Ebert zero stars
Freddy Got Fingered 2001
First overall pick. Ebert: 'This movie doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence with barrels.' Killed Tom Green's career; Sean saw it in theaters and loved it.
The Big Picture · Draft
The Flops Movie Draft
August 25, 2026/ 111 min/ Sean Fennessey · Amanda Dobbins
In the dead zone of the release calendar, the crew drafts flops across six categories plus a wildcard: sub-$30M domestic grossers, star bombs, nine-figure losers (adjusted for inflation), Ebert zero-star reviews, sub-25% Rotten Tomatoes, and failed franchise launches. Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan fill out the table. Rule that a movie had to be considered a disappointment at the time; Shawshank got vetoed on those grounds.
28 films across 1 segment.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
The Flops Movie Draft drafting flops
Sean Fennessey
Star bomb
Ishtar 1987
Beatty and Hoffman flip parts; sunk by pre-release press more than box office, and it ended Elaine May's directing career.
$100M losers club (adjusted for inflation)
The Last Duel 2021
Ridley Scott / Damon / Affleck / Comer; a wrong-time release dead center of the Me Too era.
Sub-25% Rotten Tomatoes
Congo 1995
Frank Marshall's Crichton adaptation. 'One of the most fun movies ever made.' Laura Linney, Tim Curry, Amy the gorilla.
Failed franchise launch
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. 2015
Guy Ritchie's would-be spy franchise; the Armie Hammer casting keeps it from ever getting revived.
Under $30M domestic (wide release)
The Thing 1982
Made ~$3M; a historic bomb. Ceded by Chris after the year cap on the category was dropped.
Amanda Dobbins
Star bomb
How Do You Know 2010
James L. Brooks; Jack Nicholson's last screen role, and where the studio rom-com quietly died.
$100M losers club (adjusted for inflation)
West Side Story 2021
Spielberg; lost $104M coming out of COVID. Amanda's No. 3 of the year.
Ebert zero stars
North 1994
Ends Rob Reiner's hot streak. Ebert's pan was read aloud at Reiner's roast.
Failed franchise launch
Salt 2010
The sequel setup at the end never got made. Angelina Jolie as an action star, never fully tapped.
Under $30M domestic (wide release)
The Lost City of Z 2016
James Gray; $40M budget, ~$8M domestic. Sienna Miller's best performance.
Sub-25% Rotten Tomatoes
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit 1993
19% on the tomatometer despite a $125M gross. Lauryn Hill and 'Joyful, Joyful.'
Wildcard
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 2011
Also a failed franchise launch; Fincher's would-be trilogy stalled after one.
Bill Simmons
Ebert zero stars
Police Academy 1984
Ebert had a blind spot for sophomoric comedy; the film spawned six sequels anyway.
Under $30M domestic (wide release)
Manhunter 1986
Michael Mann; a bomb at the time, now considered a masterpiece.
$100M losers club (adjusted for inflation)
Ali 2001
Great stretches, a dull second half; Mann got overwhelmed telling the whole story.
Failed franchise launch
Josie and the Pussycats 2001
Anti-corporate girl-group satire from the Can't Hardly Wait team; has a cult now.
Wildcard
The Island of Dr. Moreau 1996
Brando visibly counting his cash on screen; Kilmer refusing to be there.
Chris Ryan
Star bomb
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford 2007
$4M domestic for a meditative tone poem scored by Nick Cave; dynamite cast.
$100M losers club (adjusted for inflation)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga 2024
Lost ~$123M; put the Mad Max franchise on ice.
Under $30M domestic (wide release)
Blackhat 2015
Michael Mann; Hemsworth's baffling accent, a Rewatchables staple.
Sub-25% Rotten Tomatoes
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter 1984
Not actually the final chapter; Corey Feldman kills Jason.
Failed franchise launch
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World 2003
Peter Weir's Aubrey-Maturin adaptation that never got a sequel.
Wildcard
Battleship 2012
$300M worldwide but only ~$65M domestic; part of the Taylor Kitsch bomb run. Rihanna goes boom.
Also mentioned raised along the way
Flop touchstones WaterworldThe PostmanHeaven's GateHoward the DuckTitanicGigliThe Bonfire of the VanitiesHudson Hawk
Intro / release-calendar talk Spider-Man: Brand New DayThe OdysseyThe Dog StarsDazed and ConfusedReservoir DogsEndless LoveThe Chronicles of RiddickPitch BlackMasters of the UniverseRunner RunnerJurassic Park
Brad Pitt By the SeaThe TouristOcean's ThirteenBurn After ReadingThe Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonMoneyballHeart of the BeastA Dog's Purpose
Ridley Scott filmography All the Money in the WorldHouse of GucciNapoleonGladiator IIGladiatorAlienAlien: CovenantPrometheusExodus: Gods and KingsBlack RainSomeone to Watch Over Me
Michael Mann FerrariPublic Enemies
Star bombs left on the board The Scarlet LetterThe JurorK-19: The WidowmakerU-571The BeachBest DefenseKnight and DayValkyrieRock of AgesGottiRevengeJohn CarterSahara
Failed franchise launches left on the board The MummyAlita: Battle AngelBrightThe Dark TowerJonah HexThe Last AirbenderPrince of Persia: The Sands of Time47 RoninJumperJack Ryan: Shadow RecruitSolo: A Star Wars StoryThe Next Karate KidPopstar: Never Stop Never StoppingHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
Ebert zero-star also-rans The HitcherI Spit on Your GraveDice Rules10 to MidnightJaws: The RevengeDeath Wish IIDeuce Bigalow: European GigoloDeuce Bigalow: Male GigoloLast RitesRosencrantz & Guildenstern Are DeadWalkerThe Devils
Sub-25% also mentioned Event Horizon48 Hrs.Passenger 57Gone in 60 SecondsCocktailGrown Ups 2Rumor Has ItCoyote UglySleeping with the EnemyDirty Work
Under-$30M also mentioned Short CutsRoundersThe King of ComedyBASEketballEddie and the CruisersBlood In, Blood Out28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Rob Reiner streak This Is Spinal TapThe Sure ThingStand by MeThe Princess BrideWhen Harry Met Sally...MiseryA Few Good MenThe American President
Joel Schumacher run FlatlinersDying YoungFalling DownThe ClientBatman ForeverA Time to KillBatman & RobinFlawlessFearless
Horror talk The Blair Witch ProjectFaces of DeathFriday the 13th: A New BeginningFriday the 13thFriday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes ManhattanScream
Dr. Moreau / Richard Stanley Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley's Island of Dr. MoreauDust DevilHardware
Ruled out The Shawshank Redemption
In passing Pulp FictionBoogie NightsHeatThe DepartedEvery Which Way You CanThe Last American VirginTrue RomanceThe Silence of the LambsMad Max: Fury RoadSorcererI'll Do AnythingDick TracyKramer vs. KramerHeaven Can WaitI Love TroubleCan't Hardly WaitScooby-DooCitizen VigilanteWantedLara Croft: Tomb Raider65Speed RacerAlexanderMission: Impossible - FalloutMan of SteelApollo 13The Empire Strikes BackLeprechaun 2Leprechaun
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV GirlsTo Catch a PredatorCrystal LakeFriday Night LightsThe Arsenio Hall Show
Web/Video Bumfights