Meet the Lowest-Grossest Movie of 2014 (With a Box-Office Haul of Just $72)

Storage 24
Storage 24

In Hollywood, you win some and you lose some … and then you really lose some — just ask everyone involved with "Storage 24." The British sci-fi/horror flick grossed a less than whopping $72 at the U.S. box office.

No, we didn't forget any zeroes there.

Granted, "Storage 24" only played at one theater and only for one day, but something tells us there was a probably a reason for that.

The story revolves around a group of people trapped inside a London storage facility with "an unwelcome guest." Dun dun dun. Meanwhile, outside of the unit, the entire city is on lockdown because a military plane crashed and scattered classified documents all over the streets … or something.

The independently produced movie received a 22 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes — as rated by people who most likely saw it on DVD rather than the lonely few who trekked to the theater — not the worst rating ever received. But earning less in theaters than the cost of a new pair of sneakers is significant failure for any film.

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So how did this ill-fated movie get started in the first place?

Like all movies start: with an idea. More specifically, "Star Trek Into Darkness" alum Noel Clarke was struck with inspiration.

Noel Clarke at the London premiere of 'Star Trek Into Darkness'
Noel Clarke at the London premiere of 'Star Trek Into Darkness'

"I was literally at a storage facility with a family member walking around the corridors thinking, 'This place is crazy,'" he explained to Movie Web. "There's no windows. There are the same lights — and if you walk too far and try to find your way back, you find yourself looking down a corridor and going, 'Where is everyone?' I thought, 'Wouldn't it be crazy if there was a serial killer that was killing people in one of these places?' One day I woke up and I was like, 'Don't be ridiculous. A serial killer is ridiculous. An alien would be better.'"

Clarke then co-wrote the script, gave himself the starring role, and got Johannes Roberts to direct. According to Clarke, it was Roberts who hired the rest of the cast, which included Colin O'Donaoghue ("The Rite"), Antonia Campbell-Hughes ("Bright Star"), Laura Haddock ("Captain America" and "The Inbetweeners Movie"), and a few others who are slightly more obscure.

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But it seemed that even before the film's theatrical release in the United States, Clarke had some sense that it might not be a hit.

"You take the film for what it is. We had no money," Clarke told IndieWire before adding, "Even if it doesn't do great in the U.S. ... we'll plot and plan for the next one."

"A Perfect Man" starring Liev Schreiber and Jean Tripplehorn was the second-lowest-grossing film of the year, tallying a paltry $445, but since the budget for that project was undoubtedly much larger than "Storage 24"'s, the biggest box-office failure probably fared better (financially, at least) than the runner-up.

Still, it would be nice if Clarke's next effort can break sales into — at least — the triple digits.

Watch 'Storage 24' Trailer: