Even the biggest Hollywood stars can go through rough patches, where one box office flop follows another, threatening to derail their careers. Whether due to poor film choices, personal struggles, or being typecast, some actors find themselves stuck in a streak of commercial and critical failures. However, in the world of cinema, all it takes is one hit movie to change everything.
These films not only reignite an actor’s career but also remind audiences of the talent that first made them famous. From genre-defining performances to unexpected comebacks,certain films have the power to pull actors out of a slump and back into the spotlight. These movies reverse an actor’s bad box office streak, showing how a single success can mark the beginning of a new chapter and a return to box office glory.
The Wrestler
Cast
Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler is a 2008 drama that centers around Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Mickey Rourke), a pro wrestler who tries to get his life together while reliving his glory days on the ring. Marisa Tomei co-stars as stripper Cassidy with Evan Rachel Wood as Randy’s estranged daughter Stephanie.
Mickey Rourke’s bad box office streak spanned much of the late 1980s and 1990s, primarily due to personal issues and career missteps. After gaining fame in the 1980s with hits like9½ WeeksandDiner,Rourke developed a reputation for being difficult to work with, which led to conflicts with directors and fewer major roles. He also turned down iconic roles in films likePlatoonandRain Man, further stalling his career.
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During this period, several of his films, such asWild OrchidandHarley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, were critical and commercial flops. The latter only had a $7.4 million box office haul despite a $23 million budget. In the early 1990s, Rourke left Hollywood to pursue a boxing career, further damaging his acting prospects and resulting in facial injuries that altered his appearance. His career only rebounded in 2008 withThe Wrestler, a critically acclaimed film that earned him an Academy Award nomination and revived his status in Hollywood.
Scream
1996’s Scream follows a teenage girl who is targeted by a masked killer a year after her mother’s murder who uses horror movies as a deadly game against her and her friends.
The late 1980s and early 1990s represented Drew Barrymore’s bad box office streak, following her breakout success as a child star inE.T.After her early fame,Barrymore faced personal struggles, including substance abuse and a rebellious image, which led to a series of underperforming films and a tarnished reputation in Hollywood. During this period, movies likeFirestarter,Far from Home, andPoison Ivyfailed to make a significant impact, both critically and commercially. With a budget of $3 million,Poison Ivyearned only $1.8 million at the box office.
Barrymore’s troubled personal life, including stints in rehab and massive tabloid attention, made it difficult for her to land substantial roles, and her box office appeal diminished. However, Barrymore made a strong comeback in the mid-1990s with her role in thebeloved horror franchiseScream, followed by other hits likeCharlie’s Angels.These films helped her regain credibility in Hollywoodand reestablished her as a successful, bankable actress.
Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino’s classic tale of violence and redemption follows the intertwining tales of three protagonists: hitman Vincent Vega, prizefighter Butch Coolidge, and Vincent’s business partner Jules Winnfield.
Following his early success in iconic films likeSaturday Night FeverandGrease, John Travolta’s career took a downturn due to poor film choices and the changing landscape of Hollywood. Movies likeLook Who’s Talking Now!,Shout, andThe Expertswere critical and commercial failures, which led to his declining star power. In the case ofThe Experts, its box office haul of just $169,203 was a result of distributor Paramount Pictures disliking the film enough to pull it from wide release.
During this period,Travolta struggled to find roles that matched his earlier success, and his box office draw faded. Travolta’s career hit a low point, with a series of forgettable films and few major opportunities. However, his comeback came with Quentin Tarantino’sPulp Fiction, where his role as Vincent Vega not only revived his career but also earned him an Academy Award nomination, marking the end of his box office slump and re-establishing him as a leading actor.
John Wick
John Wick is a 2014 action thriller featuring Keanu Reeves as a retired hitman. The film follows John Wick as he emerges from retirement to avenge the loss inflicted by a group of gangsters, setting the stage for a relentless pursuit and exploration of a shadowy underworld.
After starring inThe Matrixfranchise, Keanu Reeves struggled to find similar box office hits, featuring in films likeSweet November,The Watcher, andThe Replacements, which under-performed critically and commercially. Additionally, Reeves' roles inA Scanner DarklyandThe Lake Housedid not resonate with broad audiences, with the former failing to make back its $8.7 million budget by roughly $1 million.
As action movie roles became more limited,Reeves faced a period where his career was largely stagnant, and his ability to lead blockbuster films came into question. His career turnaround came in 2014 withJohn Wick, which revitalized his reputation as an action star.John Wick’s success spawned a beloved franchiseand marked the end of Reeves’s box office slump, bringing him back into the spotlight and kicking off a careeer resurgence.
The Blind Side
The Blind Side is a biographical sports drama film that follows the life of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American teenager who is adopted by a wealthy white family. Under the guidance of his adoptive mother, played by Sandra Bullock, Oher overcomes personal and academic challenges to become a successful college football player. The film, directed by John Lee Hancock, is based on the real-life story of Oher’s journey.
Sandra Bullock experienced a box office slump during the early 2000s after a string of successful films in the 1990s, includingWhile You Were SleepingandSpeed. Following her rise to stardom, several of her films in the early 2000s struggled both critically and commercially. Movies like28 DaysandTwo Weeks Noticefailed to achieve the success of her earlier hits. Additionally,Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulousdid not perform as well as the original, adding to her career downturn. The sequel earned $101.4 million worldwide compared toMiss Congeniality’s $212.7 million.
During this time, Bullock’s star power seemed to fade, and her ability to consistently deliver box office hits was put under serious question. Her comeback came in 2009.The Blind Sidenot only became a massive box office successbut also earned her an Oscar, reestablishing her as a major Hollywood force and ending her box office slump.
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman is a dark comedy drama that stars Michael Keaton as washed-up actor Riggan Thomson, who’s famous for playing a bird-themed superhero and who attempts to stage a comeback by directing and starring in a Broadway play. Shot as one single long take and with Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis, and Emma Stone in its cast, the 2014 film won four Oscars, including Best Picture.
Michael Keaton faced a significant box office slump in the late 1990s and early 2000s, following his major success in the late 1980s with films likeBatmanandBeetlejuice. After stepping away from the Batman franchise, Keaton struggled to find roles that resonated with audiences. Films such asJack Frost,Desperate Measures, andQuicksandwere both commercial and critical disappointments, withDesperate Measuresearning just $13.8 million despite a $50 million budget.
During this period, Keaton appeared in lower-profile films that failed to reignite his career or recapture the momentum of his earlier successes. His star power diminished, and he remained out of the Hollywood spotlight for several years. Keaton’s comeback began withBirdman, wherehis portrayal of a washed-up actor attempting to regain relevance mirrored his own career. The film earned widespread acclaim, brought him an Academy Award nomination, and re-established him as a prominent figure in the film industry.
Dallas Buyers Club
Based on the life of Ron Woodroof, Dallas Buyers Club follows Matthew Matthew McConaughey as Woodroof, who after being diagnosed with AIDS in the mid-1980s, began smuggling unapproved but effective drugs to treat is disease into Texas and began sharing them with fellow patients he met while in treatment. Jennifer Garner and Jared Leto also star.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 DaysandThe Wedding Plannerestablished Matthew McConaughey as a leading man in 2000s romantic comedies. Despite early success,McConaughey became typecast in a series of formulaic rom-comsthat were critically panned, such asFailure to Launch,Fool’s Gold, andGhosts of Girlfriends Past. These films underwhelmed at the box office, and McConaughey’s career began to stagnate.
Audiences and critics alike grew weary of his repetitive roles, and he struggled to break free from the rom-com mold. His once-promising career seemed to be in decline as he was no longer viewed as a versatile actor. McConaughey’s career turnaround, often dubbed the “McConaissance,” began with his shift to more serious roles inThe Lincoln Lawyer. However, it culminated with his Oscar-winning performance inDallas Buyers Club, which also turned in an impressive box office haul relative to its meager $5 million budget.
Gone Girl
Based on Gillian Flynn’s 2012 novel, Gone Girl stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike as Nick and Amy Dunne, a couple whose disintegrating marriage is rocked by Amy’s sudden disappearance and Nick’s suspected hand in it. As evidence begins to pile up against Nick, it eventually becomes clear with a shocking twist that all is not what it seems. Flynn also wrote the screenplay for the film, with David Fincher directing.
Ben Affleck’s box office slump happened in the early 2000s after his rise to stardom in the late 1990s with hits likeGood Will HuntingandArmageddon. Despite his early success, Affleck’s career took a downturn when he starred in a string of poorly received films. Notable flops during this period includedGigli, widely considered one of the biggest box office disasters in history at $7.3 million,Daredevil, which was criticized despite decent box office returns, andSurviving Christmas, another critical and commercial failure.
Affleck also faced public backlash due to his highly publicized relationship with Jennifer Lopez, which overshadowed his work. His reputation as a leading man suffered, and Hollywood became hesitant to cast him in major roles. Nevertheless,Affleck’s career rebounded in the late 2000s, starring in critically acclaimed films such asGone Girl, a time when he also made the transition to directing, withGone Baby GoneandArgoreviving his career and reputation.
Joker
Directed by Todd Phillips, Joker is an origin story for Batman’s most iconic villain. Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a down-on-his-luck clown who is trying to become a successful stand-up comedian. When things don’t go according to plan, and Arthur feels Gotham is oppressing him and others with mental illness, Arthur sparks a violent revolution within the city.
Joaquin Phoenix faced a challenging box office period in the mid-2000s, despite earlier acclaim for films likeGladiatorandSigns. Following his success, Phoenix struggled with a series of under-performing films, such asTwo LoversandWe Own The Night. Both failed to make a significant impact commercially, even though his performances were praised.
Unexpectedly, in 2010,Phoenix took a detour in his career by starring in the mockumentaryI’m Still Here, a controversial project where he pretended to quit acting to pursue a rap career. This unconventional move confused audiences and critics alike, further dampening his mainstream appeal. His erratic behavior during this period caused many to doubt his future in Hollywood. Phoenix’s comeback came withJoker, which more than solidified his return to box office success by becoming the highest-grossing R-rated movie at the time. It also won Phoenix an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Iron Man
Iron Man is the first film in the long-running Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark, who becomes Iron Man after he is kidnapped and discovers terrorists are using weapons developed by Stark Industries. Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Tony’s love interest Pepper Potts alongside Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan and Jeff Bridges as the villainous Obadiah Stane.
Due to personal struggles and legal issues, Robert Downey Jr. traversed a negative period career-wise in the late 1990s and early 2000s. After gaining critical acclaim for films likeChaplin,his career was derailed by substance abuse problems and repeated arrests. These issues led to his dismissal from projects and made it difficult for him to secure major roles.
During this period, Downey appeared in a string of films that failed to resonate with audiences, such asIn DreamsandBlack and White. The former earned only $17 million against a budget of $30 million. Downey’s reputation in Hollywood plummeted, and he was considered unreliable by many studios. Fortunately, Downey’s career turnaround came with his casting as Tony Stark inIron Man. The role revitalized his career, launching him into superstardom and ending his box office slump, making him one of the most bankable actors in Hollywood.
