For all of the romance that surrounds vital tales and the technical efforts of filmmaking, on the finish of the day Hollywood is as a lot a enterprise as any, and that implies that cash is normally greater than good intentions. This steamy truth has seen various actors shell out their very own cash to get a film they’re enthusiastic about.
Whereas this generally results in nice success with the actor making tens of millions of {dollars} in income, it usually backfires with disastrous penalties. From sentimental tasks that audiences aren’t enthusiastic about to flamboyant listeners betting on themselves and dropping, there have been loads of actors who’ve helped finance their very own motion pictures and by no means seen their a refund.
1 John Wayne – The Alamo (1960)
like John Wayneardour undertaking, Alamo It was conceived as early as 1945 however took years to hit the bottom operating the best way Wayne envisioned. It was later concluded that he himself would direct and produce the movie by his manufacturing firm, Batjac Productions, however was adamant that he wouldn’t seem in it.
When Wayne tried to enlist monetary assist, it grew to become clear that he would solely get the coveted cash if he starred within the image. Wayne ultimately struck a take care of United Artists He contributed $1.5 million to it from his personal pocket to make the film. Whereas Alamo Simply sufficient to repay United Artists, Wayne’s funding did not reap the monetary rewards.
2 Kevin Costner – “The Postman” (1997)
Kevin Costner He’s no stranger to financing his personal movies. It labored when he put $3 million in dancing with the wolves which made practically twenty instances its price range, and managed to drag off a monetary catastrophe on water world Because of post-theatrical income streams, however he wasn’t so fortunate Postman.
Costner directed, acted and produced the three-hour post-apocalypse epic on a whopping $80 million price range. No matter luck the last decade had began with although had clearly dried up Postman It made simply $20.8 million after being marred by a horrible opening weekend and a disastrous vital reception.
3 John Travolta – Battlefield Earth (2000)
It’s extensively thought-about one of many worst movies ever madeAnd battle discipline – Primarily based on the novel Battlefield Earth: The Epic of the Yr 3000 By Church of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard – Turn into john TravoltaArdour Mission through the Nineties. A scholar in his personal proper, Travolta was given a signed copy of the ebook from Hubbard upon its publication in 1982 and used the resurgence of his profession to attempt to adapt it by a significant Hollywood studio.
Whereas she struggled to search out studio curiosity as a result of her Scientology ties, the movie was ultimately picked up with Travolta contributing tens of millions of {dollars} of his personal cash, And sacrifice a big a part of his wageto get the film. Towards a price range of $73 million, battle discipline Incomes $29.7 million, the deliberate sequel was by no means made.
4 Tommy Wiseau – Room (2003)
So far as cult movies go, the room It’s such an enormous hit Well-known hero of Breaking Unhealthy cinema. Sadly Tommy WiseauFolks did not fairly see it as a popular culture phenomenon upon its theatrical launch because the film solely made $1,900 towards a price range of $6 million.
Whereas the precise nature of how he obtained this sum of money stays considerably of a thriller, Wiseau contributed your complete price range So as to keep inventive management. Regardless of its disastrous preliminary run, the affect of widespread tradition has seen the movie’s earnings soar to $4.9 million, and who is aware of, it’d show to be a moneymaker.
5 Matthew McConaughey – Sahara 2005
One of the well-known and controversial manufacturing processes, the desertThe corporate’s price range began at a modest $80 million however ballooned to over $160 million by the point filming ended, with an extra $61 million tied to distribution bills. Primarily based on Cliff CusslerNovels by Dirk Pitt, the action-adventure movie is deliberate as the primary in a sequence.
This apparently by no means occurred, because the movie’s $119 million field workplace earnings account for simply over half of its complete outgoings. Matthew McConaughey He even blogged a promotional street journey in an effort to market the movie He invested his personal cash in itnevertheless it proved to be ineffective.
6 Brad Pitt – The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Stable proof that not all actor-financed field workplace motion pictures are unhealthy motion pictures, The assassination of Jesse James by the hands of the coward Robert Ford star and producer Brad Pitt I admit it Engaged on the film price him cash. A revisionist Western epic It particulars Jesse James (Pete) and the break-up of his gangThe movie gained acclaim from followers and critics alike for its efficiency and portrayal of Eighties America, and Roger DickensThe cinematography is breathtaking.
Nevertheless, the film flopped, changing into a field workplace bomb even with its restricted price range of $30 million. After making just below $4 million with its theatrical launch, it has since boosted that determine to $15 million with DVD gross sales and amassed an enormous fan following.
7 George Clooney – Leatherheads (2008)
After profitable gold in 2005 Good night and good luckby which George Clooney Mortgaging his home to assist fund the $7 million price range (the movie grossed $54.6 million), Clooney tried to duplicate his success with leatherheads. A sports activities comedy with a free basis in historical past, it was removed from a horrible film, nevertheless it did not do very effectively on the field workplace.
Clooney was clearly excited concerning the film, as he served as author, director, and star, and produced it by his manufacturing firm, Smokehouse Productions. It proved to be an costly gamble, although leatherheads It made solely $41.3 million, failing to interrupt even by some margin.
8 Mel Gibson – Get the Gringo (2012)
till 2012, Mel Gibson He has had a powerful file relating to making monetary contributions to the movies by which he has been concerned. He helped fund his administrative efforts on the The eagerness of Christ And Apocalypto with huge monetary success, however the effectively ran out when he produced and starred Get Gringo.
Whereas the 2012 motion film performed effectively with critics, it was launched at the moment Gibson has been criticized for making antisemitic feedback. Made on a $20 million price range, it was additionally marred by a demand-release technique video and ended up solely making $8.8 million.
9 Will Smith – “After Earth” (2013)
With an ambition to be an enormous sci-fi journey spectacle, after Earth a noticed will Smith and his son Jaden Smith Share the display as a father-son duo crash-land on Earth a thousand years after humanity was compelled to flee the planet. The film made $243.8 million by its theatrical launch which sounds spectacular, however towards a $150 million price range and an extra $100 million poured into the advertising marketing campaign, it fell in need of expectations.
Whereas Will Smith himself didn’t contribute any cash to the movie’s huge manufacturing, his manufacturing firm, Overbrook Leisure, did. Smith described on the again the movie’s vital and industrial failure after Earth Because the ‘most painful failure’ [his] profession” in an interview with Revered He regretted having led his son into the undertaking.
10 Tina Fey – Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)
A daring effort to combine comedy with warfare drama, Tango Foxtrot Whiskey It can’t be dealt with by anybody who lacks delicate poise and comedic finesse Tina Fey. Primarily based on Kim ParkerDiary Dodge the Taliban: Unusual Days in Afghanistan and PakistanThe comedy star launched the pre-production course of in 2014 together with her manufacturing firm, Little Stranger, in cost.
With a price range of $35 million and Margot Robbie And Martin Freeman Among the many notable solid members within the film, it appeared as if he would simply surpass that quantity. Regardless of optimistic critiques, it was hobbled by a poor opening weekend and by no means recovered, incomes simply $25.4 million.