Netflix’s most shocking fails ever released

Netflix’s biggest misses begin with “The Electric State”

Netflix has created many original movies and shows, but not all have succeeded. Some had huge budgets and famous stars but didn’t get enough views or attention. Netflix’s most shocking failures start with The Electric State.

Released on March 14, 2025, it had a massive $320 million budget and starred Chris Pratt and Millie Bobby Brown. Despite that, it got only 25.2 million views in its first three days. It didn’t make back the cost, making it a major flop in Netflix’s history.

Rebel Moon Saga failed to spark a new universe

Following The Electric State, Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon saga was another big disappointment, featuring Sofia Boutella, Charlie Hunnam, and Anthony Hopkins (voice). Netflix released Part One: A Child of Fire in December 2023 and Part Two: The Scargiver in April 2024.

However, the saga failed to catch on with audiences and didn’t get the views Netflix expected. Its weak performance meant that the series didn’t become the blockbuster franchise Netflix had hoped it would be.

Jupiter’s Legacy canceled days after debut

Netflix’s superhero show Jupiter’s Legacy, a superhero series starring Josh Duhamel, Leslie Bibb, and Ben Daniels, also failed to meet expectations. Released in May 2021, it had a huge budget of $130–$200 million for just eight episodes. Netflix planned for this to be the start of a superhero universe.

However, the show didn’t keep enough viewers interested. It was canceled on June 2, 2021, just days after its release. This quick cancellation made it one of Netflix’s fastest and most expensive failures.

Resident Evil series didn’t survive its first season

Another failure came with Netflix’s live-action Resident Evil series, based on the popular video game, starring Lance Reddick, Ella Balinska, and Paola Núñez. It premiered in July 2022 but was canceled just over a month later on August 26, 2022.

In 2023, it logged only 25.2 million hours watched. These numbers were too low to support another season. Netflix decided to end the series early, making it another costly flop that didn’t meet the company’s standards.

1899’s high-tech production still got canceled

Next, 1899 was a mystery show from the creators of Dark that launched in November 2022 and starred Emily Beecham and Andreas Pietschmann. The first season cost around $50–$60 million and used advanced virtual production.

Netflix found that people weren’t finishing the season or staying engaged. Despite its high-tech production and creative team, the show didn’t meet the streaming giant’s goals and became another expensive one-season failure for the company.

The Get Down couldn’t keep up with its huge budget

Netflix tried something bold with The Get Down, a musical drama by Baz Luhrmann, starring Shameik Moore, Justice Smith, and Jaden Smith. It premiered in August 2016 and focused on the early days of hip-hop. The 11-episode first season cost about $120 million to make.

Even with its unique style and message, the show didn’t attract enough viewers to keep going. Netflix canceled it in May 2017 due to the high cost and low viewership. Despite its creativity, The Get Down turned out to be one of Netflix’s most expensive disappointments.

Marco Polo’s epic scale led to a $200 million loss

Next, Marco Polo featured Lorenzo Richelmy, Benedict Wong, and Joan Chen. The first season launched in December 2014. The two-season series cost Netflix over $200 million. Netflix wanted it to become a global hit, but it never found a big enough audience.

By December 2016, the show ended. Reports said Netflix lost the full $200 million investment. The cast was strong, but weak performance made this one of the most expensive failures in Netflix history.

Hemlock Grove didn’t deliver the impact Netflix wanted

Hemlock Grove, a horror series starring Famke Janssen, Bill Skarsgård, and Landon Liboiron, premiered in April 2013. It ran for three seasons and ended in 2015.

Although it lasted longer than many others, it didn’t attract enough viewers to be a long-term success. In 2016, Netflix’s content chief said it didn’t have the impact they hoped for. The series quietly ended without growing a bigger fan base.

Space Force couldn’t match The Office’s success

Another underperforming show was Space Force, starring Steve Carell, John Malkovich, and Lisa Kudrow. It debuted in May 2020 with high hopes. The show had a big budget and A-list actors, but it failed to hold audience’s attention.

Viewership dropped quickly, and Netflix canceled it in April 2022 after just two seasons. Even though the cast was strong, the show didn’t attract the number of viewers Netflix needed to continue.

The Ridiculous 6 hurt Netflix’s comedy image

The Ridiculous 6, a western comedy starring Adam Sandler, Terry Crews, and Jorge Garcia, was released in December 2015. It was part of Adam Sandler’s big Netflix deal. The movie was widely criticized and got bad reviews.

Even though Sandler was a major name, the movie didn’t perform well. Netflix didn’t report exact viewership, but the film’s reception hurt its reputation. It failed to help Netflix grow its movie brand.

The Cloverfield Paradox’s surprise release backfired

The Cloverfield Paradox starred Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Oyelowo, and Daniel Brühl. Netflix bought the movie for over $50 million from Paramount and released it right after Super Bowl LII in February 2018.

The surprise launch got attention, but reviews were mostly negative. Viewers didn’t stick with the film, and it didn’t help Netflix attract new subscribers. The expensive deal and poor results made it a major miss.

Bright had big stars but no long-term payoff

Bright stars Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, and Noomi Rapace. Released in December 2017, it cost $90 million to produce, Netflix’s biggest movie budget at the time. The movie got 11 million U.S. views in the first three days.

But it didn’t turn into a franchise, and poor reviews held it back. Even with a major star like Will Smith, Netflix didn’t continue the story. It underperformed compared to expectations and cost.

Death Note’s changes pushed fans away

Death Note, a live-action movie based on a famous manga, starred Nat Wolff, Lakeith Stanfield, and Margaret Qualley. It premiered in August 2017. Fans didn’t like the big changes to the story and characters.

The movie didn’t attract new viewers either. Even with known actors, it failed to gain strong attention. Netflix didn’t make any follow-ups. The movie couldn’t build on the popularity of the original manga.

The Idol fell flat despite star power

The Idol, starring The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, aired on HBO in the U.S. but was released internationally by Netflix in June 2023. The show got lots of attention early on, but didn’t keep viewers engaged.

Despite famous names and heavy promotion, the series ended after just one season. Netflix didn’t see enough global response to keep it going. The costly investment didn’t result in the success they hoped for.

The OA canceled despite fan outcry

The OA starred Brit Marling, Jason Isaacs, and Scott Wilson. It launched in December 2016 and ended in August 2019 after two seasons. Although it had loyal fans, the show didn’t reach a big enough audience.

Netflix canceled it because the high cost didn’t match the number of viewers. Even though some fans protested, the low commercial performance was the reason it didn’t continue.

This kind of situation is not unique, as seen with Netflix’s best war movies to stream right away, which often attract steady audiences and justify their budgets.

Gypsy’s short run marked another costly loss

Lastly, Gypsy starred Naomi Watts, Billy Crudup, and Sophie Cookson. It launched in June 2017, with Naomi Watts earning $275,000 per episode. Still, the series failed to attract strong viewership.

Netflix canceled it on August 11, 2017, less than two months after release. Despite having a top actress and a psychological drama story, the show didn’t perform well. High costs and low audience numbers turned it into a fast, expensive failure.

Netflix fans are also losing sleep over My Family, a British sitcom known for its humor and family stories.

Which of these Netflix flops surprised you the most? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

Read More From This Brand:

• Netflix’s Aristocracy Exposé with ‘The Leopard’
• Lady Gaga Performs Zombieboy At Netflix Tudum
• Netflix Redefined Hollywood and Blockbuster

Don’t forget to follow us for more exclusive content right here on MSN

If you liked this story, you’ll LOVE our FREE emails. Join today and be the first to get stories like this one

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.