Whenever Robert Downey Jr comes up in a conversation, we often think of his iconic portrayal of Tony Stark/ Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that had made the superhero franchise a multibillion-dollar franchise. RDJ is no doubt a charismatic and phenomenal actor, whose career has spanned four decades. During this period, the actor has done a plethora of films such as Sherlock Holmes, Avengers: Endgame, Iron Man, Oppenheimer, and many more which have set a major record in the box office.
There’s no doubt that Robert Downey Jr is one of the most successful and one of the most decorated film stars that this generation has witnessed. However, even the biggest of stars have made wrong decisions in their career that leave a black spot, that couldn’t get rid of. Downey Jr was no exception, as in his career, he has done three films that were a major Box Office disappointment.
3) Air America Featuring Robert Downey and Mel Gibson
Robert Downey Jr and Mel Gibson’s 1990 action-comedy film, Air America remains one of the first box office disappointments that the actor has appeared in. The film featured many jaw-dropping airplanes and helicopter stunts but it was not enough to save the film from being a box office disappointment, as the film itself was quite unsure of its plot, and mediocre dialogues added to its downfall.
The only intriguing aspect of the film was the wacky buddy comedy between Gibson and Downey Jr. Moreover, upon the release of the film, it got entangled with some controversy, as the CIA gathered a bunch of misfits to smuggle narcotics for corrupt Laotian forces, and the distortion of facts was not taken well by its audience. As a result, the 1990 film became a major box office disappointment as it had a gross revenue of only $32.9 million at the global box office.
Worldwide Box Office Collection: $32.9 million
Air America can be purchased on AppleTV.
2) Two Girls and a Guy Featuring Robert Downey Jr, Heather Graham and Natasha Gregson Wagner
Directed by James Toback, Two Girls and a Guy is another disappointing film that the Tropic Thunder actor has done in his career. The film showcases a love triangle, featuring Blake Allen portrayed by RDJ, he is a charismatic and charming actor, who is involved in a relationship with Carla Bennett and Lou.
However, the film was met with little to no attention during its release, and the attention it got from the viewers and critics was only met with negative reviews. Moreover, the film lacked big names to attract a wider audience and eventually got sidelined only to be remembered as a box office disappointment, accumulating only $2.3 million at the worldwide box office.
Unlike Air America, the film was somewhat entertaining, but poor marketing failed to bring in the targetted audience, which eventually made it a flop.
Worldwide Box Office Collection: $2.3 million
Two Girls and a Guy can be purchased on AppleTV.
3) Dolittle Featuring Robert Downey Jr, Tom Holland, Selena Gomez and Rami Malek
The Zodiac actor’s Dolittle is the biggest flop in his career, as the film had the potential to be a massive hit, but Universal Pictures’ poor decisions made the film a flop. The 2020 film broke the records of other films released during the same time period, and it was even the 7th highest-grossing film of 2020, with a worldwide box office collection of $251.5 million.
However, Universal Pictures went overboard in setting the budget of the film which was $175 million, which was later plagued by reshoots, as they believed they had to make those major changes, adding to the production cost of the film.
Moreover, the poor release date of the film added to the film being a flop because it was released in mid-January most viewers stayed in the holiday spirit and put the final nail in the coffin. If Universal Pictures selected a different date, then this film would have been remembered as one of Downey Jr’s most popular and hit films. However, unseen expenses, a massive budget, and a poor release date plagued the film.
Worldwide Box Office Collection: $251.5 million
Dolittle can be rented on AppleTV.
While these 3 films serve as a reminder that even the most successful actors in Hollywood, like Robert Downey Jr their share of setbacks, it is their resilience and the never-give-attitude that overshadow these setbacks, as he filled his career with films that are major hits and leave a lasting impact in their memories.
