There are box office bombs (think last month's dismal-performing "Ben Hur" remake), and then there are box office bombs of epic proportions, movies that will go down in history as some of the most notoriously under-performing titles of all time. While it's too early to tell if Matthew McConaughey's latest flick, "The Sea of Trees," will fall into the latter category, it seems like a safe bet considering its paltry first week take.



"Sea of Trees," costarring Naomi Watts and Ken Watanabe and directed by Oscar nominee Gus Van Sant, seemed like a recipe for at least some modest box office success on paper, especially among the arthouse set. But after six days in release, that's proven to be wildly untrue, with the flick pulling in only $2,894 in two theaters. Even "Ben Hur," considered to be this year's biggest flop so far, still managed to bring in $11 million on its opening weekend; "Sea of Trees" made just $1,877 during its opening frame.



Sure, its limited release could be part of the problem. But its per-screen average of $1,447 is considered "mere pennies by movie standards," according to TheWrap. And with a rumored cost of $25 million, "Sea of Trees" isn't off to a great start in earning back its budget. At this rate, TheWrap estimates that the flick would need to stay in theaters until 2158 to make up that number.



"The Sea of Trees" will try to win over a wider audience when it opens in 110 theaters over Labor Day weekend. We'll have to see if the McConaissance can weather this particular box office storm.