Actresses Who Bounced Back After Box-Office Bombs

Every career hits a rough patch, even for major stars. The film business can be unpredictable, and a high profile release can fall short despite big budgets and big expectations. What matters is what happens next, and plenty of leading women have turned a setback into a stronger run filled with hits, awards, and new opportunities.

This list looks at actresses who faced a theatrical disappointment and then came back with a crowd pleaser, a franchise juggernaut, or an awards magnet. You will find the title that faltered and the project that put them right back in the center of the conversation, with clear results at the box office or on the awards circuit.

Sandra Bullock

‘Speed 2: Cruise Control’ missed the mark with audiences and critics, and domestic returns fell well below the original hit. The result was a brief downturn in her box office momentum and fewer immediate action leads.

She rebounded with ‘The Blind Side’, which became a major commercial success and brought her the Academy Award for Best Actress. That momentum continued with ‘Gravity’, which opened at number one and earned multiple Oscars while playing strongly worldwide.

Margot Robbie

‘Amsterdam’ opened softly despite an ensemble cast and finished far below expectations. ‘Babylon’ followed with expensive production costs and limited domestic interest, which compounded the narrative of back to back misses.

She stormed back with ‘Barbie’, which became the highest grossing film of its year worldwide and set multiple records for a female led release. The film also expanded her producing profile and secured long theatrical legs through strong week to week holds.

Charlize Theron

‘Aeon Flux’ struggled to connect with audiences and recorded weak domestic results relative to its budget. The performance limited opportunities for similar stylized action vehicles in the short term.

Her comeback included ‘Hancock’, which delivered a massive global haul and confirmed her bankability in big four quadrant hits. She then anchored ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’, which earned wide acclaim, a long theatrical run, and multiple Academy Awards.

Halle Berry

‘Catwoman’ suffered from poor reviews and low audience turnout, finishing below production and marketing costs. The reception reduced interest in immediate solo superhero projects centered on her character.

She regained momentum with ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’, which delivered franchise level grosses across markets. Later, ‘John Wick: Chapter 3’ brought another box office win, with strong international play and a franchise best opening at the time.

Scarlett Johansson

‘Ghost in the Shell’ underperformed in key territories and did not generate the hoped for franchise start. The film faced muted word of mouth and short legs in theaters.

She rebounded within the Marvel lineup through ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame’, which became global box office milestones. She then led ‘Black Widow’ to a number one domestic debut while also receiving dual Oscar nominations in the same awards season for separate roles.

Julia Roberts

‘Mary Reilly’ failed to draw crowds and closed with low domestic totals. The result challenged her run of consistent theatrical wins in that period.

She returned to the top tier with ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’ and ‘Notting Hill’, both of which scored strong openings and long plays. ‘Erin Brockovich’ then delivered an awards sweep capped by the Academy Award for Best Actress while also performing solidly with audiences.

Natalie Portman

Early misfires like ‘Goya’s Ghosts’ brought minimal box office and limited reach. Those results created a gap between prestige aspirations and commercial traction.

She answered with ‘Black Swan’, which paired robust domestic and international grosses with the Academy Award for Best Actress. Continued visibility in the Marvel series through ‘Thor’ entries maintained a reliable blockbuster presence.

Emma Stone

‘Aloha’ opened below expectations and closed quickly in theaters. The film did not generate strong word of mouth and struggled to expand beyond core fans.

She rebounded with ‘La La Land’, which achieved broad commercial success and widespread awards recognition including the Academy Award for Best Actress. Subsequent hits like ‘The Favourite’ kept her in prestige contention while maintaining global visibility.

Cameron Diaz

‘The Box’ drew modest interest and tailed off fast at the box office. The tepid performance raised questions about her next headlining vehicle.

She came roaring back with ‘Bad Teacher’, which scored one of the best domestic totals for a live action comedy that year. She also co led ‘The Other Woman’, which performed strongly in overseas markets and reinforced her comedy draw.

Brie Larson

‘The Glass Castle’ posted modest numbers and did not break out beyond the core audience. The limited returns slowed her string of adult drama successes.

She rebounded decisively with ‘Captain Marvel’, which crossed the billion mark worldwide and opened at number one domestically. Continued appearances in ‘Avengers’ titles kept her front and center in a top tier franchise with consistent global appeal.

Jennifer Lawrence

‘Mother!’ earned critical discussion but posted low domestic and international grosses. The challenging subject matter and limited audience conversion produced a clear commercial shortfall.

She returned to broad appeal with ‘No Hard Feelings’, which delivered one of the stronger openings for an R rated studio comedy in its year and held well through the summer frame. She also maintained prestige standing with ‘Causeway’, which brought awards attention and reinforced her range.

Emily Blunt

‘The Huntsman: Winter’s War’ underperformed relative to expectations and the earlier fantasy entry. The results made it harder to anchor similar fantasy projects immediately afterward.

She rebounded with ‘A Quiet Place’, which became a breakout hit through strong word of mouth and impressive weekend drops. Family oriented work in ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ added another solid performer and broadened her audience base.

Angelina Jolie

‘By the Sea’ posted very low totals in limited release and did not expand meaningfully. The film’s performance slowed her momentum as an on screen lead for a season.

She bounced back with ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’, which delivered sturdy international numbers and reaffirmed her status as a global draw. Continued directing and producing activity kept her profile diversified while maintaining marquee value.

Zoe Saldaña

‘Colombiana’ and ‘The Losers’ earned modest figures and did not launch continuing series. Those outcomes tempered expectations for standalone action projects centered on her characters.

She surged back with ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, which turned into a surprise franchise giant and expanded her reach across demographics. Later, ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ reinforced her position in one of the biggest film series worldwide.

Penélope Cruz

‘Sahara’ recorded large losses after a wide release and heavy marketing spend. The film became a commonly cited example of a costly adventure misfire.

She rebounded with ‘Volver’, which delivered strong international box office for an art house drama and brought an Academy Award nomination. ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ added a supporting actress win and healthy specialty grosses, solidifying a durable prestige track.

Salma Hayek

‘Bandidas’ and ‘After the Sunset’ finished with soft totals and limited staying power. Those results made it harder to justify similar mid budget adventures.

She regained commercial momentum with ‘Grown Ups’, which delivered big ensemble comedy numbers and strong holds. Later appearances in ‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’ and ‘Eternals’ added reliable international strength through franchise exposure.

Kristen Stewart

‘Charlie’s Angels’ failed to meet expectations and ended with low domestic grosses. The film saw a steep second weekend drop and limited overseas traction.

She mounted a comeback with ‘Spencer’, which earned major festival attention and awards nominations while delivering solid specialty box office. Continued critical success and steady indie openings reestablished her as a dependable lead for auteur driven projects.

Michelle Yeoh

A run of supporting roles in uneven earners left her box office profile quieter than earlier peaks. Some wide releases brought modest figures and short theatrical windows.

She returned to the center with ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’, which built momentum through word of mouth and became a rare specialty breakout with extended legs. The film earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress and revitalized demand for leading roles.

Blake Lively

‘Green Lantern’ missed the mark and struggled to recoup its reported costs in domestic theaters. The reception slowed interest in immediate superhero follow ups centered around that property.

She rebounded with ‘The Shallows’, a lean thriller that turned a small budget into a sizable worldwide return through strong holds. ‘A Simple Favor’ followed with healthy grosses and a sequel announcement on the strength of its theatrical performance.

Mila Kunis

‘Jupiter Ascending’ opened weakly in key markets and ended with large deficits against its budget. The film’s short theatrical tail limited any franchise potential.

She came back with ‘Bad Moms’, which delivered excellent returns for a mid budget comedy and spun off a successful sequel. Continued ensemble work in commercial comedies maintained steady domestic and international appeal.

Kate Winslet

‘The Mountain Between Us’ posted modest box office and middling legs despite wide release. The performance fell short of expectations for a broad romantic survival drama.

She rebounded with ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, which became one of the highest grossing films ever worldwide and dominated global charts for weeks. The role also reintroduced her to a new generation of moviegoers through a top tier franchise platform.

Rosamund Pike

Small scale thrillers like ‘Return to Sender’ reached limited audiences and recorded low theatrical totals. These results made her next major lead vehicle especially important.

She vaulted back with ‘Gone Girl’, which opened at number one and sustained strong weekday business through compelling word of mouth. The performance brought an Academy Award nomination and high visibility across domestic and international markets.

Florence Pugh

‘The New Mutants’ arrived after delays and earned muted box office in its run. The film’s reception and timing curtailed any larger momentum from that release.

She rebounded with ‘Little Women’, which combined critical acclaim with strong commercial performance across multiple territories and brought an Academy Award nomination. Later roles in ‘Black Widow’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ reinforced her presence in both franchise and prestige lanes.

Melissa McCarthy

‘The Happytime Murders’ struggled to draw audiences and closed with low totals. The film’s reception cooled enthusiasm for similar high concept projects.

She bounced back with ‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’, which earned Academy Award nominations and delivered strong specialty grosses. Her turn in ‘The Little Mermaid’ added a wide audience hit and renewed family appeal.

Cate Blanchett

‘The Good German’ underperformed in wide release and saw limited audience interest. The box office result contrasted with her usual awards friendly draw.

She returned in force with ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, which became a major global hit and showcased a crowd pleasing villain turn. She then led ‘Tár’ to extensive critical recognition and a Best Actress nomination while the film posted solid platform expansion numbers.

Share your picks and favorite comeback stories in the comments so everyone can compare notes on the most impressive turnarounds.