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Box office poison
01
an actor, film, or genre seen as likely to fail commercially
Slang
Grammatical Information
Animacy status
Abstract
Composition
Compound
Uncountable
What does "box office poison" mean in film slang?
The term "box office poison" refers to an actor, director, or film style that is believed to be commercially unprofitable and likely to lead to poor ticket sales. The structure combines "box office," meaning film revenue performance, with "poison," implying something harmful to success. It was popularized in the early Hollywood studio era and is used to describe figures whose involvement is thought to discourage audiences or investors.
Examples
The sequel turned out to be box office poison.
