1986 Box Office Flop Ranked One of the ‘Best Fantasy Movies of All Time'

40 years ago this week, Jim Henson's Labyrinth received negative reviews and underperformed at the box office before becoming a cult classic.

Released on June 27, 1986, the children's film starred the late, legendary musician David Bowie and the then-relatively unknown Jennifer Connelly. In it, Bowie commanded the screen as the evil Goblin King, while Connelly gave him a run for his money as a teenage girl hoping to rescue her baby brother from his clutches.

The movie featured rousing musical numbers, as well as impressive practical effects and puppetry. However, while it has since been named one of the Best Fantasy Movies of All Time-coming in 26th on a TimeOut list updated in 2026-it wasn't beloved upon release.

‘Labyrinth' Sinks at the Box Office

Produced on a budget of around $25 million, the movie only made $3.5 million in its opening weekend, coming in eighth place at the box office behind The Karate Kid Part II, Back to School, Legal Eagles, Ruthless People, Running Scared, Top Gun, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

By the end of its theatrical run, it pulled in just $34 million total.

Reviews were mixed as well, with Gene Siskel calling it downright "awful" and an "enormous waste of talent and money." Roger Ebert, meanwhile, wrote in his review that the film "never really comes alive," despite the "infinite care and pains" taken to make it.

Henson ‘Disappointed' by ‘Labyrinth' Failure

"Jim was deeply disappointed by the response," puppeteer Dave Goelz recalled in a recent interview with The Guardian. "I had lunch with him in L.A. after the release of Labyrinth. I could see that he was not his usual self."

"He was shaken because he had always followed his beacon, and it had always been true. He was shocked that he wasn't in sync with his audience," added Goelz. "He said: ‘You know what my favorite part of this whole thing was? When we laughed.'"

Henson's son Brian, who also voiced Hoggle, said he, too, was "furious" about the reception. However, he's been happy to see the film gain a cult following in the years since its release. Jim Henson himself, unfortunately, would never see that reappraisal. Labyrinth was the final film he directed before his death in 1990.

"My dad didn't live long enough to see the rebound that came with its video release," Brian told The Guardian. "It's unique. It's got a little bit of The Rocky Horror Picture Show camp rock n roll in it, and yet it delivers as a deep fantasy. People just love it."

"I wish Jim was still around to see how much people have embraced the movie," added puppeteer Karen Prell. "At least now they are appreciating it, and making all that hard work worthwhile. Hopefully it inspires more young puppeteers."

The fans are clearly there, with TriStar pictures green-lighting a long-awaited sequel to the film in January 2025. At the time, Nosferatu director Robert Eggers was attached to write and direct, with Brian Henson serving as executive producer.

However, updates on the project have been scarce since, as Eggers jumped into production on Werwulf following Nosferatu's release.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 27, 2026 at 4:00 PM.