Hollywood’s nepo baby directors responsible for the biggest box office flops of 2024

Hollywood's nepo baby directors responsible for the biggest box office flops of 2024

As a die-hard movie enthusiast who’s seen more films than I can count (and that’s saying something!), it’s been quite an interesting year for Hollywood’s “nepo babies” directors, the offspring of some of Tinseltown’s biggest names.

2024 saw several high-profile film failures that were helmed by directors from Hollywood’s nepotism-backed generation.

2021 saw the debuts of films from the offspring of prominent Hollywood figures like Spielberg and Shyamalan. However, these movies fell short at the box office with disappointing returns.

Among them was Ishana Night Shyamalan, the offspring of Academy Award nominee M. Night Shyamalan, who made her first appearance as a feature film director in The Watchers. This production, however, left Netflix viewers feeling let down by its conclusion.

additionally, Jake Kasdan, who is the son of four-time Oscar nominee Lawrence Kasdan, recently released his Christmas-themed action-comedy film titled “Red One.” This movie hit theaters just last month.

As a die-hard admirer, I can’t help but express my feelings about Zelda Williams’ debut film, Lisa Frankenstein. Despite being only $3 million shy of its whopping production budget, this romantic-comedy-meets-horror masterpiece fell just short. Yet, the spirit and talent that radiated from the screen make me eagerly anticipate her future projects.

And while they brought down the average class score, there were a few who carried the rest of the team on their backs and that was Zoe Kravitz and possibly Gia Coppola.

Hollywood's nepo baby directors responsible for the biggest box office flops of 2024

2021 saw Ishana Night Shyamalan’s first foray into directing with the chilling supernatural horror film titled “The Watchers”.

The movie, featuring Dakota Fanning, about a 28-year-old artist who becomes lost in a vast, pristine forest in western Ireland, was granted a production budget of $30 million.

Following its summer release, the film garnered a global revenue of just $33 million and earned a mediocre C- rating from CinemaScore.

Speaking of Jake Kasdan, he’s typically quite successful, given that he’s directed eight movies and amassed a global box office revenue of approximately $2.25 billion so far.

Lawrence Kasdan, his father, has penned the scripts for several blockbuster movies in Tinseltown, such as four Star Wars installments, Raiders of the Lost Ark from 1981, and The Bodyguard released in 1992.

This filmmaker is recognized for collaborating on the script for The Empire Strikes Back, The Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens, and Solo: A Star Wars Adventure.

Compared to his father’s unmatched heritage and the impressive filmography he has amassed himself, Jake Kasdan came up slightly short this year – financially, he was approximately $75 million below the massive budget allocated for the production of the film.

Even though the film starred Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Chris Evans, Red One grossed only $175 million worldwide to date.

Hollywood's nepo baby directors responsible for the biggest box office flops of 2024
Hollywood's nepo baby directors responsible for the biggest box office flops of 2024
Hollywood's nepo baby directors responsible for the biggest box office flops of 2024
Hollywood's nepo baby directors responsible for the biggest box office flops of 2024

He had a $250 million budget for the movie with the unusual story about kidnapping and rescuing Old Saint Nick.

The reviews were even harsher as his film received a measly 30 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.  

It could be surprising as Kasdan has a pretty good track record outside of Red One. His highest-grossing film was Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, which grossed $960 million worldwide in 2017. 

His 2019 follow-up, Jumanji: The Next Level, also grossed over $800 million globally.

In February, it was Zelda Williams, Robin Williams’ daughter, who debuted her first film, a unique blend of romance, comedy, and horror titled “Lisa Frankenstein.

The film had a budget of $13 million and ended up grossing $10 million in the box office.

Nevertheless, the year 2024 brought success to some directors with film industry connections, such as Zoë Kravitz – the child of Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz. Her psychological thriller, titled Blink Twice, turned out to be a blockbuster at the box office.

Hollywood's nepo baby directors responsible for the biggest box office flops of 2024
Hollywood's nepo baby directors responsible for the biggest box office flops of 2024

Furthermore, it’s worth noting that Gia Coppola, who is both the granddaughter of Francis Ford Coppola and the niece of Sofia Coppola, and her recent work, The Last Showgirl, can be seen as a success. However, its performance at the box office remains untested.

Over a single screen during its Oscar-eligible opening weekend, the movie starring Pamela Anderson as the lead, centered around the lives of veteran Las Vegas showgirls, brought in $50,300 in earnings.

Since then, the movie has become a contender for various awards, and the main actress, Anderson, has received a nomination for a Golden Globe for her performance in the dramatic piece.

The ensemble, including nepotism beneficiaries Jamie Lee Curtis and Billie Lourd, garnered acclaim for their acting skills.

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2024-12-21 04:35

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