Carolco pictures had been riding high after a bunch of hit movies: Terminator 2, Total Recall, the Rambo movies, Cliffhanger, Stargate, Basic Instinct.
But then they started struggling financially.
So they bet all their chips on a pirate style movie, dubbed Cutthroat Island. It was intended to be a Pirates of the Caribbean style swashbuckling adventure.
The film got terrible reviews, went over budget, and didn’t sell nearly enough tickets.
In the end, the studio lost $147 million and was forced to close it’s doors. The movie wasn’t good for any career involved in it—and gave a black eye to the filmography of several stars, including Geena Davis and Matthew Modine.
This is why actors have to be so careful with the movies they choose. Enough duds and they’ll struggle to land roles indefinitely.
