History Main / VindicatedByCable

** ''WesternAnimation/WhatsOperaDoc'' was not recognized as a great cartoon when it was released in 1957, nor was it nominated for an Academy Award. Creator/WarnerBros did not even submit it for consideration.[[note]]Fortunately for them, ''WesternAnimation/BirdsAnonymous'', the installment they ''did'' nominate, got the Oscar.[[/note]]

* Despite being a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel to its [[WesternAnimation/TheAngryBirdsMovie predecessor]] and dethroning ''Film/DetectivePikachu'' as the highest-rated video game movie, ''WesternAnimation/TheAngryBirdsMovie2'' flew under the radar upon its initial release, due to said release happening at a time where the ''Franchise/AngryBirds'' franchise was no longer the cash cow it was years ago. Once the film hit Creator/{{Netflix}}, it stood on the top 10 for weeks, which led to Creator/RovioEntertainment to green-lit a spin-off [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/angry-birds-animated-series-a-go-at-netflix-1286377#:~:text=Go%20at%20Netflix-,Netflix,by%20the%20popular%20mobile%20game show]] excusively for the service.

* ''Film/ThePrincessBride'' bombed at the cinema (mostly due to terrible marketing), but thanks to VHS and cable it became well known as a great movie.

** ''Film/SpaceBalls'' deserves a special mention in regards to this. When the film released in 1987, it was largely seen as a NarrowParody since it was a spoof of the ''[[Franchise/StarWars Original]] [[Film/ANewHope Star]] [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack Wars]] [[Film/ReturnOfTheJedi Trilogy]]'', whose last film ''Return of the Jedi'' only released four years prior and was seen mainly as topical. Thankfully for the Mel Brooks movie, ''Star Wars'' has become one of the most iconic, timeless film series that remains extremely popular, meaning ''Spaceballs'' continues to resonate with audiences.

** ''Film/Spaceballs'' deserves a special mention in regards to this. When the film released in 1987, it was largely seen as a NarrowParody since it was a spoof of the ''[[Franchise/StarWars Original]] [[Film/ANewHope Star]] [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack Wars]] [[Film/ReturnOfTheJedi Trilogy]]'', whose last film ''Return of the Jedi'' only released four years prior and was seen mainly as topical. Thankfully for the Mel Brooks movie, ''Star Wars'' has become one of the most iconic, timeless film series that remains extremely popular, meaning ''Spaceballs'' continues to resonate with audiences.

* Creator/MikeJudge is one of the kings of this trope. ''Film/OfficeSpace'' is the quintessential example, with tepid box office numbers at best, only becoming a CultClassic after being shown ad nauseum on premium cable (and, later, Creator/ComedyCentral). ''Film/{{Idiocracy}}'' bombed similarly in theaters, a victim of [[InvisibleAdvertising little to no promotion by the distributor]], 20th Century Fox (all the film's [[TakeThat cheap shots]] at the FOX network and [[Creator/FoxNewsChannel its news division]] probably didn't help Judge). Thanks once again to cable, the film seems to be well on its way to this trope if it's not already there.

* In an interesting case, while ''Film/{{Clonus}}'' was a bomb when it was first released, its exposure on ''[=MST3K=]'' not only allowed the movie to be re-released on DVD to be seen whole but also helped its director when he sued Creator/MichaelBay for his movie ''Film/TheIsland''.

* ''WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitch'' is a relatively minor example, as it did decently at the box office, but it didn't become as popular as it was until its DVD release during the 2002 holiday season, which sold over a million copies in its first year.

* Several of the 2000s Disney Movies, formerly considered to be part of the AudienceAlienatingEra like ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'', ''WesternAnimation/BrotherBear'', and ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'' have all been received a much better rep outside of theaters. A large part of this was due to high DVD sales and reruns on Creator/{{Starz}}, Creator/DisneyChannel, and [[Creator/{{Freeform}} ABC Family]].

* ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheGuardians'' made back its budget, but the distribution costs for the film lost the studio $87 million, forcing [=DreamWorks=] to lay off over three hundred workers. Not helping matters was the fact it was head to head with ''[[Literature/{{Twilight}} The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2]]'', ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'', and ''Film/{{Lincoln}}'' as well as ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'' at the box office. It was on home video and streaming where it finally found its audience, elevating the film to CultClassic status by the time the mid-to-late-2010s rolled around.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAngryBirdsMovie2'', despite being a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel to its [[WesternAnimation/TheAngryBirdsMovie predecessor]] and dethroning ''Film/DetectivePikachu'' as the highest rated video game movie, but it flew under the radar upon release due to being release at a time where the ''Franchise/AngryBirds'' franchise was no longer the cash cow it was years ago. Once the film hit Creator/{{Netflix}} it remained on the top 10 for weeks, which led to Creator/RovioEntertainment to green-lit a spin-off [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/angry-birds-animated-series-a-go-at-netflix-1286377#:~:text=Go%20at%20Netflix-,Netflix,by%20the%20popular%20mobile%20game show]] excusively for the service.

* ''Film/TheRoom'' was only released to a few select theatres in Los Angeles, where it received scant advertising and was slammed by critics. Then Creator/AdultSwim started airing it on AprilFoolsDay for 3 years, and it became the cult phenomenon it is now.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAngryBirdsMovie2'', despite being a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel to its [[WesternAnimation/TheAngryBirdsMovie predecessor]] and dethroning ''Film/DetectivePikachu'' as the highest rated video game movie, but it flew under the radar upon release due to being release at a time where the ''Franchise/AngryBirds'' franchise was no longer the cash cow it was years ago. Once the film hit Creator/{{Netflix}} it remained on the top 10 for weeks, which led to Rovio to green-lit a spin-off [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/angry-birds-animated-series-a-go-at-netflix-1286377#:~:text=Go%20at%20Netflix-,Netflix,by%20the%20popular%20mobile%20game show]] excusively for the service.

* ''Film/TradingPlaces'' was the fourth highest-grossing film of 1983, but it might've fallen into obscurity if not for yearly airings around Christmas time. [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff In Italy, it's become]] ''[[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff the]]'' ''[[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff Christmas film]], always airing on Christmas Eve since 1997, to the point where many Italians joke "It isn't Christmas without ''Trading Places''.".

* ''Film/TradingPlaces'' was the fourth highest-grossing film of 1983, but it might've fallen into obscurity if not for yearly airings around Christmas time.

* ''Film/{{Unbreakable}}'' was initially seen as a SophomoreSlump for Creator/MNightShyamalan, but as [[spoiler:superhero movies]] became increasingly popular in the ensuing years, it was rediscovered by critics as a potent GenreDeconstruction. The release of ''Film/{{Split}}'', however, sparked a surge of mainstream interest [[spoiler:due to its CanonWelding [[TheStinger post-credits sequence]]]], such that when the sequel ''Film/{{Glass}}'' was released, many people already knew the story it was based on, most of them through watching it on home video after seeing ''Split'' and wondering what the fuss was.

* In an interesting case, while ''Film/PartsTheClonusHorror'' was a bomb when it was first released, its exposure on ''[=MST3K=]'' not only allowed the movie to be re-released on DVD to be seen whole (and in its original title, ''Clonus''), but also helped its director when he sued Creator/MichaelBay for his movie ''Film/TheIsland''.

* The original run for ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' in 1993 completely flopped, getting massive hate from fans of a [[WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM sister program]] and those who just saw it as bad in general. A new generation of TV viewers discovered the series in the late '90s and early 2000s thanks to Creator/ToonDisney airing the series, and with the rise of WebAnimation/YouTubePoop and the various memes the series spawned, it's now even more popular than it ever was.

* ''Film/AChristmasStory''. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the film began airing quietly on the "superstations" [[Creator/{{TBS}} WTBS]] and WGN as a Thanksgiving movie, where it started to grow in popularity. Because it was a seasonal movie, the studio only ran it for a couple of weeks in December during its original release, so it owes all of its reputation to cable, video, and word-of-mouth.

* Several of the 2000s Disney Movies, formerly considered to be part of the DorkAge like ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'', ''WesternAnimation/BrotherBear'', and ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'' have all been received a much better rep outside of theaters. A large part of this was due to high DVD sales and reruns on Creator/{{Starz}}, Creator/DisneyChannel, and [[Creator/{{Freeform}} ABC Family]].

** ''WesternAnimation/CatsDontDance'' was a box-office flop, buried in an Easter-weekend release by Creator/WarnerBros (as Time Warner had just merged with Turner, which made the movie), with scant advertising and a barely promoted Subway tie-in. At the time, the only people really talking about it were the animation community (who went on to award it the Annie for Best Picture) and the UsefulNotes/FurryFandom. Eventually, the film did become a CultClassic after its subsequent video release, and airings on Creator/{{HBO}} and Creator/CartoonNetwork (presumably trying to make up for their corporate cousin's failure).

* ''Film/HocusPocus'' was critically and commercially unsuccessful during its theatrical release. Then it began showing up on the Creator/DisneyChannel on an annual basis during Halloween, gaining a cult following that grew year after year, and within 15 years it entered the cultural mainstream and has become a beloved Halloween movie.
* ''Film/TheIncredibleMrLimpet'' was only a modest success at the box office and receives mixed reviews from critics, but TV and home video turned it into a family favorite, [[Film/HocusPocus2 getting a sequel in 2022]].

* ''Film/TheIncredibleMrLimpet'' was only a modest success at the box office and receives mixed reviews from critics, but TV and home video turned it into a family favorite.

* ''Film/TheSandlot'' was a minor success at the box office, but the film became a best seller on VHS and DVD.