12 Timeless Comedy Films That Flopped at the Box Office

      These iconic comedy films were considered box office disasters upon their release.

      However, over time, they have developed substantial followings and made many laugh, even if it was not in theaters when they first debuted.

      Here’s to these comedic treasures that were largely appreciated through home viewing.

      **Top Secret! (1984)**

      *Paramount Pictures*

      The unfortunate passing of Val Kilmer earlier this year has led to a renewed recognition of his outrageous and comedic 1984 classic, which serves as a parody combining elements of an Elvis film with those of a war movie, and even includes a Blue Lagoon spoof for no particular reason.

      Kilmer stars as an American music sensation visiting East Germany for a music festival, where he unexpectedly becomes involved with an underground resistance after meeting Hilary Flammond (Lucy Gutteridge).

      As Gutteridge quips in Top Secret!, “I know, it all sounds like some bad movie.” But it truly isn’t; it’s a fantastic film.

      This was the follow-up to Airplane!, marking the breakout success for the Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker team (Jim Abrahams and brothers David and Jerry Zucker), who have produced numerous classic comedies. In our view, Top Secret! is their finest work.

      **Heathers (1988)**

      *New World Pictures – Credit: C/O*

      In retrospect, Heathers was always likely to be regarded, at best, as a cult classic. It’s a pitch-black comedy about teenagers on a killing spree, standing in stark contrast to typical teen movies.

      That said, Heathers was a massive flop. Winona Ryder had just found success with Beetlejuice, and Christian Slater was a teen idol. Nevertheless, a film that cost $3 million to produce failed to recoup its budget, making only $1.1 million domestically, as it did not see an international release.

      Why did so few people show interest? Perhaps many had brain tumors for breakfast?

      **Dazed and Confused (1993)**

      *Gramercy Pictures – Credit: C/O*

      Dazed and Confused drew from writer-director Richard Linklater’s teenage experiences in Texas to craft the ultimate hangout movie.

      Linklater featured then-unknown actors Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, and Matthew McConaughey in a $6.9 million project that earned only $8.2 million but was repeatedly played on VHS and later on DVD for Generation X viewers. (Additionally, Linklater’s subsequent film, the also remarkable Before Sunrise, turned a profit of ten times its $2.5 million budget.)

      Quentin Tarantino referred to it as his “favorite movie of the 90s” and possibly the only film “that three different generations of college students have watched multiple times.”

      **The Big Lebowski (1998)**

      *Gramercy Pictures*

      Another highly quotable film, The Big Lebowski has become so beloved it spawned a Lebowski Fest and is viewed as one of the highlights of the Coen brothers’ remarkable filmography.

      Yet, it managed to earn just above $19 million domestically on a $15 million budget.

      If you don’t consider it a classic, well, that’s simply your opinion, man.

      **Office Space (1999)**

      *20th Century Fox*

      Upon its release in 1999, Mike Judge’s Office Space barely broke even against its $10 million budget.

      Starring Ron Livingston as an average office worker named Peter Gibbons, who is infatuated with a waitress played by Jennifer Aniston, Office Space is a dark comedic satire about office life in middle America.

      It became another film that enjoyed endless playtime on VHS and DVD, which contributed to its financial recovery.

      Moreover, it illustrated that Judge—who was primarily known then for Beavis and Butt-head—was also a keen creator of live-action comedy.

      **Wet Hot American Summer (2001)**

      *Focus Features*

      It’s summertime, making it likely that this charming film—featuring a stellar cast of future stars like Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Banks, Michael Showalter, and Bradley Cooper—is currently screening at a revival theater or outdoor showing near you.

      This reflects how well it has aged, despite its initial failure, bringing in less than $300,000.

      Over the years, the movie gained enough popularity to inspire a sequel, Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later, sixteen years later, in 2017.

      **Not Another Teen Movie (2001)**

      *Not Another Teen Movie, Sony Pictures Releasing – Credit: C/O*

      Before becoming Captain America, Chris Evans starred in this comedic drama about a high school football star who wagers that he can transform an awkward girl into a prom queen.

      It performed reasonably well at the box office, recouping a little more than double its budget, but received poor reviews at the time. Currently, it holds a 32% rating from