Roger Christian directed Battlefield Earth (aka Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 or Battlefield Earth: Take Back the Planet), a sci-fi film based on the 1982 novel of the same name by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.
It starred 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 studio funding because of concerns regarding the script and its connections to Scientology.
In 1998, it was picked up by the indie production company Franchise Pictures, which specialized in rescuing stars’ pet projects.
Production began in 1999, funded by the German distribution company Intertainment AG.
Travolta, as co-producer, also contributed millions; he envisioned Battlefield Earth as the first in a two-part adaptation of the book, as it only covers the first half of novel’s story.
The film was universally panned by reviewers who criticized every aspect of the film, including the performances, direction, screenplay, cinematography, special effects, pacing and plot.
Released to 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 career.
Audiences have ridiculed early screenings and stayed away from the film after its opening weekend.
It received 8 Golden Raspberry Awards, the most given to any film.
This record stood until 2012 when Jack and Jill received 10.
In 2010, it won the title of the Worst Picture of the Decade.
In 2007, Franchise Pictures was sued by its investors and went bankrupt after it was revealed that the company 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.
