Some flops you walk off. Others stick to your IMDb page like glue. One polarizing performance, a bad studio decision, or the wrong role at the wrong moment, and suddenly the “next big thing” is doing press for something else entirely. Is it fair? Often not. From an outsider’s perspective, it can be fascinating!
Here are nine cases where a single movie reshaped a star’s trajectory for years.
1. Elizabeth Berkley in Showgirls (1995)
We old people remember when Elizabeth Berkley was touted as the next Sharon Stone back in the ’90s. But then, well, we saw Showgirls. The box office collapsed, the knives came out, and Hollywood treated Berkley like she had personally written, filmed, and ruined the whole thing.
Decades later, the film’s reputation has flipped to cult-camp masterpiece, and many now appreciate how fearless and hypnotic her performance was. But in 1995, the blowback was brutal — Berkley said no one publicly defended her. She was iced out and left for the sharks.
2. Shannen Doherty in Mallrats (1995)
Fresh off Beverly Hills, 90210 and looking to pivot into movies, Doherty headlined Kevin Smith’s slacker comedy alongside then-unknowns like Ben Affleck and Jason Lee. When Mallrats tanked at the box office, guess who got the blame? The only recognizable name on the poster.
Doherty has said bluntly that the flop killed her film momentum. It’s the classic “star carries the can” story — the ensemble fails, and the famous one pays.
3. Pamela Anderson in Barb Wire (1996)
On paper, this was her big moment — a comic-book action flick designed to turn a tabloid bombshell into a legitimate big-screen lead. In reality, Barb Wire fizzled from the start. The leather-and-lipstick noir vibe never landed beyond the marketing, and Hollywood decided Anderson was safer as a cameo than a headliner.
Had it worked, we might be talking about a trilogy and spinoffs. Instead, the movie bombed, and Anderson’s film career retreated into winks and guest spots.
4. Brandon Routh in Superman Returns (2006)
Winning the cape from thousands of candidates should’ve secured Routh’s stardom for life. While the movie earned decent reviews and box office numbers, it didn’t ignite a franchise the way the studio hoped.
Then came years of DC limbo — endless reboots, rethinks, and rebrands. By the time Routh found steady work on TV (Legends of Tomorrow), it was too late to reclaim blockbuster status.
5. Meg Ryan in In the Cut (2003)
This one hurts because the film is genuinely good. Jane Campion’s steamy thriller asked Ryan to destroy her “America’s Sweetheart” image and build something darker and riskier. She delivered — but audiences weren’t ready to see her that way.
Fans reacted almost moralistically, fixating on the sex scenes and refusing to accept the new Ryan. She loved the project and the experience, but Hollywood ghosted her afterward. Eventually, she stepped behind the camera to tell her own stories.
6. Taylor Lautner in Abduction (2011)
Post-Twilight, Lautner seemed destined to be the next teen action hero. Abduction put him front and center in a Bourne-style thriller fueled by abs, scowls, and… not much else.
Critics destroyed it — the acting, the script, the pacing — everything but the stunt work. Then came Grown Ups 2, and that was that. Lautner’s been working steadily in TV and self-aware comedies about fame, but that “next Tom Cruise” dream? Over.
7. Hayden Christensen in Star Wars: Episodes II & III (2002–2005)
Anakin Skywalker was supposed to make Hayden Christensen a legend. Instead, it made him a lightning rod. The clunky dialogue didn’t help, and critics pounced. His next major project, Jumper, also tanked.
He stepped away for years, doing smaller films and farming (literally). But when he returned to Star Wars in Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka, the fans were ready to welcome him back. Time heals, fandoms mature, and sometimes the best comeback is to embrace the role that once haunted you.
8. Topher Grace in Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Grace jumped from That ’70s Show into blockbuster territory as Venom — and got caught in the chaos of Spider-Man 3. Despite huge box office numbers, fans hated how overcrowded it was and blamed the film’s villain overload.
After that, the big-studio offers dried up. Grace shifted to character acting and smaller, quirkier projects. His career didn’t crash so much as veer off onto a quieter, steadier road.
9. Jesse Eisenberg in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Fresh off The Social Network and an Oscar nod, Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor seemed like a perfect fit. But Batman v Superman’s chaotic tone and divisive reception made his performance one of the most criticized elements.
Some called it “next-level terrible”; others found it fascinating but misjudged. Eisenberg later admitted the backlash hurt his career. Still, he pivoted smoothly — writing plays, directing indie films, and choosing art over blockbusters. Sometimes the best recovery is redefining what success means.
