Don’t worry, Tom Cruise, you’re in great company among iconic films that bombed at the box office, only to eventually find their audience as cult classics.
Cruise’s latest film, Digger, written and directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, hasn’t quite drawn the theater crowds expected for an epic about the world’s most powerful man embarking on a frantic mission to prove he’s humanity’s savior before his own disaster destroys everything.
Despite a stacked cast featuring Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jesse Plemons, the reported $125 million epic opened to just $8 million domestically and $20 million worldwide. At a current worldwide total of $35 million, it’s fair to say the box office wasn’t quite saved.
Still, box office bumps are hardly unprecedented for eventual classics. While many high-profile stumbles never recover, history shows that some go on to recoup and vastly exceed their original investments. The 1975 midnight phenomenon, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, starring Tim Curry, famously overcame an initial theatrical flop to gross over $120 million against a $1.2 million budget.
Similarly, the Coen brothers’ The Big Lebowski struggled to find its footing during its initial run before turning its $15 million budget into a profitable $48.3 million worldwide victory.
Take a look back at a few other major theatrical misfires that went on to become timeless cult classics.
DIGGER – 2026
Image Credit: Warner Bros.
Released: Oct 2, 2026 (US)
Budget:$160M
Opening weekend:$8M
Gross (US & Canada):$14.4M
Gross (World):$35.3M
MOTHER! – 2017
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
Released: Sep 15, 2017 (US)
Budget:$30M
Opening weekend:$7.5M
Gross (US & Canada):$17.8M
Gross (World):$44.5M
JENNIFER’S BODY – 2009
Image Credit: Doane Gregory/TM/Fox Atomic
Released: Sep 18, 2009 (US)
Budget:$16M
Opening weekend:$6.9M
Gross (US & Canada):$16.2M
Gross (World):$31.6M
SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK – 2008
Image Credit: Sony Pictures Classics
Released:Feb 5, 2009 (NL)
Budget:$20M
Opening weekend:$172.2K
Gross (US & Canada):$3.1M
Gross (World):$4.7M
THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU – 2004
Image Credit: Touchstone
Released: Dec 25, 2004 (US)
Budget:$50M
Opening weekend:$113.1K
Gross (US & Canada):$24M
Gross (World):$34.8M
DONNIE DARKO – 2001
Image Credit: Newmarket Releasing
Released: Jan 19, 2001
Budget:$6M
Opening weekend:$110.5K
Gross (US & Canada):$2.5M
Gross (World):$8.6M
FIGHT CLUB – 1999
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox
Released: Oct 15, 1999 (US)
Budget:$63M
Opening weekend:$11M
Gross (US & Canada):$38M
Gross (World):$102.4M
THE BIG LEBOWSKI – 1998
Image Credit: Everett Collection
Released: Mar 6, 1998 (US)
Budget:$15M
Opening weekend:$5.5M
Gross (US & Canada):$19.5M
Gross (World):$48.3M
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION – 1994
Image Credit: Everett Collection
Released:Oct 14, 1994 (US)
Budget:$25M
Opening weekend:$727.3K
Gross (US & Canada):$28.8M
Gross (World):$29.4M
THE PRINCESS BRIDE – 1987
Image Credit: 20th Century-Fox Film Corp
Released: Oct 9, 1987 (US)
Budget:$16M
Opening weekend:$206.2K
Gross (US & Canada):$30.9M
Gross (World):$31.1M
LABYRINTH – 1986
Image Credit: TriStar Pictures
Released:Jun 27, 1986 (US)
Budget:$25M
Opening weekend:$3.5M
Gross (US & Canada):$13.7M
Gross (World):$16.1M
BRAZIL – 1985
Image Credit: Everett Collection
Released:Dec 18, 1985 (US)
Budget:$15M
Opening weekend:$30.1K
Gross (US & Canada):$9.9M
Gross (World):$10M
DUNE – 1984
Image Credit: Everett Collection
Released:Dec 14, 1984 (US)
Budget:$40M
Opening weekend:$6M
Gross (US & Canada):$31.4M
Gross (World):$31.5M
BLADE RUNNER – 1982
Image Credit: Warner Brothers
Released: Jun 25, 1982 (US)
Budget:$28M
Opening weekend:$6.2M
Gross (US & Canada):$32.9M
Gross (World):$41.8M
THE THING – 1982
Image Credit: Universal
Released:Jun 25, 1982 (US)
Budget:$15M
Opening weekend:$3.1M
Gross (US & Canada):$20.1M
Gross (World):$20.9M
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW – 1975
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox
Released: Sep 29, 1975 (US)
Budget:$1.2M
Opening weekend:$135K
Gross (US & Canada):$115.7M
Gross (World):$120.2M
WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY – 1971
Image Credit: Everett Collection
Released:Jun 30, 1971 (US)
Budget:$3M
Opening weekend:$526.6K
Gross (US & Canada):$2.6M
Gross (World):$2.7M
THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER – 1955
Image Credit: Everett Collection
Released:Jul 27, 1955 (US)
Budget:$795K
Opening Weekend:$6,233
Gross (World):$12.8K
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE – 1946
Image Credit: Everett Collection
Released: Jan 7, 1947 (US)
Budget:$3.2M
Opening weekend:$44K
Gross (US & Canada):$1.5M
Gross (World):$11.5M
CITIZEN KANE – 1941
Image Credit: Everett Collection
Released:Sep 5, 1941 (US)
Budget:$839.7K
Opening Weekend: $77,134
Gross (US & Canada):$1.9M
Gross (World):$2M