Disney's Sci-Fi Gambles that Crashed and Burned at the Box Office

Disney has taken significant financial hits on some of its sci-fi projects over the years. The studio's ambitions in science fiction have yielded some massive successes, such as Pixar's digital landscapes and Marvel's cosmic universe. However, it also has a history of producing high-stakes gambles that completely cratered at the box office.

One example is Lightyear (2022), a film dedicated entirely to Buzz Lightyear, one of the most recognizable characters in the Toy Story franchise. The movie was pitched as the in-universe blockbuster that inspired the original Toy Story action figure and starred Chris Evans as the voice of Buzz. Despite its safe concept, it became one of Pixar's rare theatrical disappointments, grossing $226.4 million worldwide against a reported $200 million budget.

Another example is Mars Needs Moms (2011), an ambitious motion-capture animated science fiction adventure directed by Simon Wells and produced by Robert Zemeckis. The movie followed a young boy who traveled to Mars after aliens abducted his mother, but it opened to only $6.9 million in North America and eventually made only $39.2 million worldwide. Disney took a roughly $70 million write-down related to the film.

Tomorrowland (2015) was another sci-fi project that failed to meet expectations. The movie was directed by Brad Bird and starred George Clooney and Britt Robertson. It had a reported budget of $180 million but only grossed $209 million worldwide, resulting in a significant loss for Disney.