. Something of a cult classic these days, the studio has long since given up on the hand-drawn animation style present in this work.
Hit: The Croods (Box Office: $187,168,425)
Releasing in 2013, The Croods was a surprisingly heartfelt, comedic take on a neolithic family of cavemen suppressed by their fear of the unknown. The family’s father figure, voiced by Nicholas Cage, stifles his family from the wonders of their world as a result of his crushing fear of danger and the movie explores his children's journey to overcome these issues. It is surprisingly deep for a PG-rated movie and it is the second highest grossing DreamWorks film to never receive a proper sequel (at least, not yet). While there are definitely more recognizable and memorable films in the studio’s filmography, The Croods is a slightly underrated piece which actually does have a follow up in the works said to be slated for a 2020 release.
Flop: Antz (Box Office $90,757,863)
Debuting during a time in which fully-animated 3D movies were still in their infancy, Antz was DreamWorks’ first official box office outing and it didn’t do all that well when compared to what the studio would later produce. Telling the story of a peculiar ant named Z, voiced by Woody Allen, Antz explores the struggle of a unique individual trying to cope with life in a strict, regulated society. Though it shows potential, it didn’t review all that well, and is mostly ed for its relatively poor visuals. While 1995’s Toy Story proved to be the benchmark for all animated feature films to follow, DreamWorks first widespread release didn’t quite compare. Lacking the charm and adorable appeal for Pixar’s work, 1998 wouldn’t prove to be DreamWorks greatest year.
Hit: Madagascar ($193,595,521)
The 2005 classic kids film Madagascar follows the story of four Central Park Zoo animals which dream of breaking free of their confinements and living in the wild. Though they enjoy the iration of the zoo-goers, they soon find themselves in over their heads once they stow away aboard a cargo ship bound for the West African island of Madagascar. Grossing just south of $200 million, Madagascar was a total hit for DreamWorks which spawned a set of sequels, a spinoff, and a Nickelodeon TV series. Though everyone thinks of green ogres and unnaturally short kings when they think of the studio, Madagascar comes in as a close second. We last heard from the series in 2014 with the release of Penguins of Madagascar.
Flop: Penguins of Madagascar (Box Office $83,350,911)
Speaking of 2014’s Penguins of Madagascar, it didn’t do nearly as well as the franchise’s debut, and it ended up being the worst performing outing in series history. Focusing on the original film’s famous band of secret agent penguins, the movie follows the efforts of an underground arctic animal intelligence agency known as the North Wind to foil the plot of a deranged squid named Dave… yes, seriously. Unsurprisingly, audiences weren’t drawn in by this spin-off and, despite the outward humor of the project, it ended up being the eighth least successful movie to be released by DreamWorks. It also bears one of the worst Metacritic scores of any DreamWorks film and is probably the least beloved entry in this otherwise well-loved series of movies.
Hit: Monsters vs. Aliens (Box Office $198,351,526)
Monsters vs. Aliens was a 2012 outing put together by DreamWorks which focused pretty heavily on the 3D movie trend of the era, though it also debut in non-3D formats. Riding on the coattails of the 3D mega-success of James Cameron’s Avatar, Monsters vs. Aliens brought in just under $200 million and stands as one of the highest-earning films in studio history. A parody and celebration of schlocky 50s monster movies, the movie explored the very human concept of loneliness and isolation in a world in which nobody can relate to you. Yet, when an alien race threatens to overthrow humanity, these monsters find their calling and it all works out for the best, even if the audience had to wear 3D glasses to get the full effect of the film.
Flop: Turbo (Box Office $83,028,128)
With a premise about as ridiculous as they come, 2014’s Turbo didn’t seem to have a leg to stand on relative to DreamWorks more successful properties. Telling the story of a snail desperate to add some speed to his slow, monotonous life, it echoes the story beats previously explored by the equally underwhelming Antz. This time, however, the main character finds himself in an incredible situation as he is imbued with special powers after being sucked into a car’s engine. This isn’t exactly the most relatable story, though the outsider-in-a-normative-world gambit comes off as pretty trite and wears thin in the first twenty or so minutes of the film. It isn’t an out-and-out bad time and it certainly made a decent amount of money, but it doesn’t quite have the same appeal as some of DreamWorks’ more successful products.
Hit: Kung Fu Panda (Box Office: $215,434,591)
2008’s DreamWorks classic Kung Fu Panda was a left-field success which featured Jack Black championing his role as a panda struggling to fulfill his destiny of becoming a Kung Fu master. A surprisingly uplifting tale centered on the virtues of self-confidence, Kung Fu Panda went on to rake in a cool $215 million at the box office and spawned a pair of numerically-titled sequels which nearly outperformed their predecessor. Much like the Madagascar series of films, Kung Fu Panda was also adapted into a Nickelodeon show, though, much like the Madagascar TV series, it isn’t all that well ed. Though later iterations may have been almost successful financially, most fans won’t be quick to refer to these films as a trilogy, rather as the original and its set of iterative cash-in films.
Flop: Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie ($73,921,000)
The first feature-length movie adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s famous turn-of-the-century children’s book series of the same name, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie was a fairly faithful conversion which seemed to capture much of what made the original stories so enthralling. However, for whatever reason, that didn’t exactly translate into success at the box office and the underwear-clad hero would end up helming the sixth-least financially successful DreamWorks movie. Though it was marketed to children, the source material would likely have been more familiar to high school and college students, as the property would have been in its prime when they were younger. That said, the movie lacked the creative flair present in the novels and felt just a little too corporate for its own good.
Hits: Madagascar 3 (Box Office $216,391,482)
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted was billed as the dramatic return of the original four zoo animals after the six year hiatus following the release of the second Madagascar film. Though that one didn’t turn out to be all that memorable, the third installment in this anthropomorphic zoo animal trilogy made quite a statement. The most financially successful movie based on the property and the fifth highest-earning film in DreamWorks history, Madagascar 3 went over extraordinarily well. This time around, the animals were tasked with recovering the rogue penguin group which was featured in previous movies and what follows is a multi-city chase across the continent of Europe. While it is definitely worth a watch, most younger viewers will probably it primarily because of the semi-obnoxious ‘afro polkadot’ marketing.
