Zyzzyx Road might be the most infamous box office flop in Hollywood history—and yet, its failure wasn’t an accident. In this episode, Gordy digs into the bizarre story behind the lowest-grossing movie ever made, starring Katherine Heigl, Tom Sizemore, and one of the strangest marketing “strategies” ever.
Why did a movie cost over $1.2 million to make but earn only thirty dollars? How does a desert road, a snake oil salesman, and a Screen Actors Guild loophole all connect to this legendary flop?
Gordy unpacks the whole strange saga—from the forgotten Dallas theater where it played to the internet legend that turned failure into fame.
It’s a story about Hollywood dreams, contractual fine print, and the weird ways obscurity can make you famous.
#MovieFacts #FilmHistory #HollywoodTrivia #BoxOfficeBombs #DailyFacts #FunFacts #DidYouKnow #ZyzzyxRoad #zyzzyx
Music thanks to Zapsplat.
Sources:
Box Office Mojo. (2006). Zyzzyx Road (2006).
Los Angeles Times. (2007). The Movie That Made $30 at the Box Office.
IMDb. (2006). Zyzzyx Road (Production Notes).
Mental Floss. (2019). The Story Behind the Lowest-Grossing Film Ever.
SAG-AFTRA. (2005). Low Budget Agreement Archive.
U.S. Geological Survey. (n.d.). History of Zzyzx, California.