Ishtar (1987)

Ishtar (1987) cost $51 million to produce and earned only $14 million globally, resulting in a $37 million loss—a 27% domestic gross-to-budget ratio. Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman’s comedy became Hollywood shorthand for expensive disaster for decades, destroyed the directing career of Elaine May, and closed the production company behind it. Adjusted for 2023 inflation, the budget exceeds $130 million, making its failure even more staggering.