5 Sci-Fi Flops That Became Genre Icons

/Film highlights five science fiction movies that bombed at the box office but went on to define the genre.

Ridley Scott's 1982 film "Blade Runner" made only $32 million domestically against a $30 million budget, per the outlet. Audiences at the time preferred the friendlier alien of "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." Despite the financial failure, the film's dystopian, rain-soaked production design has been heavily imitated in countless future-set movies.

John Carpenter's "The Thing" also opened on the same day as "Blade Runner" in 1982 and similarly flopped. The outlet notes the film's practical effects and atmosphere of paranoia have made it a classic, influencing works up to modern video games.

Andre Niccol's 1997 film "Gattaca" presented a future where societal status is determined by genetic engineering. Ethan Hawke plays an "in-valid" who must assume another's identity to pursue his dreams in the space program.

The list also includes two other films that underperformed financially but gained a lasting cultural footprint through home video and filmmaker influence, proving box office isn't everything.