2012 In Film: The Ten Biggest Box Office Disappointments Of The Year

From poorly executed stage-to-screen adaptations to star-studded disappointments, here's a look back at some of the year's biggest flops.  

"Cloud Atlas"

Despite high-profile stars like Tom Hanks and Halle Berry, Andy and Lana Wachowski's adaptation of David Michell's bestselling novel cost a whopping $100 million to make but took in just $26 million. The film's nearly three-hour length, mixed reviews and unmarketable plot may account for the film's failure. 

"Rock of Ages" 

There are some films that even the star power of Tom Cruise can't save. Easily one of the worst stage-to-screen adaptations of all time, "Rock of Ages" proved to be short on thrills and audience appeal. The film, which cost $75 million to produce, grossed an abysmal $38 million at the box office.  

"One For the Money" 

"One For the Money" serves as further proof that Katherine Heigl shouldn't have been so quick to let go of her "Grey's Anatomy" role. The romantic comedy is one of the worst reviewed films of the year -- earning a 2% rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film's disfavor with critics was likely a major reason why it grossed $26 million and failed to recoup its $40 million budget.  

"Wanderlust"

When it comes to starring in successful films, Jennifer Aniston has a poor track record. After appearing in a strong of box office failures like "The Bounty Hunter," "Love Happens," and "The Switch," the last thing Aniston needed was a high-profile flop. But alas, "Wanderlust," which earned just $17 million, proved to be just that. 

"Gone"

The title of the thriller "Gone" reflects just how quickly it was out of theaters. Starring Amanda Seyfried, the film was torn apart by critics and grossed just $11 million. 

"The Raven"

While the concept of "The Raven," which centers on a serial killer inspired by the work of Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack), was quite appealing, the mystery thriller earned a disappointing $16 million.   

"Battleship" 

With a budget of roughly $209 million and an extensive marketing campaign, you'd think that "Battleship," starring Taylor Kitsch, Liam Neeson and Rihanna would have grossed more than $65 million. Perhaps it had something to do with the film's disjointed plot and the fact that not a single character utters "You sunk my battleship!"

"A Thousand Words"

Many would argue that Eddie Murphy's career has been in a downward slide since he starred in the 2007 turkey "Norbit." Unfortunately, 2012 saw the failure of two of the funnyman's film's, "Tower Heist" and the DOA "A Thousand Words," a film that cost $40 million to produce but earned a paltry $11 million.   

"John Carter" 

With a budget of $250 million and a total domestic gross of $73 million, "John Carter," starring Taylor Kitsch, is one of the biggest flops of the year. The film's box office performance means that Disney has likely scrapped the planned sequels for the Mars-based 3-D fantasy. 

"Oogieloves In The BIG Balloon Adventure"

No list of flops would be complete without "Oogieloves In The BIG Balloon Adventure," one of the biggest box office failures in film history. According to the Washington Post, the film currently holds the record for the worst debut of a wide release. After earning just $445,000 during its opening weekend, "Oogieloves" went on to earn just $1 million. It cost $20 million to make it.