Why didn't Paul Gross's $20 million Passchendaele make its costs back? ( forget about profit!)  Might be because...

1. There are only about 30 million adults in Canada. 
2. Most movie goers are under 30 years of age.
3. From a marketing point of view, Paul chose the wrong title--looks like a foreign film with an unpronounceable name to Americans. Death in that huge market.
4. More of Canada's small cohort of movie goers prefer broad-based youth comedies (such as the films you mention) that war movies...

In some respects, it was a personal project (believe Gross had family ties to the conflict). It did much better than Grosss Hyena Road estimated to earn less than 1.5 mill. In theatres. However,Sam Goldwyn bought in in r
The US so that and video on demand likely helped. No idea of costs, but likely plus $15 mill.