Mel Gibson’s Flight Risk is one of his worst performers at the global box office and breaks a success streak that’s lasted three straight decades. Even though Flight Risk features Mark Wahlberg in a rare villain role, the film failed to bring in a strong box office, earning just $34.66 million worldwide since its theatrical release date of January 24, 2025 (via Box Office Mojo). Solid performances by Michelle Dockery and Topher Grace could save Flight Risk from disaster.
With Flight Risk available to purchase and rent on digital VOD on February 14, 2025, the Gibson and Wahlberg collaboration could become an at-home streaming hit. Other recent films such as Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 found much more success on the small screen than on the big screen, an achievement that Flight Risk hopes to emulate. Regardless, Flight Risk snaps an impressive record for Gibson-directed movies.
Flight Risk Breaks A Mel Gibson Streak That Started With Braveheart
All Gibson’s Films Since 1995 Have Made More Than $100 Million
Since Braveheart was released in 1995, every movie Mel Gibson directed has made over $100 million at the box office. With Flight Risk gradually approaching a $35 million box office total ahead of its VOD release, it’s safe to say that Gibson’s 30-year streak is officially over. Flight Risk may not even surpᴀss the box office total of Gibson’s directorial debut, 1993’s The Man Without a Face, which earned $36.6 million worldwide.
Gibson Film |
RT Critic Score |
Worldwide Box Office |
---|---|---|
The Man Without a Face |
68% |
$36.6 million |
Braveheart |
76% |
$209 million |
The Pᴀssion of the Christ |
50% |
$612 million |
Apocalypto |
65% |
$120.65 million |
Hacksaw Ridge |
84% |
$180.5 million |
Flight Risk |
29% |
$34.66 million |
At 29%, Flight Risk has the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score of any Gibson film. Based on the numbers alone, Flight Risk is the worst-performing and lowest-rated film he’s ever directed, which is stunning considering the Oscar-winning success of his previous movie, Hacksaw Ridge. The Pᴀssion of the Christ remains his highest-grossing movie of all time with a total of $612 million. This is a promising sign for his rumored Pᴀssion of the Christ sequel, which Gibson hopes to start filming in 2026.
Nobody who paid for the ticket to see Flight Risk expected an Oscar-contending film based on its somewhat unserious trailer. If anything, Flight Risk was set up to be a fun action thriller with a great cast, meant to be enjoyed rather than analyzed. Even as such, Flight Risk failed to spark life in a typically frigid late-January box office, leaving an unfortunate blemish on Gibson’s directing legacy.
What Flight Risk’s Box Office Means For Mel Gibson & Mark Wahlberg
Wahlberg Is Due For A Box Office Hit After Gibson’s Rare Miss
Wahlberg’s villain role in Flight Risk doesn’t appear to have many career-changing implications. It would still be great to see him in more antagonist roles, perhaps in a blockbuster with a more serious and grounded tone than Flight Risk. That said, Wahlberg’s recent slate of movies has been quite mixed with an alarming number of poorly rated films, including The Union (2024), Me Time (2022), and Infinite (2021).
Wahlberg should continue to have box office appeal, especially if he pivots back to more traditional protagonist roles. His next theatrical release is expected to be Shane Black’s Play Dirty, which could give him a much-needed box office pop. As for Gibson, it’s unclear if he’ll direct again if his Pᴀssion of the Christ sequel doesn’t pan out. Hopefully, Gibson will go back to the same drawing board that turned out Oscar winners like Braveheart and Hacksaw Ridge following Flight Risk’s flop.