From Disney’s Snow White to Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine, several high-profile Hollywood films failed to meet box-office expectations in 2025.

Despite a number of global hits, many anticipated releases underperformed, highlighting challenges for cinemas as audiences increasingly stay home.

Marvel’s Thunderbolts earned nearly $400 million worldwide, less than half of Avengers: Endgame’s 2019 total, while Captain America: Brave New World also struggled. Both films were criticised for feeling like leftover parts of the Marvel saga, unlike Fantastic Four: First Steps, which performed better.

Disney’s live-action Snow White failed to recover its budget amid controversies over casting and politics. Similarly, Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17, delayed for months after his hit Parasite, disappointed critics and audiences.

Other flops included After the Hunt starring Julia Roberts, the Christy Martin biopic Christy, teen horror revival I Know What You Did Last Summer, Bruce Springsteen drama Deliver Me from Nowhere, and Pixar’s Elio, all of which underperformed despite high expectations.

Sequels and reboots like M3GAN 2.0 failed to replicate the original’s success, while The Smashing Machine starring Dwayne Johnson did not attract audiences seeking lighter entertainment. Experts suggest that a combination of misjudged timing, audience fatigue, and creative missteps contributed to these box-office failures.

With inputs from BBC