Battlefield Earth

Battlefield Earth (also referred to as Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 or Battlefield Earth: Take Back the Planet) is a 2000 American science fiction film based on the 1982 novel of the same name by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. It was directed by Roger Christian and stars John Travolta, Barry Pepper, and Forest Whitaker. The film follows a rebellion against the alien Psychlos, who have ruled Earth for 1,000 years. Travolta, a Scientologist, began attempting to adapt Battlefield Earth in the mid-1990s. He was unable to obtain major studio funding because of concerns regarding the script and its connections to Scientology. In 1998, it was picked up by the independent production company Franchise Pictures, which specialized in rescuing stars' pet projects. Production began in 1999, largely funded by the German distribution company Intertainment AG. Travolta, as co-producer, also contributed millions of dollars; he envisioned Battlefield Earth as the first in a two-part adaptation of the book, as it only covers the first half of the novel's story. The film was universally panned by critics who criticized nearly every aspect of the film, including the performances, direction, screenplay, cinematography, special effects, pacing and plot. Released to a critical and commercial failure, it is frequently described as one of the worst films of all time and the worst received film in John Travolta's filmography. Audiences were reported to have ridiculed early screenings and stayed away from the film after its opening weekend. It received eight Golden Raspberry Awards, the most given to any film. This record stood until 2012 when Jack and Jill received ten. In 2010, it won Worst Picture of the Decade. In 2007, Franchise Pictures was sued by its investors and went bankrupt after it emerged that it had fraudulently overstated the film's budget by $31 million; this, coupled with the film's poor reception, ended Travolta's plans for a sequel.