The 2011 sports drama, about two estranged brothers entering a mixed martial arts tournament, took just $23 million (£14.3 million) at cinemas, $2 million (£1.25 million) less than its $25 million (£15.6 million) budget.
Nolte has been tipped in the Actor in a Supporting Role category at the upcoming Oscars, and he’s hoping the high-profile nod will encourage movie fans to watch the fight film.
He tells FOX411’s Pop Tarts, “It means we might have better DVD sales. But we were all disappointed – the studio was disappointed, I was disappointed that it didn’t do as well as we thought it could.
“But that is just something you can’t predict, and you can’t say it is anybody’s fault.”