Special Report
Best Picture Winners That Made the Least Amount of Money
Published:
Winning the Oscar for Best Picture at the Academy Awards can financially benefit a movie at the box office. Moviegoers are often interested in what has been declared the best movie of the year, and studios may extend the movies’ release or re-release them.
The award does not guarantee that a movie is, or will become, a blockbuster, however. And many Best Picture winners ultimately perform rather modestly at the box office.
In recognition of the 92nd Academy Awards, scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020, and airing live on ABC, 24/7 Tempo has identified the lowest-grossing Best Picture winners in Oscars history, based on inflation-adjusted domestic box office figures from movie industry data site The Numbers.
Whereas the average adjusted domestic box office gross for all Best Picture winners for which data is available is $245.6 million, the movies included here all took in less than $100 million while in theaters.
Some Best Picture winners captivate both the voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the public at large. These movies may make more money than most others; one Best Picture winner, in fact, has made more than all others over the years. Here are the top-grossing movies of all time.
Despite their artistic merit, the less prosperous winners obviously appeal to far fewer moviegoers. Many of these movies have been released in the past decade, stalling at the box office while non-Oscar winners break records. Others are much older and simply reflect a time when fewer people went to the movies.
While some of the lowest-grossing Best Picture winners may be less mainstream than their more successful counterparts, they generally feature Hollywood’s top talent working both in front of and behind the camera. These actors, directors, and others are sometimes audience favorites, even if they don’t always sell tickets. These are the most popular Oscar winners of all time.
Click here to see the Best Picture winners that made the least amount of money.
To identify the lowest-grossing Best Picture winners in Oscars history, 24/7 Tempo determined the domestic box office gross for each of the 92 Best Picture winners in Academy Award history for which data was available.
All domestic box office figures were provided by movie industry data site The Numbers. In order to provide a fairer comparison, 24/7 Tempo adjusted all box offices figures to account for inflation using the personal consumption expenditure price index (PCEPI).
21. No Country for Old Men (2007)
> Domestic box office gross: $87.8 million
> Directed by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
> Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin
> Total Oscars won: 4
Critical darlings Ethan and Joel Coen are not known for releasing blockbusters, despite their enthusiastic fan following. Their most financially successful film to date is the western “True Grit,” which grossed more than $171 million domestically upon release in 2010. “No Country for Old Men” brought in just over $74 million at the box office in 2007, which falls just under $88 million when adjusted for inflation.
The directing duo also won their sole Best Director Oscar for “No Country.”
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20. Rebecca (1940)
> Domestic box office gross: $87.6 million
> Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
> Starring: Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders
> Total Oscars won: 2
Despite being nominated for Best Director five times, British filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock never won an Oscar. His film “Rebecca” did win Best Picture in 1941, however. A review in The Hollywood Reporter upon the film’s 1940 release questioned whether “the gloom with which it is pervaded, its slow pace and its deeply foreign note” would hurt its potential at the U.S. box office.
19. Green Book (2018)
> Domestic box office gross: $85.1 million
> Directed by: Peter Farrelly
> Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini
> Total Oscars won: 3
Despite winning Best Picture at the 2019 Academy Awards, “Green Book” was outgrossed by 35 other films at the domestic box office in 2018. Among the films that performed better than the Oscar-winner about a white driver accompanying a black musician in the South during the 1960s are fellow 2018 Best Picture nominees “Black Panther,” “A Star is Born,” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
18. The Last Emperor (1987)
> Domestic box office gross: $85.0 million
> Directed by: Bernardo Bertolucci
> Starring: John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O’Toole
> Total Oscars won: 9
Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci rose to prominence in the 1970s directing movies including “The Conformist” (1970) and “Last Tango in Paris” (1972). His film “The Last Emperor” — about the last Emperor of China, Pu Yi — won Best Picture, along with eight other Oscars, in 1988. The film had a slow start at the box office, and did not enter the top 10 best performing movies until its 14th weekend in theaters, when it reached the No. 9 position.
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17. Crash (2004)
> Domestic box office gross: $70.9 million
> Directed by: Paul Haggis
> Starring: Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Thandie Newton
> Total Oscars won: 3
Director Paul Haggis’ Los Angeles-based drama “Crash” grossed just over $55 million at the domestic box office in 2005 — $70.9 million when adjusted for inflation — making it the 49th biggest movie of that year. Among the movies that “Crash” beat for Best Picture is “Brokeback Mountain,” which grossed $83 million unadjusted.
16. On the Waterfront (1954)
> Domestic box office gross: $70.2 million
> Directed by: Elia Kazan
> Starring: Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb
> Total Oscars won: 8
Elia Kazan’s film about a longshoreman standing up to corrupt union bosses won eight Academy Awards in 1955, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for lead Marlon Brando. While the movie did very well relative to its reported budget of about $1 million — grossing nearly $10 million domestically unadjusted for inflation — it’s overall gross pales in comparison to more popular Best Picture winners.
Adjusted for inflation, “On the Waterfront” grossed $70.2 million. The average for all Best Picture winners for which data was available is $245.6 million.
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15. All About Eve (1950)
> Domestic box office gross: $68.4 million
> Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
> Starring: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders
> Total Oscars won: 6
Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s 1950 drama “All About Eve” — about a cutthroat thespian manipulating her way into a group of theater workers — won six Oscars, including Best Director and Best Writing. The film grossed $8.4 million at the domestic box office, which translates to $68.4 million when adjusted for inflation.
14. Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)
> Domestic box office gross: $67.4 million
> Directed by: Elia Kazan
> Starring: Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, John Garfield
> Total Oscars won: 3
Before directing movies including “On the Waterfront” (1954), and “A Streetcar Named Desire” (1951), Elia Kazan directed the Best Picture winner “Gentleman’s Agreement.” The film grossed $7.8 million at the domestic box office, which is $67.4 million after adjusting for inflation. This amount is less than either of those later movies grossed when also adjusted the proper amounts.
13. The Shape of Water (2017)
> Domestic box office gross: $65.2 million
> Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
> Starring: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon
> Total Oscars won: 4
Guillermo del Toro’s sci-fi drama about the relationship between a janitor and an aquatic creature won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. Forty-five movies grossed more than it did in 2017. These include “Star Wars Ep. VIII: The Last Jedi,” which took in nearly ten times as much at the domestic box office.
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12. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
> Domestic box office gross: $60.5 million
> Directed by: Steve McQueen
> Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Kenneth Williams, Michael Fassbender
> Total Oscars won: 3
Director Steve McQueen’s film about a free black man who is sold into slavery beat eight other movies to win Best Picture, including “Gravity, “American Hustle,” and “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Each of these earned more than “12 Years a Slave,” which was 2013’s 62nd most successful movie at the domestic box office.
11. You Can’t Take It with You (1938)
> Domestic box office gross: $58.3 million
> Directed by: Frank Capra
> Starring: Jean Arthur, James Stewart, Lionel Barrymore
> Total Oscars won: 2
While not as well known as his films “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946) and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939), director Frank Capra’s “You Can’t Take It with You” was awarded the Oscar for Best Picture in 1939. The film stars James Stewart as a wealthy man who is introduced to his fiance’s unusual and lower class family.
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10. Gigi (1958)
> Domestic box office gross: $49.4 million
> Directed by: Vincente Minnelli, Charles Walters
> Starring: Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jourdan
> Total Oscars won: 9
The romantic musical “Gigi” won an exceptional nine Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Music for its score. This was a record-breaking amount at the time. Despite this level of recognition, the movie grossed $7.3 million at the domestic box office, which translates to less than $50 million when adjusted for inflation.
9. The Artist (2011)
> Domestic box office gross: $49.2 million
> Directed by: Michel Hazanavicius
> Starring: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman
> Total Oscars won: 5
The France-Belgian-American-produced homage to the Hollywood silent era won five Oscars in 2012. It was outgrossed by 69 other films released in 2011. “The Artist” never broke into the top ten most financially successful movies during any week of its theatrical release.
8. Spotlight (2015)
> Domestic box office gross: $47.3 million
> Directed by: Tom McCarthy
> Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams
> Total Oscars won: 2
The film about Boston Globe journalists’ investigation into the Catholic Church’s sex abuse scandals bested movies including “Bridge of Spies,” “The Revenant,” and “The Martian” to win Best Picture in 2016. It was only the 63rd highest grossing movie of 2015, however. The film grossed $45 million unadjusted for inflation. For comparison, “The Martian” — the top-grossing nominee that year — took in more than $228 million.
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7. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
> Domestic box office gross: $44.5 million
> Directed by: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
> Starring: Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton
> Total Oscars won: 4
Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s movie about a former superhero actor trying to reinvent himself won four Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Writing â Original Screenplay. The movie was only the 77th top grossing movie released in 2014, however. The year’s best-performer at the domestic box office was fellow Best Picture-nominee “American Sniper,” which brought in more than $350 million.
6. The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
> Domestic box office gross: $44.3 million
> Directed by: Robert Z. Leonard
> Starring: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Luise Rainer
> Total Oscars won: 3
Based on the true life of American theater producer Florenz Ziegfeld Jr., “The Great Ziegfeld” won Best Picture over popular films including “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town,” “Dodsworth,” and “Libeled Lady.” The film — which clocks in at nearly three hours — did well at the domestic box office for the time, grossing $3 million. This amount pales in comparison to today’s blockbusters, however.
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5. It Happened One Night (1934)
> Domestic box office gross: $38.2 million
> Directed by: Frank Capra
> Starring: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly
> Total Oscars won: 5
Frank Capra’s romantic comedy starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert won acting Oscars for its two leads as well as Best Picture in 1935. The film reportedly grossed $2.5 million at the domestic box office. Adjusted for inflation, this is about two-thirds the amount grossed by Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life,” which failed to win any Oscars.
4. An American in Paris (1951)
> Domestic box office gross: $34.3 million
> Directed by: Vincente Minnelli
> Starring: Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant
> Total Oscars won:
The musical about a love triangle in Paris won six Oscars at the 1952 Academy Awards. The movie brought in $4.5 million at the domestic box office upon its release. “A Streetcar Named Desire,” which was also nominated for Best Picture in 1952, grossed $8 million.
3. The Broadway Melody (1929)
> Domestic box office gross: $32.5 million
> Directed by: Harry Beaumont
> Starring: Bessie Love, Anita Page, Charles King
> Total Oscars won:
“The Broadway Melody” was the second movie ever to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, after “Wings” in 1929. The groundbreaking film did well for its time, grossing $2.8 million at the domestic box office, resulting in the creation of three additional “Broadway Melody” movies. Even so, this amount is only $32.5 million when adjusted for inflation.
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2. Moonlight (2016)
> Domestic box office gross: $28.9 million
> Directed by: Barry Jenkins
> Starring: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Trevante Rhodes
> Total Oscars won: 3
The coming-of-age film about a gay black man was the first film with an all black cast to win Best Picture. Ninety-one movies released in 2016 outperformed it at the domestic box office, including numerous films that were also in competition for Best Picture. These include “Hidden Figures,” which was the year’s 14th biggest movie; “La La Land,” which was the 19th; and “Arrival,” which was the 29th.
1. The Hurt Locker (2008)
> Domestic box office gross: $19.5 million
> Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
> Starring: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty
> Total Oscars won: 6
Kathryn Bigelow’s film about a Sergeant tasked with disarming bombs in the Iraq War did not even fall within the top 100 grossing movies of 2009, the year it was released in the U.S. The Best Picture winner ranked at No. 117 for the year, based on its domestic box office gross of $17 million, unadjusted for inflation. The movie’s production budget was approximately $15 million.
Among the Best Picture nominees defeated by “The Hurt Locker” was “Avatar,” which grossed more than $760 million. Adjusted for inflation, this is $874.1 million, compared with “The Hurt Locker’s” $19.5 million.
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