The Year's Biggest Box Office Turkeys

Box office figures have been down this year to such an extent that even the hits are considered a disappointment. "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1," which scored the year's biggest opening at $121.8 million, made 23 percent less during its debut weekend than last year's "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire." It's a figure that has caused some to question the franchise's future viability -- "Can the franchise rebound?" wrote Steven Zeitchik in a sky-is-falling piece for the Los Angeles Times -- but at least Lionsgate shareholders and Katniss Everdeen supporters can take solace in the fact that they aren't on this list. Ahead, 11 of the year's most notable box office misses. It's turkey time (gobble gobble).

"Men, Women & Children"

box office bombs

Total theaters: 608Total gross: $705,908

Jason Reitman's "Labor Day" was considered a huge flop, and that film grossed 19 times more than "Men, Women & Children." Released on Oct. 1, the much maligned drama will arrive on Blu-ray in December.

"Wish I Was Here"

wish i was here movie

Total theaters: 753Total gross: $3,591,299

Zach Braff raised $3.1 million on Kickstarter to make "Wish I Was Here," partially on the expectation that he would deliver another "Garden State." Financially, at least, he did not: "Garden State" earned seven times what "Wish I Was Here" did in North American theaters.

"Bad Words"

bad words bateman

Total theaters: 1,074Total gross: $7,779,614

Not that anyone expected "Bad Words" to make "Horrible Bosses" money, but at $7.7 million it earned even less than the forgotten "Extract," which starred Bateman and a then-hirsute Ben Affleck.

"Vampire Academy"

vampire academy

Total theaters: 2,676Total gross: $7,791,979

Neither the new "Mean Girls" nor next "Twilight," "Vampire Academy" grossed under $8 million in total at the box office. A crowdfunded sequel was initially planned, but the gambit only raised 17 percent of its goal. Whether a second film happens is now unclear.

"Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return"

legends of oz

Total theaters: 2,658Total gross: $8,462,027

"Legends of Oz" was legendary, but not in the way its investors likely hoped. The film scored the worst-ever opening for an animated feature debuting on more than 2,500 screens.

"Sabotage"

sabotage

Total theaters: 2,486Total gross: $10,508,518

He'll be back? "Sabotage" was Arnold Schwarzenegger's lowest grossing movie in 29 years. It even made less money than "The Last Stand."

"Winter's Tale"

winters tale colin farrell

Total theaters: 2,965Total gross: $12,600,231

Will Smith is in this movie! (He plays Lucifer.)

"Frank Miller's Sin City: A Dame to Kill For"

sin city 2

Total theaters: 2,894Total gross: $13,757,804

The original "Sin City" film grossed $11.8 million on its opening day in 2005. The sequel made $13.7 million ... in 49 days.

"I, Frankenstein"

i frankenstein

Total theaters: 2,753Total gross: $19,075,290

Audiences, not interested.

"Transcendence"

transcendence

Total theaters: 3,455Total gross: $23,022,309

At $10.8 million, "Transcendence" had the 48th-worst saturated opening ever (more than 3,000 theaters). That puts the $100-million budgeted Johnny Depp film in league with Taylor Lautner's "Abduction" (49th) and Stephenie Meyer's "The Host" (47th). Lo for the days of even "The Lone Ranger."

"Pompeii"

pompeii

Total theaters: 2,658Total gross: $23,219,748

Ashes to ashes.

Before You Go

"Heaven's Gate," 1980

14 Box Office Flops

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