Updated September 29, 2026. Figures are rounded and may change as box office reporting is revised.
A big opening, a famous franchise, or a familiar character does not guarantee a box office hit. Several Hollywood releases in 2026 have drawn theatrical grosses that look modest beside their reported production budgets. Here are five of the year’s most striking commercial disappointments so far—and what the public figures can actually tell us.
2026 box office disappointments at a glance
| Movie | Worldwide box office | Reported production budget |
|---|---|---|
| Moana | About $323 million | $250 million |
| Supergirl | About $126 million | $170 million |
| Masters of the Universe | About $114 million | $170 million |
| Greenland 2: Migration | About $29 million | $90 million |
| The Bride! | About $24 million | $80 million |
Source: The Numbers. The budget column refers to production costs, not a combined production-and-marketing total. These films are selected for the scale of their theatrical underperformance relative to reported budgets; the table is not a ranking of verified financial losses.
1. Moana
Disney’s live-action Moana has the largest reported production budget on this list: $250 million. Its approximately $323 million worldwide gross exceeds that figure, but that comparison alone cannot establish theatrical profitability. Cinemas retain a share of ticket sales, and the production figure does not account for the film’s marketing and distribution costs. Against the scale of its budget and franchise expectations, its theatrical performance has been disappointing.
2. Supergirl
Supergirl earned approximately $126 million worldwide against a reported $170 million production budget. The gap makes it one of 2026’s clearest big-budget theatrical struggles. It does not mean the studio lost the difference between those two numbers: worldwide gross is ticket revenue before the exhibitor split, while a studio’s full costs and later income are separate figures.
3. Masters of the Universe
The live-action Masters of the Universe brought in about $114 million globally on a reported $170 million production budget. Its roughly $29 million domestic opening showed some initial interest, but the worldwide run did not build into the blockbuster-scale theatrical result such a costly release would usually seek.
4. Greenland 2: Migration
Greenland 2: Migration collected about $29 million worldwide, while The Numbers lists a $90 million production budget. That is a stark theatrical comparison for the disaster sequel. Any streaming, licensing, or other post-theatrical revenue would require separate accounting before anyone could calculate its eventual financial outcome.
5. The Bride!
The Bride! grossed approximately $24 million worldwide against an $80 million production budget listed by The Numbers. Its $7 million domestic opening and short theatrical run made it another notable commercial miss, regardless of how viewers judge its creative ambitions.
Why box office minus budget is not a “loss” figure
Worldwide box office gross is the total reported value of tickets sold. It is not the amount paid to the studio: theaters keep part of that revenue, and the studio’s share varies across markets and deals.
Production budget covers making the movie as reported by a source. It generally does not represent the entire cost of releasing it. Advertising and distribution can add substantial expense, but reliable film-by-film marketing totals are often unavailable publicly.
Finally, a theatrical run is only part of a movie’s financial life. Home viewing, streaming arrangements, television licensing, and other deals may generate revenue after cinemas. For those reasons, the figures above support a judgment about theatrical performance; they do not support a precise claim that any film “lost” a particular dollar amount.
The takeaway
The common thread is scale. A $24 million worldwide gross means something different for an $80 million production than it would for a low-budget independent movie. Likewise, a film can gross more than its production budget and still fall short of theatrical expectations. Until full costs and revenue are disclosed, “box office disappointment” is the more accurate description than a calculated studio loss.