Margot Robbie has hit a rough patch at the box office, with her latest release marking the third straight original film she has headlined to struggle financially. Despite her star power and reputation as one of Hollywood's most in-demand actresses, Robbie's non-franchise projects have consistently underperformed, showing a surprising trend with audiences.
Robbie's first film since Barbie has turned out to be a major box office failure. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, her romantic drama with Colin Farrell, has earned just $5.9 million domestically after 10 days in theaters, including a steep 60.6% drop in its second weekend with only $1.3 million.
Coming off the heels of Robbie's 2023 smash hit Barbie, which grossed $1.4 billion worldwide, the $50 million production is now on track for a meager $7-8 million U.S. finish, cementing its status as another Sony Pictures slip-up in 2025.
This is not totally new for Robbie, having faced similar disappointments with 2022's Amsterdam, which cost $80 million but earned just $31 million worldwide, and Damien Chazelle's Babylon, another $80 million controversial film that brought in only $63 million globally. Notably, Robbie's last 3 original IP movies that she's starred in, being Amsterdam, Babylon, and A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, will cost the 3 movie studios millions of dollars in box office losses.
What makes this string of failures stand out even more is how sharply it contrasts with the success of Barbie, Robbie's first post-Babylon project, which became a cultural phenomenon alongside Oppenheimer during the summer of 2023.
Is Margot Robbie Still a Reliable Star?
The short answer is yes, but it's also a sign of the times. Robbie's stardom is secure; she's one of the most in-demand creatives in Hollywood, with a career that spans blockbuster franchises, prestige dramas, and smaller artistic films.
After the massive success of Barbie, she reportedly earned far more than the already eye-popping $50 million figure that circulated, a clear sign that she has the flexibility to take on projects that she has a personal interest in.
What her recent string of flops really shows is how much the box office has shifted away from being star-driven. In today's market, recognizable IP is what moves the needle, whether it's Barbie, A Minecraft Movie, or Marvel's Deadpool & Wolverine.
The few exceptions, like Tom Cruise's Top Gun: Maverick or Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, stand out precisely because they're so rare.
Robbie's situation reflects that broader trend: she remains a household name, but her ability to "open" an original movie on star power alone is limited by the realities of the current industry.
That said, her influence extends far beyond acting. As a producer, she's helping spearhead new projects like a Sims movie, continuing to be a huge player in the direction of the entire entertainment industry.
And with Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights arriving in early 2026, where she'll star opposite Jacob Elordi, Robbie's next big test is just around the corner, but expectations should be measured.
