A lot of directors have had some box office bombs, but they did make a successful come back after the bombs.
Michael Cimino did make a few movies after the box office disaster of a film Heaven's Gate which ruined his reputation and nearly bankrupted the studio that financed the film, but they all were nowhere near as successful as Deer Hunter. He never again directed a film after the Sunchaser until his death.
How could one box office bomb ruin this brilliant and Oscar-winning director's career?
Francis Ford Coppola made a few amazing movies but One from the Heart is one film that bombed and nearly bankrupted his production company. It took him years to repay the debts brought on him by the film One from the Heart.
Are there other directors whose careers ruined by their movies, that I do not know about?