The Biggest Broadway Flop: Inside the $75Million Disaster of ‘Spider‑Man: Turn Off the Dark’
Oct, 10 2025
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When you hear the phrase biggest Broadway flop, a handful of names flash across the mind: a musical that closed after one night, a cursed production that kept losing money, and the one that spent a small fortune trying to fly. This article pulls back the curtain on the production that holds the dubious record for the highest financial loss on Broadway, explains why it failed, and compares it with other notorious disasters.
What makes a Broadway show a "flop"?
Broadway flops are measured by a mix of factors. Financial loss refers to the gap between a show’s production and operating costs versus the revenue it actually generated is the most concrete metric. But critics also look at critical reception, audience turnout, and the length of the run. A show that closes after a single performance but cost only a few hundred thousand dollars isn’t as devastating as a blockbuster budget that never finds its audience.
Spider‑Man: Turn Off the Dark - The $75Million Misfire
At the center of the discussion sits Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, a high‑budget Broadway musical that launched in 2011. Directed by visionary JulieTaymor and starring Reeve Carney as the titular hero, the show promised to bring the comic‑book world to life with aerial stunts, elaborate sets, and a rock‑driven score by U2’s Bono and The Edge.
From the outset, the production was a financial behemoth. Estimates place the total cost between $70million and $75million, dwarfing the average Broadway musical budget of $10million‑$15million. The show’s technical ambitions-particularly the complex aerial rigging-caused repeated delays, safety concerns, and a litany of injuries. It finally opened at the Lyric Theatre in June 2011, only to close after 733 performances (including 245 previews) in January 2014, having earned roughly $40million in box‑office receipts. The net loss, after accounting for operating expenses, is believed to be in the $30million‑$35million range, making it the most expensive flop in Broadway history.
Why the Spectacle Collapsed
- Technical Overreach: The aerial stunts required a custom rigging system that repeatedly malfunctioned. Injuries to cast members, including a serious wrist injury to lead actor Reeve Carney, forced frequent shutdowns.
- Creative Turbulence: JulieTaymor’s vision clashed with producers over tone and pacing. The show underwent multiple rewrites, musical number cuts, and a 2012 redesign that essentially created a new show mid‑run.
- Budget Blowout: Each technical delay added to the mounting production cost. Marketing dollars were also consumed by attempts to re‑brand the show as a safer, more family‑friendly experience.
- Critical Reception: Early reviews were mixed at best, calling the narrative incoherent and the music uneven. Even when the show was revamped, critics remained skeptical, and audiences hesitated.
The combination of these factors turned an ambitious spectacle into a cautionary tale about the limits of scale on a live stage.
Other Notable Broadway Disasters
While Spider‑Man dominates the headlines, several other productions have earned infamy for their financial and artistic failures.
| Show | Opening Year | Performances | Production Cost (US$) | Estimated Loss (US$) | Key Issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spider‑Man: Turn Off the Dark | 2011 | 733 (incl. 245 previews) | ≈75million | ≈35million | Technical safety failures, creative clashes |
| Moose Murders | 1969 | 1 | ≈250thousand | ≈200thousand | Poor script, audience walk‑out |
| Carrie | 1988 | 5 | ≈8million | ≈7million | Over‑ambitious staging, harsh reviews |
| Rebecca | 2006 | 27 | ≈5million | ≈4million | Weak adaptation, high running costs |
Each of these shows illustrates a different failure mode: Moose Murders famously vanished after a single performance due to a terrible script; Carrie suffered from an over‑blown production budget that no audience could justify; Rebecca stumbled because the source material didn’t translate to a musical format.
Lessons Broadway Learned
After the Spider‑Man debacle, producers became more cautious about committing huge budgets to untested concepts. Two major shifts are evident:
- Scaled‑Down Tech: Shows now favor reliable technology-LED projections, simple rigging-over massive mechanical sets.
- Data‑Driven Pilots: Many productions run extended off‑Broadway tryouts or limited engagements to gauge audience reaction before committing to full‑scale Broadway runs.
These adjustments have helped keep financial losses in check, though occasional flops still occur. The market remains hungry for daring ideas, but the lessons from the biggest flop remind investors that ambition must be balanced with practicality.
Is There Any Hope for Redemption?
History shows that some flops achieve a second life off‑Broadway, as cult classics or regional productions. Carrie eventually found a modest following in regional theatres, and a re‑imagined Moose Murders enjoys occasional revivals as a tongue‑in‑cheek homage. However, the sheer scale of Spider‑Man’s losses makes a genuine comeback unlikely; the cost of restaging would dwarf any potential revenue.
Bottom Line
If you’re measuring Broadway disasters by dollars burned, Spider‑Man: Turn Off the Dark holds the crown as the biggest flop. Its story is a mix of artistic daring, technical overreach, and financial hubris-a perfect storm that reshaped how producers approach big‑budget spectacles on the Great White Way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Spider‑Man cost so much?
The production required custom aerial rigs, a massive set that could transform from a skyscraper to a city street, and a star‑studded creative team. Repeated redesigns, safety upgrades, and endless previews added hundreds of thousands of dollars to the budget.
How much money was actually lost?
Analysts estimate a net loss between $30million and $35million after accounting for box‑office receipts, touring rights, and ancillary revenue.
Did any cast members get injured?
Yes. Over 30 cast members reported injuries ranging from minor sprains to serious fractures, most of which were linked to the high‑risk aerial stunts.
Are there any Broadway flops that later succeeded?
A few shows, like Carrie, have been revived in smaller venues and gained a cult following, but none have recouped the massive losses of a $75million production.
What should producers avoid to prevent a flop?
Key pitfalls include over‑ambitious technical designs without solid safety testing, ignoring early critical feedback, and allocating budgets that far exceed realistic box‑office projections.