Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The two that immediately came to mind are THE KARATE KID remake from a few years ago, and AFTER EARTH, both obviously intended to make Will Smith's son a star. TKK was just a mediocre flick that left me wanting more Jackie Chan. Still haven't seen AFTER EARTH, but it was definitely a bomb.
But really, movies designed to "breakout" a star are almost dead. These days, Hollywood is more interested in the franchise itself. Studios no longer build stars so much as build brands. It's why we've had 2 Spider-Mans in 10 years, and according to rumor may be about to get a third. It's why there will still be Batman and Star Trek movies long after the original stars are dead.
I don't know what the Brandon Routh - Superman people were thinking - or why Kevin Spacey went along with it. (BUT... It did gross 200M [almost break-even] so somebody liked it.)
I would also add...
The Villain (1979) Schwarzenegger actually survived this movie to go on to a career. I imagine Kirk Douglas just hangs his head in shame. (I couldn't walk out because my friends were enjoying it. Later I had to consider getting new friends.)
Tarzan, the Ape Man (1981)
It's Pat: The Movie (1994)
The Monster (1994) A smash in Italy, but a bomb here. Roberto Benigni couldn't get any traction here. Then he tried again with... Life Is Beautiful (1997) which did much better in America.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
