3 Music Biopics That Absolutely Flopped at the Box Office

Music biopics are always a big draw at the box office, except when they’re not. Sometimes, a movie is the victim of circumstance and a fundamental misunderstanding of its audience. Occasionally, it’s because of casting. Here are three films that became certified flops, all for very different reasons.

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‘The Runaways’

The 2010 biopic The Runaways tells the story of how the band The Runaways formed in the 1970s. With Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie, the film depicts the band’s inception and early rise to fame before Currie’s departure.

While some fans noted a few discrepancies between the film and real life, which occurred for the plot’s sake, generally, it was well received. However, it is considered a box office flop, only grossing about $4.6 million after a budget of $10 million.

Basically, The Runaways flopped not because it was a bad movie. On the contrary, many fans have lauded Stewart’s and Fanning’s performances. It all comes down to poor distribution and promotion. The company in charge of promoting the film in the U.S. didn’t understand the target audience, according to an analysis by the fan blog Born To Be Jetthead.

Because of a lack of promotion, the film didn’t do well in the U.S. Then, because it didn’t do well, it wasn’t widely distributed to other countries. In conclusion: box office flop.

‘Nina’

This 2016 biopic about legendary singer and activist Nina Simone was essentially doomed from the start. Even before its release, it garnered negative reactions from fans and critics, mostly for the casting choices.

The consensus was that Zoe Saldaña, while a great actor, was woefully miscast as Nina Simone. She wasn’t the first choice either, as she replaced Mary J. Blige when the singer backed out. Viewers had issues with Saldaña having to use makeup and prosthetics to play Simone, who was noticeably darker-skinned. Saldaña is Dominican and Puerto Rican, and as such, her skin is lighter and her features are much different.

Simone Kelly, Nina Simone’s daughter, spoke out about the casting. “My mother was raised at a time when she was told her nose was too wide, her skin was too dark,” she said. “Appearance-wise, this is not the best choice.”

The film had a limited release, earning only $22,584 at the box office. Simone’s family refused to endorse the film, and Zoe Saldaña has expressed regret for taking the lead role.

‘Stardust’

The 2020 biopic Stardust centered around David Bowie and his alter ego Ziggy Stardust. It focuses on Bowie’s 1971 tour, his strained relationships, and Ziggy’s eventual inception. This sounds like it would be interesting, only the film flopped hard and fast.

David Bowie’s estate didn’t approve of the film. Because of this, those in charge of his legacy withheld the rights to use Bowie’s music. This was catastrophic for the film, as it focused on a time of great creativity in Bowie’s career. A movie about Ziggy Stardust without Ziggy Stardust?

Instead, the film used covers that Bowie would perform at the time, such as “I Wish You Would” by The Yardbirds. Still, without Bowie’s iconic songs from the time, the film received intensely negative reviews. It grossed only $62,251 at the box office, making it a certified flop.

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