Every DreamWorks Box Office Bomb, Ranked

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DreamWorks is known as one of the most financially successful animation studios ever, but not every movie they’ve made has been a hit. Founded in the mid-1990s, DreamWorks quickly started creating animated films that were as good and as popular as those from Disney and Pixar.

DreamWorks Animation began by creating movies with both traditional and computer-generated imagery, but they soon focused mainly on CGI. Huge successes like Shrek and Madagascar made DreamWorks a leader in animation, especially since Disney was struggling at the time. A key to DreamWorks’ success was its unique brand of playful, and sometimes cheeky, humor that appealed to both kids and adults.

DreamWorks has been incredibly successful for the past three decades, but not every movie has been a hit. While they’ve produced over 50 films, only nine have truly failed to make money at the box office. Some others were expensive to make, meaning even decent earnings didn’t translate into big profits.

Spirit Untamed (2021)

DreamWorks had an early hit with Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, and they hoped Spirit Untamed would achieve similar success. The film, like many horse stories, centers on the friendship between a young girl and a wild horse. Interestingly, with a budget of $30 million (according to Box Office Mojo), Spirit Untamed was DreamWorks’ least expensive movie to make.

Fans of the original movie didn’t like the sequel because of its poor animation and predictable story. While it earned $42 million – the lowest amount for any DreamWorks film – that wasn’t enough to make up for the movie’s expenses. Although Spirit Untamed wasn’t DreamWorks’ biggest financial failure, it was definitely their worst-performing film when it comes to quality.

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023)

As a big DreamWorks fan, I was really surprised when Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken didn’t do well in theaters. After DreamWorks seemed to weather the pandemic box office slump pretty well, this one just… flopped. The story centers around Ruby, a teenager trying to find her place in high school, but things get complicated when she learns she’s connected to a pretty fierce kraken! Sadly, despite a $70 million budget, it only brought in around $46 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo.

While the movie isn’t bad, Ruby Gillman doesn’t quite live up to DreamWorks’ usual high standards. It had the potential to be a success, but it’s held back by a script that isn’t fully developed and doesn’t quite deliver on some good concepts. Given that it was made on a relatively small budget, the fact that it didn’t make much money isn’t as disappointing.

Turbo (2013)

DreamWorks stands out from other studios because it doesn’t focus on a single type of story, which leads to films like Turbo. This movie is about a garden snail who unexpectedly develops incredible speed and dreams of racing in the Indianapolis 500. Although Turbo earned a solid $282 million worldwide, it actually resulted in a $13 million loss for DreamWorks (according to Variety).

I just saw Turbo, and honestly, it’s a pretty standard family movie. It’s got a simple story and a clear message, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The movie’s financial performance was…well, it almost broke even, and that pretty much sums up the whole experience. Unlike some other DreamWorks films that have layers and jokes for adults, Turbo is pretty much what you see is what you get. It’s surprisingly forgettable, even with its wacky idea. Still, DreamWorks knows how to tell a basic story well, and that saves it from being completely bland.

Penguins Of Madagascar (2014)

Despite earning $373 million worldwide, DreamWorks’ Penguins of Madagascar was a surprisingly big financial disappointment, highlighting how tricky it is to predict box office success. The film, a spin-off of the popular Madagascar series, follows the penguin team as they try to save the world from a villain. While the movie turned a profit with a $132 million budget (according to Box Office Mojo), it performed very poorly in the United States.

The film made $83 million in the US, but the majority of its earnings came from international audiences. Ultimately, the studio had to take a $57 million loss on the project (according to the New York Times). Despite not being a financial success, many viewers find the movie enjoyable and a solid continuation of the series, even if it’s not as grand in scale as previous installments.

Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)

DreamWorks took a chance with the movie Mr. Peabody & Sherman, but it wasn’t a huge success. The film, inspired by the classic Rocky and Bullwinkle characters, centers on the adventures of Mr. Peabody and Sherman as they attempt to repair a broken timeline. While critics generally liked the movie, it still earned over $270 million worldwide (according to Box Office Mojo).

Despite a $145 million production budget, Mr. Peabody & Sherman wasn’t profitable because of extra expenses and how box office revenue is shared internationally. The film underperformed at the box office, which was surprising given its promising concept. This financial failure overshadowed the movie’s quality and its innovative, complex storyline, which represented a new direction for DreamWorks animation.

Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas (2003)

The movie Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas was a major financial failure, almost causing DreamWorks to go bankrupt. The film follows the classic hero Sinbad as he and his pirate crew try to retrieve the stolen Book of Peace. While it earned about $80 million at the box office with a $60 million production budget, overall costs resulted in a $125 million loss for DreamWorks that year (according to SlashFilm).

I remember when Sinbad: The Legend of the Seven Seas came out – it’s now known as one of the biggest box office disappointments ever! It was also DreamWorks’ final traditionally animated movie. While it doesn’t quite reach the level of their older classics, I think Sinbad really deserves recognition for how beautiful it looked, its big, adventurous story, and the amazing voice acting. It’s a shame it didn’t do well, because it seems like that failure made DreamWorks hesitant to take such risks with animation again.

Flushed Away (2006)

Though visually different from previous Aardman films, Flushed Away was the last movie created through their partnership with DreamWorks, and it wasn’t a critical or commercial success. The story centers on a pampered rat who accidentally falls into the London sewers and has to outsmart a dangerous toad mobster. Made using computer animation instead of traditional claymation, the film earned $178 million worldwide, but its production cost was a hefty $149 million (according to Box Office Mojo).

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The film lost $100 million and was a major box office failure. But looking at the numbers doesn’t tell the whole story – Flushed Away is actually a surprisingly good animated movie from the 2000s. The creative vision of Aardman combined with DreamWorks’ excellent animation makes for a delightful and exciting movie experience. Despite its flaws, Flushed Away is much better than its financial performance would suggest.

Rise Of The Guardians (2012)

Despite earning over $300 million worldwide (according to Box Office Mojo), DreamWorks’ Rise of the Guardians is a classic example of a movie that didn’t perform as well as expected at the box office. The film brings together beloved holiday figures like Santa Claus and Jack Frost who must work together to defeat a villain threatening to destroy the world. It’s an action-filled story with a really interesting concept.

Despite a $145 million budget, the movie ultimately lost DreamWorks $87 million after accounting for all costs. However, it has since gained a dedicated following and become a popular modern Christmas film. Its animation was remarkably impressive for its time, and many still consider it a hidden gem worth watching.

The Road To El Dorado (2000)

DreamWorks’ The Road to El Dorado is often seen as an early example of the studio’s talent, and it has many elements of a timeless film. The story follows two swindlers who stumble upon the fabled city of El Dorado, but they find themselves facing a difficult choice between wealth and their friendship. Unfortunately, the movie was a commercial failure, earning just $76 million despite costing $95 million to make (according to Box Office Mojo).

With a memorable soundtrack by Tim Rice and Elton John, The Road to El Dorado tried to capture the magic of Disney’s successful animated films from the 1990s. However, audiences weren’t as interested in that style anymore, which was clear from Disney’s own struggles at the time. Despite this, and even though DreamWorks had other popular movies, The Road to El Dorado remains a standout achievement for the studio.

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2025-12-21 01:03