15 Passion Projects Backed By Your Favorite Hollywood Actors That Were Total Flops

Do you know what's really cool? When Hollywood actors use their fame and fortune to create passion projects and movies that they genuinely care about and want to make, regardless of whether they'll be box office hits or not.

It's like seeing a different side of these celebrities—one that's more personal and creative. Some passion projects end up becoming huge successes, like Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" or Ben Affleck's "Argo."

But others are more under the radar, like Ryan Gosling's "Lost River" or Joseph Gordon-Levitt's "Don Jon." Regardless of their success or lack thereof, it's clear that these actors put their hearts and souls into these projects, and that's something to be admired.

Sometimes, passion projects can be a bit unconventional, too. For instance, when Shia LaBeouf made a short film about his own life called "Honey Boy," or when James Franco directed a movie about the making of the notoriously bad film "The Room," titled "The Disaster Artist."

These movies might not be for everyone, but they're undeniably unique and daring.

Scroll down to see the 15 passion project movies we picked out for you that were backed by famous Hollywood actors and ended up being flops.

1. “Battlefield Earth” – John Travolta’s movie adaptation of the Scientology book of the same name

Warner Bros

2. “After Earth” – Will Smith enlisted M. Night Shyamalan to direct this movie he produced in an attempt to launch his son's acting career

Sony Pictures Releasing

3. “Swept Away” – Madonna had her husband direct this remake of a classic Italian film with her as the lead actor

Screen Gems

4. “Mortdecai” – Johnny Depp's $60 million attempt to turn a cult book series into a movie franchise

Lionsgate

5. “Rules Don’t Apply” – 80-year-old Warren Beatty tried playing the part of a mid-50s Howard Hughes, but that wasn't the only issue with this movie

20th Century Fox

6. “Dolittle” – Robert Downey Jr.'s attempt at remaking a notorious financial flop ended up being another financial flop

Universal Pictures

7. “Live by Night” – Ben Affleck used his Batman role as leverage to secure funding for this gangster movie

Warner Bros. Pictures

8. "Freddy Got Fingered" – Tom Green directed this movie about his own life, but it was ridiculed by critics

20th Century Fox

9. “Beyond the Sea” – Kevin Spacey, the director, writer, and producer of this film, cast himself as Bobby Darin despite the age difference

Lionsgate Films

10. “The Razor’s Edge” – Bill Murray's attempt at adapting a book from 1944 flopped terribly

Columbia Pictures

11. “The Postman” – After winning an Oscar, Kevin Costner turned to directing, but it didn't work out

Warner Bros

12. “Don Jon” – Director Joseph Gordon-Levitt felt compelled to cast himself as a womanizer and addict

Relativity Media

13. “Paradise Alley” – Sylvester Stallone wanted to bring his screenplay to life, but it was a total flop

Universal Pictures

14. “Hudson Hawk” – Bruce Willis put his reputation on the line after his success with Die Hard to write this action-comedy mix

TriStar Pictures

15. “Harlem Nights” – The first and last movie Eddie Murphy directed, and for good reason

Paramount Pictures

In the end, it's important to remember that just because a passion project movie doesn't perform well doesn't mean that it was a waste of time or effort. These films often hold significant meaning for the actors and filmmakers involved, and they can offer valuable learning experiences and opportunities for creative expression.

And who knows? Maybe someday, these movies will be rediscovered and appreciated in a new light.

Or perhaps they'll simply be remembered as interesting failures. Either way, they're a reminder that taking risks and following your passions is always worth it.