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30 Movies That Were Really Underappreciated Upon Release

30 Movies That Were Really Underappreciated Upon Release

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While some movies become instant hits capturing the zeitgeist, others underperform at the box office despite being well-made. Poor marketing, competition, limited release or negative reviews can lead to underwhelming box office numbers – it’s always a gamble.

However, some of these underperformers go on to gain cult followings and become beloved classics years or decades later.

Films can be reappraised as audiences discover them through home media, they resonate with changing cultural values, or their innovative qualities are appreciated in hindsight. The following movies were overlooked during their initial theatrical runs but eventually found their audiences and achieved cult or classic status.

To determine the movies that were underappreciated when they first came out, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on historical box office from film industry site The Numbers and data on audience reception from IMDb.

Movies were ranked based on the difference between their actual worldwide box office performance and a theoretical projected box office, which was calculated using the film’s IMDb review count. The projected box office figures were derived by taking the average ratio of worldwide box office to IMDb review counts for movies released in the same year, using a three-year trailing average for these ratios. The analysis only included movies that were released between 1980 and 2010, with a global box office gross of less than $100 million. (Some movies are even regarded to be so important that they’re studied in college.)

Here is the list of the best movies that were underappreciated when they were released: 

30. Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Source: Courtesy of United Artists

Don Cheadle in Hotel Rwanda.

  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $53.9 million ($366.3 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $420.2 million

29. True Romance (1993)

True Romance (1993) | James Gandolfini in True Romance (1993)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

N/A

  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $28.0 million ($369.6 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $397.6 million

28. Equilibrium (2002)

Equilibrium (2002) | Christian Bale in Equilibrium (2002)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax

N/A

  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $8.4 million ($379.9 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $388.3 million

27. The Hurt Locker (2008)

82nd Academy Awards (2009): The Hurt Locker | Suhail Dabbach in The Hurt Locker (2008)
Source: Courtesy of Summit Entertainment

N/A

  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $63.6 million ($385.3 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $448.9 million

26. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $20.3 million ($392.8 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $413.1 million

25. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Source: Courtesy of Dimension Films
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $53.3 million ($400.2 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $453.6 million

24. The Evil Dead (1981)

Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $96.9 million ($401.1 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $497.9 million

23. Being John Malkovich (1999)

Source: Courtesy of USA Films
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $58.6 million ($402.7 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $461.3 million

22. Children of Men (2006)

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $97.7 million ($404.5 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $502.2 million

21. Before Sunrise (1995)

Before Sunrise (1995) | Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy in Before Sunrise (1995)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

N/A

  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $12.0 million ($407.2 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $419.2 million

20. The Machinist (2004)

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Classics
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $12.8 million ($422.9 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $435.7 million

19. 500 Days of Summer (2009)

Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $41.9 million ($445.2 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $487.1 million

18. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) | Benicio Del Toro in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures

N/A

  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $26.8 million ($455.4 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $482.2 million

17. Gattaca (1997)

Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $25.0 million ($462.3 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $487.3 million

16. Into the Wild (2007)

Into the Wild (2007) | Emile Hirsch in Into the Wild (2007)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Vantage

N/A

  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $75.7 million ($566.1 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $641.7 million

15. The Princess Bride (1987)

Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $72.7 million ($570.8 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $643.5 million

14. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $44.0 million ($579.3 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $623.3 million

13. American Psycho (2000)

Source: Courtesy of Lions Gate Films
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $58.2 million ($600.8 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $659.1 million

12. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

Source: Courtesy of The Ladd Company
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $15.2 million ($640.5 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $655.7 million

11. The Elephant Man (1980)

Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $88.6 million ($665.3 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $753.9 million

10. Donnie Darko (2001)

Source: Courtesy of Arrow Films
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $12.2 million ($878.1 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $890.3 million

9. The Thing (1982)

Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $42.9 million ($925.5 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $968.4 million

8. Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Requiem for a Dream (2000) | Ellen Burstyn in Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Source: Courtesy of Artisan Entertainment

N/A

  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $12.6 million ($985.5 million below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $998.1 million

7. Raging Bull (1980)

Raging Bull (1980) | Robert De Niro in Raging Bull (1980)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists

N/A

  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $79.6 million ($1.0 billion below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $1.1 billion

6. The Big Lebowski (1998)

Source: Courtesy of Gramercy Pictures
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $90.2 million ($1.2 billion below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $1.3 billion

5. Memento (2000)

Memento (2000) | Carrie-Anne Moss in Memento (2000)
Source: Courtesy of Newmarket Films

N/A

  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $67.5 million ($1.4 billion below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $1.5 billion

4. The Usual Suspects (1995)

Source: Courtesy of Gramercy Pictures
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $72.5 million ($1.4 billion below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $1.5 billion

3. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Reservoir Dogs (1992) | Quentin Tarantino and Michael Madsen in Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax

N/A

  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $6.6 million ($1.7 billion below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $1.7 billion

2. American History X (1998)

Source: Courtesy of Image Entertainment
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $13.1 million ($1.8 billion below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $1.8 billion

1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
  • Box office, adjusted for inflation: $63.8 million ($2.0 billion below projected gross)
  • Projected box office based on IMDb reviews: $2.0 billion
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