Superstar flops of 2008

They seem like sure-fire winners: Take a bankable star, place him (or her) in a familiar vehicle, roll the cameras and wait for the dollars to pour in the door.

The entertainment industry loves the tried and true, but not all certainties pan out. Now and then, fans recognize a stinker when they see one and change channels or stay away from the cineplex.

This year produced its share of big-star, no-audience disasters, and those misadventures did not go unnoticed at Forbes.

Here’s their list:

Mike Myers, The Love Guru

Christian Slater, My Own Worst Enemy

Eddie Murphy, Meet Dave

Patricia Heaton/Kelsey Grammer, Back to You

Will Ferrell, Semi-Pro

Ashton Kutcher, Opportunity Knocks

George Clooney, Leatherheads

Jerry O’Connell: Do Not Disturb

Nicolas Cage: Bangkok Dangerous

Lucy Liu: Cashmere Mafia

To get all the ugly details on these career missteps, visit Forbes.