# Say Goodbye to the $129 Million Adventure Flop on Paramount+

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/say-goodbye-to-the-129-million-adventure-flop-on-paramount/
- Published: 2026-07-18T12:30:15+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-21T04:14:39+00:00
- Original publisher: Collider
- Original article: https://collider.com/matthew-mcconaughey-sahara-leaving-paramount-plus-august-2026/
- Topics: Americas, Celebrity, Entertainment, World

## Key points

- Sahara (2005), starring Matthew McConaughey, is leaving Paramount+ in the US.
- The film lost an estimated $129 million after its budget doubled to $160 million.
- Its production was hit by Morocco bribery claims and a lawsuit from author Clive Cussler.

## Summary

Matthew McConaughey's 2005 adventure film Sahara is set to leave Paramount+ in the US, prompting a look back at one of Hollywood's most infamous box-office flops. The film, directed by Breck Eisner and also starring Steve Zahn and Penélope Cruz, was designed as an Indiana Jones-style adventure but became notorious for its runaway costs and troubled production, with losses estimated at $129 million (£101 million) making it a benchmark for cinematic financial disasters.

The film's budget reportedly ballooned from $80 million to $160 million (£63 million to £126 million) amid production problems in Morocco, including reports of millions of dollars paid in bribes. It also became embroiled in a high-profile lawsuit from author Clive Cussler, whose Dirk Pitt novels inspired the film, after he claimed he was not consulted on a script said to have passed through as many as ten writers. The article draws parallels with recent Disney box-office disappointments, including the live-action Moana remake and Tron: Ares, noting that such large-scale losses appear to be becoming more common.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.