Everyone loves a great comeback story, and the world of entertainment and music is no exception.
Mickey Rourke, Robert Downey Jr., John Travolta, Mariah Carey—these are just a few success stories that grabbed the attention of fans worldwide. But for every Bret Michaels, there’s an Axl Rose. Below are a few folks who just missed the mark on their road back to redemption.
Mike Myers
Myers hadn’t starred in a live-action film in five years before his much lauded return in last year’s The Love Guru. Unfortunately, the film felt a little five-years-too-late. Attempting to find the funny in a Deepak Chopra-like guru may have resonated when that iron was hot, but not so much today. Of course, if anyone could have pulled it off, it could have been Myers. But absence did not make the hearts of fans grow fonder—it merely triggered their love for the days when Myers was far more groovy and, well, spot-on funny.
George Lucas
Fans the world over were gripped with anticipation in 1999 prior to the release of Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace. It was Lucas’s much-lauded comeback, not only as a director, but for his return to the saga that made him an icon. Then the movie came out, exposing the world to a spunky little Anakin Skywalker, his jarring sidekick Jar Jar Binks, and not nearly enough of cool villain Darth Maul. Needless to say, fans were less than impressed and Lucas never fully recovered. In fact, Episodes II and III in the Star Wars saga just made things worse. And Lucas didn’t stop there. His next big follow-up? Writing the story for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, causing more than a few folks to cry “checkmate” on a once respectable resume.
Britney Spears
It was supposed to happen at the VMAs in 2007. Spears’ performance was tapped to put the troubled performer back on top following a tumultuous period that included a shaved head and Kevin Federline. Sadly the spotlight might have come a little too soon after such a rough patch. Instead of making headlines for her star turn, she ended up making them for her listless performance and bad lip-synching. It wasn’t just a disappointing comeback, but a heartbreaking sight to behold of the former teen pop queen. Still, her latest album Circus boasted two number-one singles, including the catchy “Womanizer” that you can still catch on the radio these days, so she’s not quite down for the count yet.
Nia Vardalos
It was exciting to see Nia Vardalos resurfacing on the big screen—until her latest trailer looked like My Big Fat Greek Wedding Revisited. In other words, it would have been nice to see our favorite Greek girl come back with a project that felt more fresh instead of rehashed the way My Life in Ruins does. Its lackluster opening doesn’t bode well for its future, and when you’re now grabbing headlines for your weight loss as opposed to a new hit film, it’s not a great sign.
Michael Jackson
Yes, he has a sold-out European tour in the works this summer. But can you name his last hit single? In fact, can you recall the last time the King of Pop made headlines for his music? Sadly, Jackson’s last big musical break came last year on the back of the anniversary of the album that made him an icon, Thriller. Otherwise, his own legacy has been overshadowed by his increasingly bizarre behavior, making it hard to see the potential for a comeback under such circumstances. Not that he couldn’t do it, but it would have to come in the form of solid material, not another scandal or unfortunate tabloid photo shot.
Christian Slater
With that scruffy voice and those eyebrows, Slater was slated to be the next Jack Nicholson. He further cemented that reputation with star turns in Heathers and Pump Up the Volume. But his antics off screen lead to a rocky road to success, and soon his starring roles began to taper off. Last year, however, Slater decided to step back into the limelight via television. His NBC show My Own Worst Enemy was being hailed as Slater’s big comeback but ultimately it failed in the ratings and was cancelled after a mere nine episodes, knocking most of the sheen off his touted return. Recent rumors have Slater circling a Heathers sequel, which may just be his next big second chance. Or not.
