Episode 315 - Battleship

Welcome back to Not A Bomb, the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: is it a bomb? This week, Troy and Brad set sail into the explosive, alien‑filled chaos of the 2012 blockbuster Battleship. And yes, the guys know this one wasn’t just an underperformer. It was one of the biggest cinematic wipeouts of the year. In fact, Battleship is part of a rare double‑feature of disaster courtesy of Taylor Kitsch, who somehow managed to star in two of 2012’s biggest bombs with this film and John Carter. A true achievement in box office misfortune.Battleship arrived with all the makings of a summer tentpole: massive effects, a stacked cast, and a marketing campaign that practically shouted from the rooftops. It also came with one of the strangest Hollywood pitches of the decade, since the entire movie is based on a board game. Yes, the same board game you played as a kid, the one where you yelled “You sunk my battleship!” while trying not to knock over the plastic grid. Hollywood looked at that and said, “What if aliens?”Troy and Brad dig into the film’s wild production, its attempt to blend military spectacle with sci‑fi mayhem, and the curious creative decisions that turned a simple naval strategy game into a full‑blown alien invasion epic. They also explore how the film’s reputation has shifted over time, why some viewers have embraced its over‑the‑top charm, and whether Battleship deserves a second look or remains a cautionary tale about adapting literally anything into a blockbuster.Grab your grid, call out a coordinate, and brace for impact. This is one cinematic bomb worth revisiting.Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at [email protected] or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.Cast: Brad, Troy