By Mat Elfring on Jan 10, 2018 10:59 pm
DC started their films off strong back in the late '70s; however, the way comics and films work has all changed. Everyone wants to have their own cinematic universe, and DC is slowly working on putting it all together. While the company's film universe is new, its role in Hollywood is not. It's had some huge hits and misses since 1978, when Superman released. Some of these films set box office records while others were buried and forgotten. We thought it would be fun to take a look at how much money DC's films made in theaters, from worst to best, with adjustment for inflation. Box office numbers and information came from IMDb and Box Office Mojo. UPDATE: Justice League's numbers updated.
Steel (1997)
You probably don't remember Steel, starring Shaquille O'Neal. There's a reason for that. It's a terrible movie. US: $1,686,429 (Adjusted for Inflation: $2,532,669) Steel was only released domestically.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
Although Mask of the Phantasm didn't make a ton of money compared to the rest of the films on the list, it's the only DC animated film to release in theaters (Killing Joke was a one-night event), and it was well-received for its time. US: $5,588,699 (Adjusted for Inflation: $9,322,414) Released theatrically in US and Brazil. Numbers for Brazil not available.
Jonah Hex (2010)
Jonah Hex is a pretty fantastic, grounded western property that was turned into a supernatural mess. It had a great cast and all the potential in the world, but the story was extremely rough. US: $10,539,414 (Adjusted for Inflation: $11,650,214) Worldwide total: $10,895,609 (Adjusted for Inflation: $12,043,951)
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
No one wanted to see Superman throw the world's nuclear weapons into the sun. They wanted to see him punch somebody. US: $15,681,020 (Adjusted for Inflation: $31,950,310) Superman IV was only released domestically.
Supergirl (1984)
Many people forget that after Superman III, Supergirl got her shot at the big screen. US: $14,296,438 (Adjusted for Inflation: $33,166,360) Supergirl was only released domestically.
Catwoman (2004)
Catwoman is a film that took the source material and threw it out the window, hoping to rely on Halle Berry's name to put butts in seats. It did not do so. US: $40,202,379 (Adjusted for Inflation: $51,298,576) Worldwide total: $82,102,379 (Adjusted for Inflation: $104,763,331)
Superman III (1983)
After the awesomeness that was Superman II, someone decided to make the third film in the franchise a buddy comedy, featuring comedian Richard Pryor. US: $56,950,623 (Adjusted for Inflation: $137,823,938.42) Superman III was only released domestically.
Watchmen (2009)
Watchmen was the start of director Zack Snyder working for DC Entertainment. The film was ambitious and visually stunning, but it left a sour taste in some people's mouths. US: $107,509,799 (Adjusted for Inflation: $120,790,105) Worldwide total: $185,258,983 (Adjusted for Inflation: $208,143,372)
Green Lantern (2011)
Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool, Blade: Trinity) took on the role of Hal Jordan, space cop. It was panned by both critics and fans. At least Reynolds has a good sense of humor about it. US: $116,601,172 (Adjusted for Inflation: $124,946,377) Worldwide total: $219,851,172 (Adjusted for Inflation: $235,586,033)
Superman II (1980)
Superman II did well in the theaters, but we're not quite sure why this wasn't released internationally. US: $101,347,629 (Adjusted for Inflation: $296,463,953) Superman II was only released domestically.
The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
It may not be part of the DC Cinematic Universe, but The Lego Batman Movie appeals to fans both young and old. US: $174,932,902 Worldwide: $310,032,902
Batman & Robin (1997)
If there's one thing Batman & Robin did well, it was to have Arnold Schwarzenegger only speak in ice puns. In fact, that's the only thing it did well. US: $107,285,004 (Adjusted for Inflation: $161,120,017) Worldwide total: $238,207,122 (Adjusted for Inflation: $357,738,120)
Batman Begins (2005)
After Batman & Robin, some folks were a little skeptical of Christopher Nolan's Batman origin story and reluctant to go to the theater. They shouldn't have been. US: $206,852,432 (Adjusted for Inflation: $255,295,937) Worldwide total: $374,218,673 (Adjusted for Inflation: $461,858,271)
Superman Returns (2006)
The fifth movie in the original Superman series, 19 years after Superman IV, had a good showing. US: $200,069,408 (Adjusted for Inflation: $239,207,985) Worldwide total: $391,081,192 (Adjusted for Inflation: $467,586,450)
Batman Returns (1992)
Tim Burton's second Batman film didn't do as well as the original, but that's probably because they didn't get Prince to do the soundtrack again. US: $162,744,850 (Adjusted for Inflation: $279,598,668) Worldwide total: $282,800,000 (Adjusted for Inflation: $485,855,640)
Batman Forever (1995)
Surprisingly, Batman Forever did better than Batman Returns, probably because heavy hitters--for the time--Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones joined the cast. US: $183,997,904 (Adjusted for Inflation: $291,013,692) Worldwide total: $336,531,112 (Adjusted for Inflation: $532,262,376)
Justice League (2017)
Justice League stumbled during it's opening weekend. It didn't even bring in $100 million domestically. US: $227,077,683 Worldwide total: $652,877,683 (As of 1/10/18)
Man of Steel (2013)
Man of Steel kicked off DC's cinematic universe and polarized audiences and fans as Zack Snyder gave the world a much darker Superman than they were expecting. US: $291,045,518 (Adjusted for Inflation: $301,141,539) Worldwide total: $668,045,518 (Adjusted for Inflation: $691,219,218)
Suicide Squad (2016)
The third film in DC's cinematic universe may have been panned by critics, but it continues to bring in money. US: $325,021,779 Worldwide total: $745,173,191
Batman (1989)
Batman wowed audiences with Tim Burton's dark, quirky style and an awesome soundtrack by Prince. US: $251,188,924 (Adjusted for Inflation: $488,274,805) Worldwide total: $411,348,924 (Adjusted for Inflation: $799,602,596)
Wonder Woman (2017)
Wonder Woman had a great opening weekend, making over $100 million domestically. The movie tells the story of Diana (Gal Gadot) leaving her home to battle evil during World War I. US: $412,550,942 Worldwide total: $821,750,942
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
While comic fans and some moviegoers had a problem with the tone and story, people across the world went to the theater to see Batman fight Superman. US: $330,249,062 Worldwide total: $872,662,631
Superman (1978)
Superman was the first to break the $1 billion mark, when adjusted for inflation. It introduced the world to Christopher Reeves as the Man of Steel. US: $40,925,251 (Adjusted for Inflation: $151,296,635) Worldwide total: $300,218,018 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,109,876,543)
The Dark Knight (2008)
One of the best comic book films to date, featuring a stellar performance from the late Heath Ledger, broke the $1 billion mark in 2008. US: $534,858,444 (Adjusted for Inflation: $598,789,657) Worldwide total: $1,004,558,444 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,124,632,532)
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The top-grossing DC film wasn't even one of their best. Christopher Nolan's final Batman movie beat out his previous film by $10 million. US: $448,139,099 (Adjusted for Inflation: $470,476,371) Worldwide total: $1,084,939,099 (Adjusted for Inflation: $1,139,017,354)
By Mat Elfring on Jan 10, 2018 10:57 pm
Since A New Hope debuted in 1977, Star Wars has been a box office juggernaut, and it just keeps on coming. With Star Wars: The Last Jedi releasing soon, as well as a Han Solo movie coming six months later, we thought it would be a good idea to see just how well these movies have done in the theaters. Using data from Box Office Mojo, we've ranked every Star Wars movie that had a theatrical release by its box office. In addition, movies older than 10 years had their numbers adjusted for inflation accordingly. If you want some more Star Wars goodness, check out the latest TV spot for The Last Jedi. You may have heard, but there's a live-action Star Wars series coming as well as a whole new trilogy from Rian Johnson. We got so excited that we came up with a few solo films we'd like to see. [Update: The Last Jedi's numbers updated]
10. The Clones Wars (2008)
The animated feature served as a lead-in to the animated series of the same name: The Clone Wars. While it had a large theatrical release, it didn't make a lot of money. This is probably because this movie is nothing more than a pilot for an excellent TV series, but not a great stand-alone entity. Domestic: $35,161,554 Foreign: $33,121,290 Total: $68,282,844
9. Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
Say what you want about the prequels--more bad than good obviously--but even the movie that made the lowest amount in the theaters, still came pretty close to the $1 billion mark. People went in droves to the theater to see Anakin Skywalker sulk. Domestic: $310,676,740 [Adjusted For Inflation: $426,241,924] Foreign: $338,721,588 [Adjusted For Inflation:$464,718,863] Total: $649,398,328 [Adjusted For Inflation: $890,960,788]
8. Rogue One: A Story Wars Story (2016)
You know you have a successful franchise when your film has all-new characters and a brand-new story, and it still breaks $1 billion, even though it's one of the darkest Star Wars films to date. Domestic: $532,177,324 Foreign: $523,879,949 Total: $1,056,057,273
7. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
The final act in the prequel trilogy gave us the birth of Darth Vader, which is probably the reason it did a bit better than Episode II. Domestic: $380,270,577 [Adjusted For Inflation: $480,583,735] Foreign: $468,484,191 [Adjusted For Inflation:$592,067,585] Total: $848,754,768 [Adjusted For Inflation: $1,072,651,321]
6. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)
The final act in the original Star Wars trilogy brought in the least amount of money out of that lot, even though it had three separate theatrical releases. Domestic: $309,306,177 [Adjusted For Inflation: $721,663,860] Foreign: $165,800,000 [Adjusted For Inflation:$410,869,379] Total: $475,106,177 [Adjusted For Inflation: $1,132,533,239] Note: Return of the Jedi got three theatrical releases: 1983, 1985, and 1997.
5. Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)
The Last Jedi had the second largest opening of all time, bringing in $220 million domestically. Look for these numbers to explode in the upcoming weeks because of the holidays and the fact the film opens in China on January 5. Domestic: $574,483,043 Foreign: $646,000,000 Total: $1,220,483,043 [As of 1/10/18]
4. Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
In 1999, people were hungry for Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and because of this, it brought in $1.5 billion at the box office. And during this time, people everywhere loathed the antics of Jar Jar Binks. Domestic: $474,544,677 [Adjusted For Inflation: $682,116,537] Foreign: $552,500,000 [Adjusted For Inflation:$818,532,397] Total: $1,027,044,677 [Adjusted For Inflation: $1,500,648,934] Note: The Phantom Menace had two theatrical releases: 1999 and 2012.
3. Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Arguably one of--if not the--best movies in the franchise is Empire Strikes Back, and while it didn't pull in the same numbers as A New Hope, it did exceptionally well. Domestic: $290,475,067 [Adjusted For Inflation: $765,135,253] Foreign: $247,900,000 [Adjusted For Inflation:$742,553,763] Total: $538,375,067 [Adjusted For Inflation: $1,507,689,016] Note: Empire Strikes Back got three theatrical releases: 1980, 1982, and 1997.
2. Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
People were pretty excited to have a new film in the Star Wars franchise--one that wasn't telling the origins of characters we already know and love. Because of this, The Force Awakens pulled in an incredible $2 billion during its theatrical run. Domestic: $936,662,225 Foreign: $1,131,561,399 Total: $2,068,223,624
1. Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
The original Star Wars took the world by storm. In 1977, people were lining up around the block to see it, and when adjusted for inflation, it pulled in $2.7 billion. It's doubtful another film will take the top spot. Domestic: $460,998,007 [Adjusted For Inflation: $1,503,659,950] Foreign: $314,400,000 [Adjusted For Inflation:$1,280,526,297] Total: $775,398,007 [Adjusted For Inflation: $2,784,186,247] Note: A New Hope got three theatrical releases: 1977, 1982, and 1997.
By Array on Jan 10, 2018 04:32 am
With the inaugural season of Overwatch League getting underway, Blizzard has released a new update for Overwatch on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Among a variety of other things, it adds a huge number of skins to the game--312, to be precise. Each of the game's 26 characters receives 12 new skins, each themed around one of the dozen teams participating in Overwatch League's first season. Unlike typical skins, you won't be grinding loot boxes in order to get your hands on these. Instead, they're sold with a newly introduced currency, League Tokens. Skins are sold individually for 100 Tokens. You'll receive 100 for free just by logging in before February 13, but past that point, you'll need to pay up. Doing so isn't cheap: 100 Tokens cost $5, although higher-priced bundles (ranging up to $100 for 2,600) will bring down the dollar-to-Token ratio. Still, amassing a complete set will run you in the neighborhood of $1,200. In the event that seems unreasonable to you, we've amassed a collection of screenshots showcasing all of the new skins. You can see all of these in the gallery above. Overwatch League Season 1's first matches begin on January 10. The competition will go on for six months, with champions being named later this year. For much more on what to expect, check out our rundown on how to watch Overwatch League, a roundup of all the Overwatch League teams and rosters, and a recap of everything you need to know.
By Alessandro Fillari on Jan 10, 2018 03:44 am
Which team are you rooting for?
With the upcoming season of Overwatch League kicking off on January 10, there's much anticipation brewing from esports enthusiasts and casual fans of Blizzard's popular hero shooter. Coming off of the successful pre-season, which ended this past December, the 12 teams from across the globe will vie to stake their claim for the top spot of Overwatch League, culminating in the eventual playoffs later this year. In this gallery, we'll run down the current teams and rosters set for this season of Overwatch League. From across the globe, many players will represent several teams from Pacific and Atlantic divisions, where they'll compete in several games with rival squads, and work their way up the ladder. For more info on the competition, check out our guide on everything you need to know about Overwatch League and how to watch Overwatch League. There are also new team skins to get your hands on.
Boston Uprising (Atlantic Division)
Owned by Robert and Jonathan Kraft of the New England Patriots, the Boston Uprising's name is inspired by the history of the city they represent, and the role it played during the American Revolution. Channeling a spirit of determination and resilience, the team functions on a balanced and dynamic skill-set that has strong defensive and support play.
The Players:
DreamKazper (Jonathan Sanchez) | Assault GamsuYoung (Jin Noh) | Defense Snow (Mikias Yohannes) | Healer NotE (Lucas Meissner) | Defense Neko (SeHyun Park) | Healer Avast (Connor Prince) | Healer STRIKER (Namju Gwon) | Assault Kalios (WooYul Shin) | Defense Mistakes (Stanislav Danilov) | Assault Kellex (Kristian Keller) | Healer
Dallas Fuel (Pacific Division)
Inspired by the state of Texas and its commitment as the energy sector of the country, and as strong as its competitive gaming community, the Dallas Fuel aims to bring that same drive to the Overwatch League. Owned by Team EnVyUs--the same group behind successful esports teams from League of Legends, StarCraft, and Counter-Strike--the operators of the Dallas Fuel are looking to make their mark within Overwatch League, just as they've done in other games. The Players: Chipshajen (Sebastian Widlund) | Healer HarryHook (Jonathan Tejedor Rua) | Healer Mickie (Pongphop Rattanasangchod) | Flexible xQc (Félix Lengyel) | Defense Seagull (Brandon Larned) | Flexible Taimou (Timo Kettunen) | Assault Custa (Scott Kennedy) | Healer cocco (Christian Jonsson) | Defense EFFECT (Hyeon Hwang) | Assault
Florida Mayhem (Atlantic Division)
Referencing their "explosive" playstyle, along with the Sunshine State's colorful and energetic vibe, the Florida Mayhem is a team made up of players who have found common ground disrupting the competition's plans. Owned by Misfit Gaming, the organization has already made an impact within Overwatch's competitive community, and they aim to go bigger within the Overwatch League. The Players: Manneten (Tim Bylund) | Flexible Logix (Andreas Berghmans) | Assault Zebbosai (Sebastian Olsson) | Healer CWoosH (Johan Klingestedt) | Flexible TviQ (Kevin Lindström) | Assault Zuppeh (Aleksi Kuntsi) | Healer
Houston Outlaws (Pacific Division)
As the second Texas-based team, the Houston Outlaws focus on taking the fight to their enemies, and doing it in their own ruthless style. With backing from OpTic Gaming, the same group that's made a name for itself in League of Legends and Counter-Strike competitions, this team brings a number skilled players that focus on quick and decisive acts to gain the upper hand against their opponents. The Players: Muma (Austin Wilmot) | Defense Bani (Christopher Benell) | Healer Clockwork (Matthew Dias) | Assault Mendokusaii (Lucas Håkansson) | Assault Boink (Daniel Pence) | Healer LiNkzr (Jiri Masalin) | Assault SPREE (Alexandre Vanhomwegen) | Assault Rawkus (Shane Flaherty) | Healer Jake (Jake Lyon) | Assault Coolmatt (Matt Iorio) | Defense
London Spitfire (Atlantic Division)
Named after the legendary British fighter planes flown during World War II's most intense battles, the London Spitfire channels that same intensity and resilience to overcome mounting pressure from their foes. Owned by Cloud9, this team is looking to make their mark within their division, while trailblazing their way to the top of the global league. The Players: Gesture (Jae-Hui Hong) | Defense birdring (Ji-Kyeok Kim) | Assault Fissure (Chan-Hyung Baek) | Defense Bdosin (Seung-Tae Choi) | Healer NUS (Jong-Seok Kim) | Healer Hooreg (Dong-Eun Lee) | Assault Rascal (Dong-Jun Kim) | Assault Fury (Jun-Ho Kim) | Fleixable HaGoPeun (Hyeon-Woo Jo) | Healer WooHyaL (Seung-Hyun Seong) | Flexible Profit (Jun-Young Park) | Assault Closer (Won-Sik Jung) | Healer
Los Angeles Gladiators (Pacific Division)
As one of two teams representing Los Angeles, the Gladiators are the polar opposite to its rival the Valiant. Owned by Stan and Josh Kroenke of the LA Rams, the Los Angeles Gladiators bring ferocity and a strong-sense of competition to their games, which they plan to bring all the way to the top of the global ladder within the Overwatch League. The Players: Asher (Jun-Sung Choi) | Assault Surefour (Lane Roberts) | Assault iRemiix (Luis Galarza Figueroa) | Defense Bischu (Aaron Kim) | Flexible Shaz (Jonas Samuel Suovaara) | Healer Hydration (Joao Pedro Veloso de Goes Telles) | Assault BigGoose (Benjamin Ville Aapeli Isohanni) | Healer
Los Angeles Valiant (Pacific Division)
Representing Los Angeles along with the Gladiators, the Valiant go about achieving their goals a bit differently compared to their city rival. Owned by the eSports team Immortals, the Valiant represents the ideals of Los Angeles being the city where imagination and hard work can make your dreams into reality. With much on the line this season, the Valiant are looking to realize their goals and overcome the competition. The Players: Silkthread (Ted Wang) | Assault Grimreality (Christopher Schaefer) | Assault Kariv (Young-Seo Park) | Healer Fate (Pan-Seung Koo) | Defense Verbo (Stefano Disalvo) | Healer Envy (Kang-Jae Lee) | Flexible Space (Indy Halpern) | Flexible Numlocked (Sebastian Barton) | Defense Unkoe (Benjamin Chevasson) | Healer Agilities (Brady Girardi) | Assault Soon (Terence Tarlier) | Assault
New York Excelsior (Atlantic Division)
Channeling the spirit of optimism, hope, and perseverance, the New York Excelsior brings the Big Apple's charm and attitude to their team's overall dynamic. Under ownership of Sterling VC, the team focuses on keeping their momentum going, even under mounting pressure. Excelsior is latin for "ever upward," and with the group seeking to reach the top spot of the global league, the team repping New York looks to keep their spirits high as they gun it for the lead. The Players: Saebyeolbe (Jong-Ryeol Park) | Assault Meko (Tae-Hong Kim) | Defense Pine (Do-Hyeon Kim) | Flexible Janus (Jun-Hwa Song) | Defense Jjonak (Seong-Hyun Bang) | Healer Mano (Dong-Gyu Kim) | Defense Libero (Hae-Seong Kim) | Assault Ark (Yeon-Jun Hong) | Healer
Philadelphia Fusion (Atlantic Division)
Owned by Comcast Spectacor, the Philadelphia Fusion have a lot to prove this upcoming season. Due to several issues, the team had to miss out on the pre-season. Without the chance to get a feel for the competition, the players will have to play catch-up with the rest of the league. Despite this, the Fusion features a number of promising players, who plan to bring the spirit of Philadelphia--with the city's innovative and diverse charm--into their team dynamic. The Players: Joemeister (Joseph Gramano) | Healer Boombox (Isaac Charles) | Healer Carpe (Jae-Hyeok Lee) | Assault Snillo (Simon Ekström) | Assault fragi (Joona Laine) | Defense Eqo (Josue Corona) | Assault ShaDowBurn (Georgii Gushcha) | Assault Neptuno (Alberto González Molinillo) | Healer DayFly (Jeong-Hwan Park) | Healer Hotba (Hong-Jun Choi) | Flexible Poko (Gael Gouzerch) | Flexible SADO (Su-Min Kim) | Defense
San Francisco Shock (Pacific Division)
Owned by NRG esports, the San Francisco Shock is the third team repping California along with the Los Angeles Gladiators and Valiant. Representing a balance between the old and new ways--balancing brute force with long-range action--the San Francisco Shock keeps the action up-close and personal, while making sure the frontline stays in top form. The Players: super (Matthew DeLisi) | Flexible BABYBAY (Andrej Francisty) | Assault sinatraa (Jay Won) | Assault sleepy (Nikola Andrews) | Healer Danteh (Dante Cruz) | Assault dhaK (Daniel Martinez Paz) | Healer Nomy (David Lizarraga Ramirez Osmar) | Defense iddqd (André Dahlström) | Assault Nevix (Andreas Karlsson) | Flexible
Seoul Dynasty (Pacific Division)
South Korea is no stranger to the esports phenomenon. With games like StarCraft and League of Legends already a pastime in the country, even landing several players sponsorships and spots on billboards, the country's passion for esports has had a major influence on the evolution of the medium as we know it. With Overwatch League, the team known as Seoul Dynasty--owned by KSV esports--is looking to dominate the competition and show that South Korea's passion for esports is still going strong. The Players: Bunny (Jun-Hyeok Chae) | Assault Miro (Jin-Hyuk Gong) | Defense XepheR (Jae-Mo Koo) | Flexible gido (Gi-Do Moon) | Flexible Wekeed (Seok-Woo Choi) | Assault Munchkin (Sang-Beom Byun) | Assault ZUNBA (Joon-Hyeok Kim) | Flexible KuKi (Dae-Kuk Kim) | Defense tobi (Jin-Mo Yang) | Healer ryujehong (Je-Hong Ryu) | Healer FLETA (Byung-Sun Kim) | Assault
Shanghai Dragons (Pacific Division)
With China becoming a bigger player in the competitive gaming scene, the Shanghai Dragons are looking to make their mark in the new Overwatch League. As one of the country's most popular games, Overwatch represents a major foothold for the Chinese competitive gaming scene. Under ownership of Chinese internet company NetEase, the Shanghai Dragons have a strong balance of support, defense, and offense skills, the team aims to make the top spot theirs. The Players: Freefeel (Peixuan Xu) | Healer Xushu (Junjie Liu) | Defense Fiveking (Zhaoyu Chen) | Healer Altering (Yage Cheng) | Healer Undead (Chao Fang) | Assault MG (Dongjian Wu) | Defense Roshan (Wenhao Jing) | Defense Diya (Weida Lu) | Assault
By Kevin Wong on Jan 10, 2018 03:30 am
Wrestling is scripted--except, of course, when it isn't.
Most times, when one wrestler injures another wrestler, it's an accident. An errant knee breaks a nose. A botched piledriver sprains a neck. A stiff kick fractures a rib. All it takes is a small miscommunication to send someone to the ER. But every now and then, it isn't an accident. Maybe it's a hazing ritual. Maybe it's a punishment for backstage drama. Maybe it's a "receipt" for a wrestler who works dangerously or hurts his opponents. Regardless, the injury is purposeful, and the beatdown happens on national television, in front of a live audience. Because the point of professional wrestling is to look real, it can be hard to distinguish a real beatdown from a staged one. It's only years later, via shoot interviews, that fans can confirm the truth. Here are 7 unlucky WWE wrestlers who got mauled in the ring for real, and why.
7. Daniel Puder Gets Knife Chopped Into Next Week
Daniel Puder was a contestant on Tough Enough, the reality show where hopeful WWE Superstars compete for a developmental contract. As part of the show, the contestants had the opportunity to wrestle Kurt Angle in the ring on SmackDown--for real. WWE didn't bother to script this, because Angle is a legitimate Olympic gold medalist in wrestling; everyone assumed that he would dominate anyone he faced. But Puder decided to make this impromptu match his moment. He put Angle into a legitimate Kimura Lock. Angle was in a hard place. He couldn't tap to this rookie in front of a live audience, but he also couldn't not tap; his arm could have easily snapped. Fortunately, the referee saw what was happening and did a quick three-count to end the match early. Two months later, Puder competed in the Royal Rumble (2005), and when he got into the ring with Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero, things got ugly. As apparent payback for his disrespect, they stuck Puder in a corner, and knife edge chopped him across the chest until it turned red and started to swell. Then Bob Holly, a notorious bully and hazer in the locker room, entered the match, and he started chopping Puder too. That was the last time Puder appeared on WWE television; he was fired later that year.
6. Perry Saturn Dumps Mike Bell On His Head
Mike Bell was an enhancement talent (whose job is to lose, to make everyone else look good). And during a fight against Saturn in 2001, Bell mistimed his arm drags, causing Saturn to land on his head. Twice. And in retaliation, Saturn broke character. He punched Mike Bell several times, legitimately, and then threw him out of the ring, where he landed directly on his head. It could have killed or paralyzed Bell, but fortunately, it didn't. In interviews since the infamous match, Perry Saturn has expressed regret at his behavior.
5. Umaga Concusses Steve-O
Steve-O isn't quite a wrestler, but if WWE had its way, he would have been. The original plan for SummerSlam 2007 was to have the whole Jackass crew--Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera included--fight Umaga in a handicap match. As a prelude to this, Steve-O and Chris Pontius got into the ring with Umaga on Raw, and Umaga destroyed both of them. He concluded his scripted beatdown by performing a top-rope splash on Steve-O. Afterwards, things went off the rails. Steve-O, not knowing he was supposed to lie down and stay still, theatrically flailed about. And Umaga, who felt like he wasn't being shown proper respect, struck Steve-O with several legitimate blows to make sure he stayed down. As for the SummerSlam plans, they never worked out. The Chris Benoit tragedy spooked the Jackass cast and the angle was nixed, although you can still find old advertisements and promotional posters if you snoop around online.
4. Butterbean KOs Bart Gunn at WrestleMania
This was the logical conclusion to a much larger screw-up. In 1998, WWE decided to host a Brawl-For-All--basically, a tough man contest where wrestlers would slug it out in the ring, for real, for a cash prize. This was terrible idea for several reasons. Even though it was real, none of the fans believed it anyway. It injured multiple wrestlers on the roster who were built for athletic performance and not for actual fighting. And it killed one wrestler's career. WWE newcomer "Dr. Death" Steve Williams was widely favored to win the whole thing, but he was knocked out by Bart Gunn, and his reputation never recovered. Meanwhile, Bart Gunn won the tournament, and as part of his "prize," he was placed in a boxing match with professional boxer Butterbean. WWE sent him to a camp to learn how to box, which ironically caused him to unlearn the skills that had caused him to win the Brawl-for-All in the first place. The match was a disaster. Butterbean knocked Gunn out in under 20 seconds with a highlight reel worthy punch; the man was unconscious before he hit the canvas.
3. The Acolytes Brutalize Public Enemy
When The Acolytes took on Public Enemy, the latter group was not well liked backstage; they were veterans of WCW, which back during the Monday Night Wars was equivalent to being The Enemy. Public Enemy didn't want to lose to The Acolytes. And right before the two teams went out to fight on Sunday Night Heat in 1999, PE attempted to change the planned finish, which would have sent them through a table. And The Acolytes--JBL and Ron Simmons--decided that the planned finish was going to happen, come hell or high water, even if they had to force it. What followed was a brutal display of domination that had the audience gasping. Watch the clip, and see what you think. It wasn't a completely unsanctioned beatdown. But clearly, JBL and Simmons meant serious business.
2. JBL Bloodies The Blue Meanie
The Blue Meanie was an ECW veteran from 1995 to 2000, and JBL had a problem with him from the moment he walked through the door. He would verbally taunt and bully the newcomer, trying to bait him into a fight; he knew there was little The Blue Meanie could do about it, given his outsider status. Eventually, things reached a head at One Night Stand in 2005. JBL, reacting to trash talking he believed The Blue Meanie had done online, beat Blue Meanie up in the ring for real during a scripted brawl. The above screenshot speaks for itself—The Blue Meanie was immediately given medical treatment backstage, and WWE paid him double for the evening to placate him. WWE reacted to the beatdown not by suspending or firing JBL, but by creating a storyline around the incident, where The Blue Meanie and JBL would settle their score on SmackDown. Fellow ECW alumnus Stevie Richards encouraged The Blue Meanie to reject the offer and sue WWE. The Blue Meanie declined, but Richards still had something planned for JBL...
1. Stevie Richards Takes Revenge On JBL With A Chair Shot
You think JBL walked away from this whole drama unscathed? Think again. Stevie Richards did a run-in at the end of the SmackDown match between The Blue Meanie and JBL, and he hit JBL with one of the most sickening chair shots in WWE history, directly to the head. No glancing blow, no side swipe to take off some of the impact. He laid it right in. Stevie Richards would later claim responsibility for the chairshot on WWE.com as payback for what JBL did to The Blue Meanie. Was it a work? Was it a shoot? One thing is for certain: Richards could have delivered it safer if he wanted to. And the end of the day, it was karmic comeuppance; even if The Blue Meanie didn't get his receipt, Richards got it for him.
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