When dealing with arguably the most influential, recognizable, and iconic source material in modern fantasy, it makes sense that a show like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power would be one of the most expensive television projects ever put to the screen. After all, not only is J.R.R. Tolkien‘s original fantasy epic still considered the “gold standard” of fantasy literature, but Peter Jackson‘s The Lord of the Rings trilogy is also counted as one of the greatest film trilogies ever made. So, it’s no wonder that Amazon hoped to capitalize on Tolkien’s material by green-lighting a prequel series on Prime Video. However, unreasonable production costs and a general lack of enthusiasm surrounding The Rings of Power have led viewers to question if the endeavor was even worth it.

‘The Rings of Power’ Has Been a Significant Investment for Amazon

It cannot be understated how much of an investment that Amazon has put into bringing The Rings of Power to the screen. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the rights to Tolkien’s work alone — which only include The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, as well as the appendix — cost the corporation a hefty $250 million to secure. But that initial down payment only made it possible for Prime Video to make their own Lord of the Rings content apart from the Jackson-helmed franchise owned by Warner Bros. From there, it was still a few years before Amazon cracked their take on Middle-earth, deciding to helm a prequel series set during the Second Age (for reference, Lord of the Rings is set thousands of years later during the end of the Third Age). While the Second Age is rife with high-fantasy material, Amazon had not secured the rights to Tolkien works like The Silmarillion or Unfinished Tales, meaning there would be a lot of embellishing needed to make the story work.

That alone was already a hard sell for some, but when THR later reported that an additional $465 million was shelled out to bring the first season to life, many hoped that Amazon was taking the undertaking seriously. That’s over $700 million just to get Rings of Power off the ground. Unfortunately, the results led some to wonder how exactly Prime Video was allocating those funds. While some of the visuals were spectacular (the series’ opening moments promise something epic), the show is nowhere near as visually appealing as the film trilogy — not to mention the production costs for Season 2, which required another $458 million to produce, according to financial statements obtained by the Daily Mail.

Related

As a Lord of the Rings Fan, These Are the 10 Best ‘Rings of Power’ Episodes

“Sometimes to find the light, we must first touch the darkness.”

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To say that Prime Video was gambling something fierce with this high-fantasy attempt at the next Game of Thrones would be an understatement, especially since The Rings of Power was largely dismissed by hardcore Tolkien fans and even casual viewers alike. Critics have also been split on the two-season series, though Rotten Tomatoes reports that the series is considered “fresh” — which, considering how critical many have been about the show’s overall characterization and pacing (something our Season 2 review noted), seems a bit surprising. As far as audience scores go, they’re abysmal — and that comes as no surprise when you consider how the viewership between Seasons 1 and 2 drastically decreased. In October 2024, THR reported that 50 million viewers had tuned into the sophomore season compared to the 150 million who watched the first.

‘The Lord of the Rings’ May Be Popular, but ‘The Rings of Power’ Is Struggling

It’s a shame, because Season 2 is a legitimate improvement on the first, leaning into some of the show’s stronger arcs and pulling back on others. Of course, it’s not perfect, nor is it exactly the high-quality fantasy epic that Amazon promised. Indeed, what makes The Rings of Power so notorious (aside from that hefty price tag) is that the show is a pretty vast departure from Tolkien’s original work — and especially previous on-screen adaptations of Middle-earth. Sure, it has its exciting moments and characters — namely Elendil (Lloyd Owen), Sauron (Charlie Vickers), and occasionally Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) — and certain elements are quite interesting, but are they really worth that massive price tag? While The Lord of the Rings proves to be a popular tale with audiences (as many continue to praise the original trilogy), this prequel series has largely been tossed aside.

Aside from the upfront costs, the show’s decision to deviate from the source material has no doubt alienated a portion of the audience — and if those who love Tolkien have deeply mixed feelings about it, then why would anyone else be interested? With more Lord of the Rings material underway from Warner Bros. — who are preying on audience nostalgia by revisiting stories from the original trilogy — Rings of Power doesn’t appear to stand a chance. Hopefully, the series will continue to improve with time, but even if Season 3 is an epic masterpiece we’ve all been waiting for, will streaming’s most expensive series be able to justify the funds sunk into making it?

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Release Date

September 1, 2022

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Network

Amazon Prime Video

Showrunner

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John D. Payne, Patrick McKay, Louise Hooper, Charlotte Brändström, Wayne Yip

Writers

Patrick McKay, John D. Payne, J.R.R. Tolkien, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Stephany Folsom, Nicholas Adams

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Franchise(s)

The Lord of the Rings

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Online shoe shopping can feel like an uphill battle — but not when you have hundreds (if not thousands) of fashionistas doing the hard work for you. We scoured Amazon reviews to find the comfiest rich mom sneakers for long walks and travel days alike, and these 13 chic spring picks emerge as clear winners.

Comfy and supportive, it’s no wonder these popular sneakers have gleaming reviews. In fact, shoppers love wearing them while exploring new cities, logging miles in places like Venice, New York City, Barcelona and more. Better yet, these kicks give any outfit a sporty-chic edge — especially the options we picked from Adidas, Reebok, Sam Edelman and beyond. They channel rich mom energy like nobody’s business, so check out our list to find your new staple sneakers below!

13 Comfy Rich Mom Sneakers to Walk Miles

1. Our Favorite: Shiny and sleek, these memory foam sneakers make every outing look like a fashion show. We adore the gold and silver varieties.

2. Wear-Everywhere Kicks: New York, D.C., France! These classy Sam Edelman sneakers are reliable for travel days when there’s no time to change between your tour and the dinner reservation.

3. Simple Stunner: Reebok sneakers usually lean athletic, but these leather lace-up kicks double down on style. Nearly 33,000 five-star reviews don’t lie.

4. Jennifer Aniston: Want to radiate Aniston’s cool-girl energy? All you need are these classic Adidas Sambas that have a flat silhouette, but are surprisingly supportive.

5. Boutique Find: People will think you spent hundreds on these lace-embellished sneakers. The ribbon laces add a coquette flair.

Related: Look Like You Traveled to the Mediterranean in These Breezy Dresses, From $10

Everyone’s going somewhere lately. Whether you’re traveling or stuck in Milwaukee, the right spring dress can make you look like you belong in Lake Como. These 19 loose, breezy dresses do just that, delivering relaxed coastal vibes without the passport stamp. Our Italian-inspired favorites from Amazon, Nordstrom and more feature comfortable fabrics, flowy silhouettes and […]

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6. Leopard Print: Rich moms swoon over leopard-print styles, and these sassy shoes nail the aesthetic. Shoppers wear them to Venice, Florence, Portugal and beyond, with one reviewer walking 60 miles in one trip.

7. Golden Who?: Why splurge on Golden Goose when you can have the same gold-star style from Steve Madden? These retro shoes look much more expensive than they are.

8. CEO Vibes: Whether you’re running errands, meeting the girls for lunch or working at the office, these quilted shoes deliver. They’re a fashion hero for a.m. commutes.

9. Tweed Knit: Unlock your inner Parisian in these European-looking knit sneakers. They’re on sale for just $21 right now, so run!

10. Dreamy Denim: These Dr. Scholl’s shoes have stylish denim accents, making them a standout pick for your everyday ensembles. Wear a Canadian tuxedo, and you’ll be coordinated from head to toe.

11. New Balance: Reviewers and shopping writers love these New Balance 574 sneakers. We wear ours to sports games, but some wear them all around Europe.

12. Royal Approval: Not a drill! Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton both wear these understated Veja kicks. They’re 110% splurge-worthy.

13. Quiet Luxury: Not only do these platform sneakers elevate your aesthetic, but they also enhance traction, boost your height and make every step feel like a spring. Sold.

Related: These Stretchy Jeans Are Mega Flattering in the Back, Thanks to This Detail

If tight jeans have you reaching for sweats lately, same. But sweatpants aren’t flattering, and they downgrade your look from chic to frumpy. Luckily, these elastic-waist jeans solve all of your pants woes — and no, they’re not jeggings. These comfy wonders have the classic look of denim, but with stretchy waistbands that mimic your […]

“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” stars and sisters Kim and Kyle Richards were involved in a dramatic legal dispute. Their relationship apparently hit a turning point in 2024 when reports surfaced about Kim’s unfortunate relapse after years of being open about her addiction struggles. A new report claims Kyle sued Kim in January 2025, seeking to have her evicted from the LA property where Kim was residing.

Kyle Richards Sued Her Sister Kim In 2025, Seeking To Have Her Evicted From Her Home

Kyle attempted to have her sister, Kim, evicted from her 2-bedroom Encino property, where she had been residing, according to legal documents reported by TMZ.

The “Halloween” actress said Kim had been living in the property for years; however, she asked her to leave in late 2024 following a dispute. Kyle asked for possession of the house and wanted Kim to pay $140 per day, beginning in November 2024, for each day she stayed after being asked to leave.

Kim didn’t respond to the suit, according to the legal documents, and was later required to move from the property in March 2025.

Kim Richards Reportedly Arrested In 2024 While She Was With Her Sister Kyle

Kyle’s reported attempt to have her sister removed from her LA home occurred after TMZ reported that Kim had a dramatic and saddening interaction with LA police after acting belligerently in a Hilton hotel.

Cops reportedly asked the reality star to leave the property, and when she refused, they placed her on a 5150 psychiatric hold and took her to the hospital.

Kyle and the rest of the Richards/Hilton family had cut ties with Kim following the event, hoping their strained relationship would encourage her to change.

In March 2016, Kim spoke candidly with PEOPLE about her addiction beginning after having her “first real drink” when she was 24.

Kim explained that she found herself drinking even more following her split from her second husband in 1991. “That’s when my issue started,” she said.

Kim went on to say that living her life in the public eye only exacerbated her personal struggles.

Kyle Outed Sister Kim As An ‘Alcoholic’ On Season 1 Of ‘Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills’

Kim and Kyle have repeatedly butted heads in earlier seasons of the Bravo series. Their worst argument was in the season finale of the first season of “RHOBH,” where Kyle outed Kim for being an “alcoholic.”

The sisters later regretted the moment, according to PEOPLE, and rushed to Andy Cohen to have it scrapped from the show.

“The sisters were begging Evolution and Bravo to take the scene out of the show,” Cohen said. “It didn’t happen.”

Former NBCUniversal Executive Vice President Shari Levine commented on the dramatic scene as well, adding that it’s one of the realities of shooting an unscripted show.

“The series really does capture life as it happens. And everyone has moments that they want to keep off the air. The great equalizer for all the franchises is that it’s all out there. If it’s shot, we will edit it in,” Levine said.

Kyle Regrets What Happened Between Her and Kim On The Show

While the scene has been etched into the Housewives’ history book, Kyle previously revealed she wished it had never happened.

“I would say Season 1, the limo scene,” she said on an episode of “Watch What Happens Live.” “That’s a no-brainer for me.”

That’s not all. Kyle also recalled the explosive dinner scene Kim had with former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” titan Lisa Rinna in Amsterdam.

“There’s been many since then. Like even Amsterdam, you know, running out when Rinna broke the glass and all that,” Kyle said.

Where Are Kim And Kyle Today?

Despite the drama, Kim and Kyle are back together and doing “good” as of November 2025.

Kyle opened up about where they stand today during BravoCon 2025, according to The Daily Dish, and said the former reality star has been thriving since relocating from California to Florida.

“She has the most beautiful grandchildren I’ve ever seen; they’re unbelievable, and I’m really close with them, and I love them so much,” Kyle said. “I just went to Kim’s granddaughter’s little Halloween thing at school, and it was so fun to go and see, and have that relationship with them is nice.”

If you’re not obsessed with Quince yet, let Us put you on. The retailer makes quiet luxury affordable — to the point it almost feels too good to be true. But we can attest, it totally lives up to the hype, especially for luxe-looking spring pieces.

Quince is overflowing with classy staples, from pants and tops to bags and shoes, and these 15 channel pure rich-girl energy. In fact, you’ll find these styles across New York, Charleston and Los Angeles, worn by the most fashionable people. See the chicest spring pieces worth scooping up — from just $16!

15 Rich-Girl Spring Staples at Quince — From $16

1. Trendy Trousers: Sleek and polished, these 100% linen pants should be much more expensive than they are. We adore the nautical stripes.

2. Everyday Outfit: Say goodbye to ‘I don’t know what to wear’ days. This laid-back mini dress transitions from errands to brunch without skipping a beat.

3. Crowd-Favorite: Swap jeans for a silky midi skirt and watch the compliments roll in. It gives simple outfits a high-end twist.

4. Elevated Tee: Your wardrobe just got a whole lot classier. This stretchy basic screams ‘yacht wife,’ thanks to the stripes and relaxed fit.

5. Rich Mom Tote: In case you missed it, baby blue is totally ‘in’ right now, and this puffy quilted tote nails the aesthetic. It’s roomy enough for work, travel and beyond.

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6. So Comfy: Soft leather, plush insoles, a metallic finish — what’s not to love? These Italian leather flats are as comfy as sneakers, but much more polished.

7. Transitional Season: It’s not cold, but it’s not warm yet, either. This cashmere-blend sweater top is lightweight enough for transitional-weather layering.

8. CEO Alert: Every corporate queen needs a nice blazer, and this single-breasted number is yours. It’s so sharp that you might not even need tailoring.

9. Coast of Italy: People will think you found this tiered maxi skirt at a shop in Positano. The breezy fit, rich blue hue and smocked waistband radiate coastal-chic vibes.

10. Sweet Dreams: Rich girls take their beauty sleep seriously, which is why they opt for this darling striped pajama set. European linen regulates body temperature all night long.

11. Bye, Sneakers: Even Kate Middleton is wearing loafers lately. These springy pink shoes should cost hundreds, but we’re not complaining!

12. Luxe Leather: You can’t go wrong with a leather tote bag, especially this quiet luxury wonder with a classic, structured shape and intricate stitching.

13. Your Cute Jeans: With a dozen colors and four inseam lengths to choose from, Quince’s wide-leg jeans are destined to become your new custom-like favorite. They stretch and drape in all the right places.

14. Boutique Find: Everything about this smocked midi dress reminds Us of a boutique, including the ruffle straps, smocked bodice and eyelet fabric. Pockets are a bonus.

15. Cozy Tank: Layering season never ends. This waffle-knit tank works with cardigans during the spring and solo come summer.

Legendary screenwriter and author William Goldman once wrote, pertaining to Hollywood, “Nobody knows anything.” For as much research, analysis, and money goes into the pre-production, filming, and marketing of movies, studios ultimately have no idea what’s going to hit and what’s going to flop. Some of the greatest box office triumphs came from movies that appeared to be dead on arrival, filled with grave uncertainty and doubt within their respective studios, only to win over the public and find an audience.

In the end, moviegoing is a natural phenomenon that can’t be calculated. However, in certain cases, as with these 10 movies below, we saw these bombs from miles away. From behind-the-scenes drama to poor marketing, these films were destined to become a punchline in the trade publications.

10

‘Monkeybone’ (2001)

Image via 20th Century Fox

Henry Selick is one of our most imaginative animation visionaries living today. 30 years since its release, he is still rudely ignored as the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas, which is often erroneously credited to screenwriter Tim Burton. However, if there’s one film that the Coraline director would wish that everyone would forget about, it would be his 2001 flop, Monkeybone, a confounding cinematic experience that was seemingly made for no one.

Grossing a meager $7 million on a $75 million budget, Monkeybone was Selick’s foray into new territory, as it blends live action filmmaking with his trademark stop-motion animation. Starring Brendan Fraser as a cartoonist who falls into a coma and is transported to another universe that threatens to supply the world with nightmares, the making of Monkeybone soured Selick from ever making another live-action feature, as he has since condemned the final product released to the public. The bizarre tonal register, uncanny visual aesthetic, random humor, and bonkers story were immediate turnoffs for casual audiences. The audacious animation style was a costly endeavor for 20th Century Fox, and there was simply no way of selling the film’s idea on a poster or trailer. Monkeybone, lampooned by critics, represents the harsh reality of taking a big artistic swing that whiffs.

9

‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ (2019)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Not only is Terminator 2: Judgment Day a perfect object, its conclusion wraps the story up from 1984’s The Terminator so tightly that a sequel was never in demand. However, Hollywood has to Hollywood, and audiences were sporadically fed sequels to James Cameron‘s classics, none of which were wholly satisfying. Still, they kept performing fairly well at the box office. By the time Terminator: Dark Fate arrived in 2019, audiences were not going to be fooled again, leading to a financial failure that may have terminated the franchise altogether.

In a cruel twist of fate, the surprisingly inventive and engaging Terminator: Dark Fate, the series’ apex since Terminator 2, was the one that failed for its studio, Paramount, with its $261 million worldwide gross falling short of its whopping $185 million budget. While not the most devastating flop, Tim Miller‘s retconning of the events following T2, botched in the uninspiring Rise of the Machines, Salvation, and Genisys, immediately lacked any audience and critical enthusiasm. Even with James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger back on board as producer and star, respectively, and Linda Hamilton reprising her role as Sarah Connor, Dark Fate was a victim of the world not wanting to be fooled for a fourth time. With the scope and budget continuously ballooning, it was clear that Terminator needed a factory reset rather than chasing after the glory of its first two entries.

8

‘Dolittle’ (2020)

Image via Universal Pictures

Say what you want about modern moviegoing tendencies, but audiences aren’t dumb. Just because the world loved Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t mean they’re going to sign up for anything he stars in, especially when his Avengers: Endgame follow-up looked as silly and nonsensical as Dolittle. Released during the brief window in 2020 before things went awry amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the new adaptation of the animal whisperer, originally played by Rex Harrison and Eddie Murphy, carried a weighty price tag for something that was set up for failure.

On the surface, Dolittle‘s box office performance of $251 million worldwide gross is impressive, but when compared to its $175 million budget, these gaudy numbers were hardly worthy of celebration for Universal. Anyone who was following the news of its production, directed by Stephen Gaghan, knew that a stinker was in order, as the film underwent three weeks of reshoots by multiple directors after poor test screenings. Downey’s spontaneity and improvisation were great for Iron Man, but his freewheeling creative process led to a disastrous production. The chaos of the set is felt on the screen—a disorganized and rudderless mess of a movie. By giving a reheated performance, filled with his usual snarky quips, Downey proved he was desperate for Christopher Nolan to upend his screen persona in Oppenheimer.

7

‘Lightyear’ (2022)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

“This is the origin story of the human Buzz Lightyear that the toy is based on,” wrote Chris Evans in a Twitter post that lives in infamy. Emblematic of the glut of IP in cinema, Pixar stooped low for a blatant cash grab in Lightyear, the inexplicable spin-off of the Toy Story franchise centered around the fake person who spawned the fake toy, Buzz Lightyear, here voiced by Evans instead of Tim Allen. The fact that Evans needed to clarify its synopsis was a telltale sign that a bomb was set for launch in 2022.

Grossing $218 million worldwide is relatively low for Pixar sequel standards, and this number is even more egregious when pitted against its whopping $200 million budget. Lightyear‘s existence is indicative of Disney’s obsession with milking their own properties without a clever angle. The film, directed by Angus MacLane, was truly something nobody asked for. Any ardent fan of the Toy Story series will tell you that interest in how the Buzz toy was created within the universe was little to none. Expanding on the Buzz lore taints the purity and charm of the series, making Lightyear woefully disjointed within this beloved franchise. Disney and Pixar are already making a killing off Toy Story sequels, which sees its fifth installment in 2026. This head-scratching spin-off was born out of sheer greed.

6

‘Borderlands’ (2024)

Image via Lionsgate

Video game movies are all the rage these days. In fact, they may have even surpassed superhero movies as the most coveted IP by studios in the wake of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Minecraft. Still, rights to a beloved game aren’t enough to trick audiences into thinking you have the next blockbuster—take, for example, Borderlands, a total wipeout at the box office in 2024 that everyone saw coming from a mile away.

There’s no way of spinning the film’s financial performance, as its $32 million gross on a $115 million budget is a flop of the highest order. Quick research into the making and release of Borderlands, starring an overqualified Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Jack Black, raised countless red flags. Development hell often indicates an impending bomb, and the writing was on the wall for Borderlands, which was announced in 2015, filmed in 2021, and underwent reshoots in 2023. Director Eli Roth, whose R-rated vision was sanded down for a PG-13 rating, was replaced by Tim Miller during reshoots. Even though two directors worked on it, Borderlands is bereft of any artistic direction. The film is a watered-down Guardians of the Galaxy wannabe with inert action and comedy. Borderlands feels trapped in 2015, with its smarmy dialogue and punk sensibilities being incredibly dated a decade later.

5

‘The Flash’ (2023)

By the time The Flash was released in theaters in 2023, the term “superhero fatigue” had reached the lexicon. This phenomenon was the only thing that could account for the string of underachieving comic book adaptations dating back to the year prior. In hindsight, we may have been overthinking it all, as sometimes, a movie is just an outright stinker, like Warner Bros’ failed attempt at orchestrating a colossal event for the disjointed DC saga.

Despite WB’s efforts to sell The Flash as the cinematic event of the year, its $271 million worldwide gross fell short of its hefty $200 million price tag. The last thing audiences wanted amid our collective superhero fatigue was a bloated film like The Flash, directed by Andy Muschietti and starring Ezra Miller in the titular role, which required casual viewers to be caught up with a handful of previous DC installments. The movie was radioactive from the start due to the behind-the-scenes drama involving Miller’s legal issues and personal scandals. Two particular vices of the superhero genre, third acts riddled with cheap CGI and forced character cameos, reached their nadir in The Flash, leaving theaters in pin-drop silence at the reveal of Nicolas Cage and George Clooney as an alternate Superman and Batman, respectively. This cinematic folly signaled that audiences had evolved, as forcing superhero properties without a fresh take wasn’t enough to create a blockbuster anymore.

4

‘Gigli’ (2003)

Image via Columbia Pictures

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They say there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but tell that to the team behind Gigli, and they’d quickly refute that adage. A movie now synonymous with “flop,” Gigli was such a disaster that it put Martin Brest seemingly in permanent director jail and turned Ben Affleck, who subsequently married his co-star, Jennifer Lopez, into a punchline for the tabloids. This is a quintessential “so bad it’s good” movie, yet even irony couldn’t draw people to theaters in 2003.

Grossing a lowly $7 million on a $54 million budget, Gigli, a romantic-comedy set in the criminal underworld featuring two marquee movie stars, should’ve been a slam dunk, but people know a bomb when they see one. The film dropped a staggering 82% percent in gross in its second weekend of release, indicating that word of its creative ineptitude spread quickly. While we’re prone to reclaim movies once viewed as disappointments, there is no redeeming Gigli, a shapeless, poorly acted (notably an unforgivable Justin Bartha performance that was already insensitive in 2003), and lethargic film lacking humor and romance. Brest fell asleep behind the director’s chair, as his flair for high-octane action and comedy, seen in Midnight Run, is nowhere to be found. Gigli even fails as a cult “bad” movie like The Room, as there is little joy or energy in the film’s meandering conversations between the two lead stars-turned-couple.

3

‘Battlefield Earth’ (2000)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

John Travolta‘s career arc is quite the adventure. After his breakthrough in the 1970s, he soon lost his reverence and viability in the public eye by the early ’90s, only to have Quentin Tarantino revive him with Pulp Fiction. His unexpected comeback restored his A-list credibility, but his self-destructive nature came back to haunt him with the sci-fi disasterpiece, Battlefield Earth, one of the most ridiculed and loathed films in recent history.

General audience curiosity in this strange-looking mess wasn’t enough to make up for costs, as the 2000 film directed by Roger Christian grossed $29 million on a $73 million budget. A movie practically designed to dominate the Golden Raspberries, Battlefield Earth wants us to take this story of alien invasion and enslaved human uprising seriously, but everything about it, from the obnoxiously flashy visual language to the garish makeup and costume design, is a laughingstock. Of course, everyone had their guns out for this film due to Travolta’s ties to Scientology and its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, who wrote the film’s source material. The trailers alone made viewers long for Tarantino to give this gifted actor a worthy part. You could do a lot worse than spend a night mocking Battlefield Earth‘s ridiculous script and story logic, but the people were unwilling to pay the price of admission in theaters.

2

‘Madame Web’ (2024)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Not everyone can be the Marvel Cinematic Universe—just ask Sony’s extended Spider-Man universe. They may have the rights to certain Marvel Comics characters, but they don’t have the vision and standard of quality shepherded by Kevin Feige. Following the lackluster whiffs in Venom and Morbius, Sony’s attempts at retaining control of Spider-Man while Tom Holland thrived in the MCU reached their nadir with Madame Web, this generation’s signature bad movie that is still worthy of dissection.

Superhero fatigue or not, Madame Web, which only grossed $100 million on an $80 million budget, was a flop the moment its first trailer dropped, featuring the notorious line “He was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders right before she died.” Dakota Johnson is captivating in romantic comedies or indie dramas, but as a superhero, she’s completely out of her league. A peak example of “gas-leak cinema,” something is just off throughout all of Madame Web, from the stilted acting and choppy ADR to the lackadaisical pace and frictionless stakes. S.J. Clarkson‘s film is begging Spider-Man to swing in and save the day, as, without the marquee character’s presence, this origin story is completely aimless. Sony pushed their luck with Madame Web, who learned the hard way that audiences in 2024 were not automatically lulled by the Marvel Comics logo.

1

‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ (2024)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Just because a movie performed well, even one billion dollars well, doesn’t mean we demand a sequel. Joker was always designed to be a one-off, stand-alone film starring Joaquin Phoenix and directed by Todd Phillips. Five years after dominating the box office and winning multiple Academy Awards, Warner Bros. egregiously overstayed their welcome with Joker: Folie à Deux, a towering box office bomb and source of sheer audience outrage that will be nearly impossible to top.

Warner Bros’ 2025 triumph was a needed comeback after the calamitous performance of their 2024 Joker sequel, which grossed $207 million on a $190 million budget, a seismic drop-off from its previous installment. On paper, Phillips using his cachet to turn a Joker sequel into a dark musical crossed with a prison and courtroom drama is intriguing, and it’s a brilliant counter to the formulaic nature of comic book movies. However, ideas only get you so far, as Joker: Folie à Deux, also starring a wasted Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, is woefully executed. Every scene is punishingly dour without the sophistication of a weighty drama, and the musical numbers play as distractions rather than artistic statements. For such a major blockbuster, the film is inexplicably condensed in scope, merely serving as a recap of what happened in the 2019 movie. Laboriously paced and insultingly one-note, Folie à Deux let everyone know ahead of time that this would be a folly with its title. After the exhausting discourse and controversy surrounding Joker, people were ready to move on from Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) and his anarchic ways.

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Release Date

October 4, 2024

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Runtime

138 minutes

Writers

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Scott Silver, Todd Phillips, Paul Dini, Jerry Robinson, Bruce Timm, Bob Kane, Bill Finger

Producers

Emma Tillinger Koskoff

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Christopher Nolan‘s The Dark Knight is considered a masterpiece of the comic book movie genre, taking Batman and placing him in a world that felt tangible and gripping. The film’s opening statement was the devastatingly choreographed heist at the beginning of the film, which introduced Heath Ledger‘s unforgettable Joker.

Nolan is a student of film, and many (including the film’s creatives) have pointed to 1995 crime classic Heat as a big inspiration for the sequence, and the film in general. Michael Mann‘s tense, methodical filmmaking made Nolan realize he could make a superhero movie his way, and the results were electrifying.

Christopher Nolan Introduces Us to Heath Ledger’s Joker in the Most Perfect Way

Set to the anxious strings of Hans Zimmer‘s opening theme, titled simply “Bank Robbery,” a balletic chain of events unfolds as a gang of masked criminals rob a mafia-owned bank in Gotham. In each step of the robbery, the criminals are instructed to betray each other, unwittingly wiping themselves out until only the orchestrator remains. When questioned by a bank manager (William Fichtner) about what he believes in, the leader removes his mask, revealing the Joker. “I believe whatever doesn’t kill you makes you… stranger,” he replies, before laughing and escaping with the bank’s money.

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‘The Dark Knight’s Most Famous Line Wasn’t Written by Christopher Nolan — and It Still Bothers Him

Nolan was not the hero in this circumstance.

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In just over six minutes, the robbery sets the tone for the film, a comic book movie viewed through the lens of a crime thriller. A villain who is vicious enough to commit such crimes, but also treats chaos as an ethos, meticulously planning an event that is meant to throw Gotham’s criminal underworld into disarray. Nolan’s approach doesn’t copy Heat‘s homework, but it speaks the same cinematic language. The military organization of the Gotham Bank robbery echoes that of Neil McCauley’s (Robert De Niro) crew as they rob over a million dollars from an armored car. Both crews wear masks, both time their plans (and the response to them), and both use urban geography as a canvas. Disrupting the regular hum of a city, only to use it as the perfect getaway disguised as everyday transport (in Heat it’s an ambulance, while the Joker uses an empty school bus).

Christopher Nolan Proudly Claimed ‘Heat’ as an Influence on ‘The Dark Knight’

Part of why we know The Dark Knight was inspired by Heat is that the filmmakers themselves are so open about it. Jonathan Nolan, who wrote the script for the film, told Josh Horowitz about its impact during an interview in 2024. “That movie made such an impression on me,” he said, citing the film’s grounded tone as a major influence from the beginning. “Could you bring that feeling into the Batman universe? Could you tell a story like Heat? To me, that early draft was a bit of: ‘this is what I think a Batman movie should be!’”

It would seem his brother agreed, as in 2023, Christopher Nolan appeared on the YouTube interview channel, Kombini, with regular collaborator Cillian Murphy, and the subject of the film came up. “Heat! Absolute classic,” Nolan exclaimed while picking up a DVD of the movie. “I’ve been talking about this film for years, because I kept ripping it off,” he joked, before adding: “Big influence on The Dark Knight!” Alluding to the similarities, Murphy replied: “That shootout sequence?” “Incredible shootout,” Nolan confirmed.

‘Heat’s Impact Stretches Beyond the Bank Robbery Scene in ‘The Dark Knight’

Image via Warner Bros.

Stylistically, the opening sequence of The Dark Knight and the heist in Heat are the most obvious comparison, but the DNA of Mann’s film exists in the very philosophy of Nolan’s story. Heat follows weary LAPD Robbery Homicide Lieutenant Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) on the tail of lifelong criminal McCauley, with both men seeing parts of themselves in the other. Hanna cannot leave the life of chasing criminals, just as McCauley seems tethered to a life of crime. During the infamous diner scene between the two leads, they ruminate on how they can’t walk away from who they are. “I don’t know how to do anything else,” says Hanna. “Neither do I,” replies McCauley. “I don’t much want to either,” adds the cop. “Neither do I” agrees the criminal.

That philosophy is present in Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) and Joker, two men committed to their own codes: Batman the law of justice, and Joker the law of chaos. Two sides of the same coin, and two men unable to walk away from their principles. “This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object,” Joker claims toward the end of the film. “You won’t kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness. And I won’t kill you because you’re just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever.”

It’s there that the parallels between the movies become clear — two men on separate sides of the law, unable to back down from what they need to do. With The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan set a new standard in comic book movies, by making audiences rethink what a superhero movie could be. When the lore of Batman is told in the language of classic cinema, an age-old rivalry is reinvented.

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Release Date

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December 15, 1995

Runtime

170 minutes

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Director

Michael Mann

Writers

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Michael Mann

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