The 1995 Box Office Bomb That Once Held a Guinness World Record for Biggest Loss Is Streaming for Free
1995 saw many successful films, with several earning hundreds of millions at the box office. However, Cutthroat Island was not among them. This pirate adventure, starring Geena Davis and Matthew Modine, suffered a major financial failure, losing so much that it held a Guinness World Record for the largest box office loss for almost twenty years.
Guinness World Record for Biggest Box Office Loss
Until April 2012, Cutthroat Island held the record for the largest box office loss ever recorded. The movie’s production budget was estimated at $98 million, excluding marketing costs, but it only grossed $10 million worldwide. According to Guinness, this resulted in a loss of approximately $105 million, or $145 million when adjusted for inflation.
Impact on the Pirate Movie Genre
Following Cutthroat Island, pirate-themed films largely faded from popularity. While Muppet Treasure Island was released shortly after, the genre remained dormant for nearly a decade. It wasn’t until 2003 that pirate movies made a major comeback with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which earned $654 million according to BoxOffice Mojo.
Watch Cutthroat Island for Free
Though it was heavily criticized and financially disastrous, Cutthroat Island is now available to stream for free. Fans or curious viewers can watch this underappreciated tale of a woman searching for hidden treasure without any cost.
"Cutthroat Island had the distinction of holding the Guinness World Record for the largest box office loss of all time, which amounted to $105 million (or $145 million, adjusted for inflation)."
Author’s summary: Cutthroat Island remains a notable example of a major box office failure that temporarily halted pirate movies until the genre’s revival nearly a decade later.