20 Movies That Aimed For Oscars But Failed Miserably
1. Babylon (2022)
Directed by Oscar-winner Damien Chazelle and starring Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, this 3-hour epic about early, chaotic Hollywood was widely seen as a Best Picture lock. However, its maximalist excess, vulgarity, and sprawling runtime divided critics and audiences alike, leading to a massive commercial failure against its reported $80 million budget. The film was shut out of most major categories.
2. Amsterdam (2022)
Hailing from acclaimed director David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook), and featuring one of the most star-studded ensembles of the decade (Bale, Robbie, De Niro, Taylor-Joy), this film screamed Oscar bait. Critically panned as "cluttered" and "incoherent," it was a massive box office disaster, losing the studio an estimated $100 million.
3. Cats (2019)
This was a high-budget, star-studded (Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift) spectacle based on a beloved musical. Universal expected major technical nominations and commercial success. Instead, the film was universally ridiculed for its bizarre CGI "digital fur technology," becoming a viral disaster that was mocked, not nominated.
4. The Goldfinch (2019)
A lavish, big-screen adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, this film was positioned for major drama and acting awards. Despite a high-caliber cast, critics found the film overly long, cold, and inert. It became a significant box office bomb, failing to earn back even a fraction of its budget.
5. Welcome to Marwen (2018)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Steve Carell, this film had the pedigree of a moving, emotional drama about trauma and art, complete with Zemeckis’ signature motion-capture technology. Critics found the final product strange, emotionally distant, and visually unsettling. It quickly vanished from theaters, becoming a rare modern flop for the celebrated director.
6. Detroit (2017)
Directed by Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow, this timely, hard-hitting drama about the 1967 Detroit riots was positioned as a major contender for its raw realism and powerful social commentary. While critically respected, the film was deemed too intense and difficult for mainstream audiences, resulting in a disappointing box office return that ended its awards run early.
7. Collateral Beauty (2016)
This film featured an aggressively star-studded cast (Will Smith, Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, Edward Norton) and an overly sentimental premise designed specifically for holiday awards buzz. Critics universally savaged its manipulative script and shallow themes, calling it one of the most cynical and poorly executed examples of "Oscar bait" in recent memory.
8. Live By Night (2016)
Written, directed, and starring Ben Affleck, this was his big, prestigious Prohibition-era crime epic designed to follow his success with Argo. Critics found the film flat and disorganized, and the bloated budget meant the film became a significant commercial disaster for Warner Bros., quickly ending Affleck’s directing hot streak.
9. By the Sea (2015)
A 1970s-style art-house drama written and directed by Angelina Jolie, co-starring her then-husband, Brad Pitt. The high-profile pairing guaranteed attention, but critics found the film slow, self-indulgent, and dramatically inert. It was a massive financial flop that failed to generate any awards buzz beyond novelty.
10. The Monuments Men (2014)
George Clooney directed and starred alongside Matt Damon and Bill Murray in this historical drama about saving art during WWII. Despite the star power and noble premise, critics found the film flat and emotionally inert. It was dismissed as a mediocre attempt at prestigious filmmaking that significantly underperformed expectations.
11. West Side Story (2021)
Directed by cinematic legend Steven Spielberg, this massive adaptation was a critical triumph (earning seven Oscar nominations). However, it suffered a brutal commercial fate. Released during the pandemic and struggling to find an audience, the film was a massive box office bomb, losing millions despite its critical acclaim.
12. The Last Duel (2021)
Directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Adam Driver, this film about a medieval rape accusation and trial was lauded by many critics for its structure and performance. However, audiences completely ignored it. It was a historic box office flop for Scott, proving that critical praise doesn't guarantee commercial interest.
13. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
Produced by Scott Rudin and starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, this drama about the trauma of 9/11 seemed like a prime candidate for a Best Picture nomination. While it surprisingly did get a nomination, it was widely panned as overly manipulative and sentimental, and is frequently cited as one of the least deserving Best Picture nominees of the modern era.
14. J. Edgar (2011)
A prestigious biopic of J. Edgar Hoover, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The film had undeniable awards-season pedigree. Critics found the finished product surprisingly flat, confusing, and hampered by unconvincing aging makeup. It was largely shut out of the major acting and directing categories.
15. The Tourist (2010)
This attempt at a glamorous European thriller starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp was heavily marketed and shockingly received three Golden Globe nominations (despite terrible reviews). Critics found the plot nonsensical, the chemistry non-existent, and the star power wasted. The film was an expensive, lazy dud.
16. Nine (2009)
Directed by Chicago helmer Rob Marshall, this adaptation of the Broadway musical was packed with A-list singers and actors (Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz). It was expected to be an awards powerhouse, but critics found the film cold and shallow, leading to its quick demise at the box office and the awards circuit.
17. The Lovely Bones (2009)
Directed by Peter Jackson and based on a beloved, bestselling novel about a murdered girl watching her family from heaven. This film had all the ingredients for major awards. However, critics found its tone bizarre and its sentimentality poorly handled, resulting in a shocking awards season failure for the usually safe Jackson.
18. Amelia (2009)
A biopic of Amelia Earhart, starring two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank. This was pure Oscar bait—a historical figure, a period setting, and a lead actress known for transformations. Critics found the film overly safe, slow, and conventional, and it failed to gain any traction in the awards race.
19. All the King's Men (2006)
A remake of an Oscar-winning classic, starring a massive ensemble (Sean Penn, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Anthony Hopkins). It was widely expected to be a major Best Picture contender. Instead, the film was released to poor reviews, called "flat" and "overstuffed," and was one of the biggest box office bombs of the decade.
20. The Good Shepherd (2006)
Directed by Robert De Niro and starring Matt Damon and Angelina Jolie, this sweeping historical epic about the origins of the CIA was classic awards fare. Critics found the film overly long, cold, and dramatically inert. It was largely ignored by audiences and the Academy, sinking without a trace despite its prestige cast.
