Marvel’s live-action flop Howard the Duck gets a defender: Lea Thompson
Lea Thompson is sticking up for Howard the Duck, arguing Marvel’s long-standing flop hasn’t gotten a fair shake—and her reasoning might surprise you.
On a recent appearance on Taboo’s Comics and Kicks, Lea Thompson pushed back on the idea that Howard the Duck was a legendary bomb, pointing straight at the box office to make her case.
"It made a lot of money. It made its money,” Thompson said.
The 1986 live-action Marvel adaptation — with George Lucas as executive producer and Tim Robbins among the cast — earned $37,962,774 worldwide against an estimated $37 million budget. The movie ’s reputation as a high-profile Hollywood faceplant has stuck for decades, but Thompson argued it wasn’t the financial disaster it’s been made out to be.
Not the only Marvel misfire
Marvel is synonymous with blockbuster success, but even the studio behind the Avengers has had a few stumbles. Recent and past examples include:
- The Marvels — Opened to $47 million in the U.S., the lowest opening weekend in MCU history.
- Eternals — Grossed $402.1 million worldwide on a reported $236.2 million budget.
- Fantastic Four (2015) — Took in about $167 million worldwide on a roughly $120 million budget, with a $25.6 million U.S. opening.