By now, everyone knows that Jared Leto has become box office poison. Well, everyone except the major film studios. The actor keeps getting work in big tentpole franchises despite all his recent bombs: Ares, Haunted Mansion, Morbius, House of Gucci, The Little Things… the list runs back for years now. And that’s just the movies. His TV work shows the same pattern: Wheel of Fortune, WeCrashed, Great Wide Open.
His latest bomb, however, hits the hardest. When Amazon MGM’s $170 million He-Man reboot opened to a $29.3 million domestic debut in June, everyone pointed fingers at one person: Jared Leto (despite his Skeletor actually being a highlight of the film). And so came the memes and the articles about Leto’s box office curse.
But Leto is just one of many in a long list of actors who saw a sudden fall from grace after one or two bad movies. In this list, we take a look at those actors who failed so miserably that they never quite recovered.
Jared Leto’s Box Office Curse Claimed Another Victim With Masters of the Universe (2026)
Masters of the Universe could honestly have been Leto’s big comeback. It had all the ingredients for box office success. Instead, the actor carried the label he received for Morbius, Tron: Ares and House of Gucci into the production. Just the mention of his name in the credits was enough to drive certain audiences away from the film. Amazon MGM, of course, tried to fix all the negative press by removing the actor from press junkets and red carpet events. But it didn’t help at all. Masters of the Universe furthered Leto’s reputation as ‘box office poison’.
RELATED: Jared Leto Is Box Office Poison. Masters of the Universe Just Proved It
RELATED: Masters of the Universe Review — By the Power of Grayskull, Jared Leto Doesn’t Suck
Eddie Murphy’s Career Stumbled After Norbit (2007)
Before Norbit, the consensus was that Murphy could do no wrong. Even his raunchiest comedies still saw modest box office success. Norbit‘s bizarre premise, tone, and Murphy’s overreliance on body suits soured the comedian’s legacy.
Geena Davis’ Hollywood Momentum Crashed With Cutthroat Island (1995)
After her meteoric ascent, thanks to films like Beetlejuice and Thelma & Louise, Davis’ career was stunted by the flop that was Cutthroat Island. Fortunately, she has since found a revival opportunity with her critically acclaimed TV performances.
Mike Myers Disappeared From Live-Action Roles After The Love Guru (2008)
Myers quietly retired from live-action starring roles after The Love Guru backfired with critics and even the most die-hard Austin Powers fans. He attempted a comeback with 2022’s The Pentaverate, but critics were not impressed.
John Travolta’s Reputation Tanked After Battlefield Earth (2000)
The bizarre ties to Scientology and the movie’s all-around terrible reception almost demolished John Travolta’s career overnight at the turn of the millennium.
Taylor Kitsch’s Leading Man Run Derailed by Disney’s John Carter (2012)
Disney’s space epic failure took out Kitsch’s blooming action lead career as collateral damage. What should have been Disney’s Avatar ended up being Kitsch’s Waterworld instead.
Halle Berry’s Oscar High Undone by Catwoman (2004)
In 2002, Berry became the first African American woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for Monster’s Ball. Two years later, she made Catwoman. The whiplash stalled Berry’s career for a while, earning her a Razzie Award as Worst Actress, which Berry herself graciously received.
Cuba Gooding Jr.’s Post-Oscar Career Took a Hit With Boat Trip (2002)
Fresh off an Oscar win and ready to take Hollywood by storm, Cuba Gooding Jr.’s prospects suddenly sank after the tasteless Boat Trip. His starring role in 2002’s Snow Dogs didn’t help his case either.
Elizabeth Berkley’s Career Collapsed Following Showgirls (1995)
Showgirls, with its hammy drama and its legendarily terrible movie poster, has become one of the most infamous films ever produced. Berkley’s over-the-top performance was so notoriously bad that her agent dropped her altogether, severely limiting her prospects outside of indie films.
Roberto Benigni’s Hollywood Standing Faltered With Pinocchio (2002)
In a world without 2002’s Pinocchio, Benigni might be remembered as a legendary performer who elevated Life Is Beautiful into a masterpiece. Unfortunately, in our reality, Pinocchio exists. The film was called a “vanity project” that feels increasingly bizarre as you wonder who thought having 50-year-old Benigni play a small wooden boy was a good idea.
Leto’s live-action Masters of the Universe flop is one of the biggest surprises of 2026. Its failure will be discussed long after its theatrical run (even if Amazon has plans for the franchise on Prime Video). Even the original He-Man, Dolph Lundgren, talked about the disappointment. Whether Leto eventually shakes it off is the one thing this list can’t answer yet.
RELATED: Dolph Lundgren Breaks Silence on the He-Man Reboot’s Box Office Flop
