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.