The 1995 Box Office Bomb That Once Held A Guinness World Record For Biggest Loss
1995 saw many successful movies, some earning hundreds of millions at the box office. However, Cutthroat Island was not among them. This swashbuckling pirate film starring Geena Davis and Matthew Modine ended up losing a significant amount of money.
Guinness World Record for Biggest Loss
For nearly two decades, Cutthroat Island held the Guinness World Record for the largest box office loss. It lost approximately $105 million, which equates to $145 million when adjusted for inflation.
According to Guinness, the film had an estimated production budget of $98 million (plus marketing expenses) but only grossed $10 million at the box office.
Impact on the Pirate Movie Genre
Following the release of Cutthroat Island, which underperformed, pirate movies largely disappeared from theaters for almost a decade. The genre was revived in June 2003 with the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which made $654 million worldwide, according to BoxOffice Mojo.
You can watch Cutthroat Island now for free if you want to revisit this much-criticized yet entertaining treasure hunt story about a woman on a quest for hidden riches.
Summary
This notorious 1995 film once set a record for box office losses but now serves as a nostalgic curiosity available for free streaming.