Top 30 Movies That BOMBED So Hard They Had To Cancel The Sequel

Top 30 Movies That BOMBED So Hard They Had To Cancel The Sequel

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most embarrassing box-office duds that killed any hope of continuing their franchise.

#30: “Speed Racer” (2008)

Based on a beloved anime and helmed by the lauded directors of “The Matrix,” you’d think this wannabe franchise would go all the way past the finish line. It’s too bad, then, that it stalled out on its very first leg. While “Speed Racer’s” eclectic visuals have earned it a rabid cult following over the years, that same quirky tone made it a tough sell for casual moviegoers. This movie couldn’t even recoup its own budget at the box-office, let alone deliver any profits. Despite ideas for a follow-up already revving up, the returns were so bad, it’s unlikely we’ll ever see this version of Speed on the big screen again.

#29: “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018)

When Disney sought to make a film series about everyone’s favorite space cowboy, they made

Alden Ehrenreich sign on the dotted line for a whole trilogy. But, therein also lies the problem. No one wanted a Han Solo movie without Harrison Ford, and audiences said as much with their wallets. The depressing box-office ensured “Solo” would be Han’s one and only big screen adventure. The impact went way beyond this one film, though. No, “Solo’s” underperformance had repercussions all across the galaxy far, far away, with many reporting that it scared the Mouse House away from producing any more theatrical “Star Wars” spinoffs. So, if you’re ever wondering where those big-budget tent poles went, blame “Solo.”

#28: “Mortal Engines” (2018)

A buzzy, young adult series, a steampunk aesthetic, and a cushy December release date seem like a foolproof formula for a new industry juggernaut. Unfortunately, both fans and reviewers disagreed. Lambasted by toxic word-of-mouth, “Mortal Engines” failed to garner much traction during the busy Holiday frame, and it has the poor profits to prove it. Or, it would if it had any profits at all. The movie is often cited as one of the biggest box-office bombs of all time, losing its studio around 175 million dollars. Given the wallet-burning results, you can imagine why distributor Universal Pictures wasn’t very eager to adapt the remaining three books.

#27: “Sahara” (2005)

Even if this disaster flick had been a smashing success - which, for the record, it most definitely was not - prospects for a sequel still would’ve been as barren as an actual desert. “Sahara’s” fate as a franchise was actually decided in a courtroom, where the original book’s author tried suing the film’s producer. There’s a laundry list of reasons why, but most of them boil down to the movie’s extremely bumpy path to theaters. It wasn’t even worth it, either; the adaptation got a total yawn from audiences. So, considering there’s no money in the brand and a decade-spanning lawsuit to smooth over, it’s no wonder everyone abandoned “Sahara 2.”

#26: “Showgirls” (1995)

There’s an old saying in Hollywood; sex sells. Sadly, “Showgirls” is the exception. While there were tons of headlines about the film’s explicit content, it didn’t translate to ticket sales. You can probably blame the bad reviews for that one. Modern critics have come back around to give “Showgirls” its due, but they came too late to rescue the in-development sequel. Well, technically, we did get “Showgirls 2.” However, it didn’t star Elizabeth Berkeley, and was released primarily through film festivals, DVD, and video-on-demand. If “Showgirls” had hit theaters today, we may have actually gotten the proper sequel it always deserved.

#25: “I Am Number Four” (2011)

Despite its name, “I Am Number Four” couldn’t even make it past movie number one. Keep in mind, this was also at a time when every studio in town was looking for the next young-adult craze. Dreamworks thought they’d struck gold with this book series. So much so, they fast-tracked development on a sequel before “I Am Number Four” even hit theaters. But, when the mediocre film delivered even more mediocre results, the franchise-hopeful quietly turned into a disappointing one-off, instead. All in all, there’s seven, long books in the series. However, to this day, there’s still only one movie. That alone should tell you everything you need to know.

#24: “Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events” (2004)

For the record, casting Jim Carrey as the maniacally inept Count Olaf was a stroke of genius. It’s tragic, then, that it didn’t end up moving the needle all that much. Despite the popular source material, “A Series of Unfortunate Events” suffered from soft audience turnout. Distributor Paramount Pictures wanted to adapt the other ten books into feature films. But, the lower-than-expected profits slowed down development, and by the time everyone was on board, the child actors were too old to reprise their roles, anyways. This turned out to be a series of unfortunate events, indeed. Just, not in the way that helped anyone’s pocketbook.

#23: “The Dark Tower” (2017)

Stephen King may be a household name on bookshelves, but his forays to the big screen have had some very mixed results. Looking at you, “The Dark Tower.” It’s even more embarrassing when you realize it took ten years of development for this movie to finally see the light of day. When it did, audiences outright rejected the final project, disappointed in the way it crammed King’s epic story into a two-hour snorefest. Reviews were bad, profits were worse, and any thoughts of adapting the rest of the series were simply nonexistent. No one was touching this stinker with a ten-foot pole, and honestly, that’s for the best.

#22: “Independence Day: Resurgence” (2016)

Whoever thought it was a good idea to revive this franchise without Will Smith needs a major wake-up call. His star-power almost single-handedly catapulted the original to popcorn entertainment staple. So, when “Independence Day” came back twenty years later without him, all it got was some major diminishing returns. 20th Century Fox hoped the franchise name alone would drive interest for a third film. But, considering “Resurgence” finished its run as a serious financial disappointment, it’s clear they shouldn’t have even made it in the first place. So, don’t expect to see these aliens return for a third time. At least, not without Will Smith.

#21: “The Mummy” (2017)

It takes a special kind of box-office poison to ruin a film, a franchise, and a whole universe in one fell swoop. 2017’s “The Mummy” was just that bad. Headlined by Tom Cruise, the film underwent rigorous production delays in order to kickstart a whole cinematic universe of monster flicks. Dracula, The Invisible Man, Frankenstein’s monster - it was all riding on the groundwork laid by “The Mummy.” But, then came the box-office tallies. Let’s just say the numbers were so crummy, this Mummy was promptly put back in its tomb, alongside any hope for future crossovers. Maybe this time, they’ll let it rest for good.

#20: “The Lone Ranger” (2013)

Disney’s “The Lone Ranger” is a modern adaptation of the classic radio series and 50s television show. However, it seems as if the Ranger and Tonto aren’t quite the superstars they were sixty years ago. The film was lambasted for its bloated length and overreliance on action while also being accused of whitewashing by casting Johnny Depp as a Native American. The film cost roughly $400 million to produce and market, but it ended up making only $260 million at the worldwide box office. Stars Armie Hammer and Ruth Wilson were signed to do at least three movies, but these plans fell off a horse upon “The Lone Ranger’s” abysmal performance.

#19: “Conan the Barbarian” (2011)

Did you know that they made another Conan movie in 2011? Neither did most people. Despite the movie featuring a few respectable actors, including Jason Momoa and Ron Perlman, it was severely criticized for basically every aspect of its filmmaking and for relying too heavily on its 3D effects. The film ended up grossing a meager $48 million on a $90 million budget. There were plans to follow-up the remake’s story, but it was soon announced that they would be making a sequel to the original 1982 film instead. However, these plans eventually fell through too, meaning the 2011 movie likely ended Conan’s appearances on the silver screen.

#18: “Eragon” (2006)

It’s probably best that there were no more films, because we don’t know if we could sit through another one. “Eragon” was considered one of the worst movies of 2006 due to its atrocious writing and derivative storyline. Despite the movie’s roasting by critics, it admittedly didn’t do terribly at the box office, as it grossed a rather respectable $250 million on a $100 million budget. However, this was deemed a disappointment, and the sequels (which were set to film back-to-back, “LOTR” style), were cancelled. Fans of Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle will just have to wait for a more respectable film adaptation, because “Eragon” wasn’t it.

#17: “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” (2017)

If there is one movie audiences weren’t asking for, it was yet another King Arthur movie – this time directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Charlie Hunnam. Don’t get us wrong, we love those guys, but we don’t think a fantastical King Arthur film was a good fit for their talents. And neither did audiences. The movie grossed only $148 million on a Marvel-esque $175 million budget, effectively making it one of the biggest bombs of the year. “Legend of the Sword” was meant to serve as the first entry in a six (yes, six) film series, but after losing Warner Bros. $150 million, its sequels were swiftly and understandably given the axe. Or sword, in this case.

#16: “Planet of the Apes” (2001)

Tim Burton’s “Planet of the Apes” had one thing going for it – Rick Baker’s incredible makeup effects. Aside from that, the movie was a total wash, as it was a confusing mess with a twist ending that tarnished the iconic nature of the original. While the movie was a financial success, Fox decided to scrap its plans for a sequel, and Tim Burton stated that he’d “rather jump out a window” than do another “Apes” movie. However, this was no great loss. Fox decided to reboot the series instead, resulting in 2011’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” and arguably one of the greatest movie trilogies of all time.

#15: “Jumper” (2008)

“Jumper” was another relatively successful movie whose sequels were cancelled. “Jumper” starred many notable actors, including Hayden Christensen, Michael Rooker, and Samuel L. Jackson, but it received horrible reviews due to its lack of coherence and awful special effects. However, the movie did gross over $200 million on an $85 million budget. But while producer Lucas Foster hoped to turn the movie into a trilogy, these plans have yet to come to fruition. A spin-off, titled “Impulse,” premiered on YouTube Red in June 2018, so, you know, that’s something.

#14: “Godzilla” (1998)

Godzilla is one of the greatest monsters to ever grace movie screens. It deserved better than this abomination. “Godzilla” was set to be the movie of the summer, as it was made for a massive $130 million. And while it made a very respectable $379 million at the box office, it was viciously attacked by critics for being nothing more than a dumb disaster flick. There were plans to produce a trilogy based around Godzilla and similar monsters, but plans fell through when they failed to generate interest among moviegoers and theater owners. The sequels were scrapped, and Godzilla was rebooted over fifteen years later.

#13: “Ghostbusters” (2016)

The all-female reboot of “Ghostbusters” was immediately met with an unfair amount of disdain. Its trailer was heavily downvoted on YouTube and many people personally attacked the filmmakers and cast over social media. Regardless of the reasons for the vitriol, the movie ended up grossing $229 million on a $144 million budget. Because of the films’ huge marketing budget, the studio needed $300 million just to break even. Sony head Rory Bruer hoped that the movie would spawn a franchise, and it was reported that the cast had signed on for two more movies. However, director Paul Feig later confirmed that they were canceling the sequels due to the film’s mediocre reception.

#12: “The Divergent Series: Allegiant” (2016)

Young adult movies are big business. Ever since “Harry Potter” dominated the world throughout the 2000s, producers the world over have been trying to replicate its success. The “Divergent” series did not do that, despite a respectable lead performance from Shailene Woodley. “Allegiant” was the third movie in the series, but it only grossed a disappointing $179 million at the worldwide box office. Due to the film’s underperformance, plans for the second part of the movie fell through, and it was announced that the story would continue as a television film and/or TV series without Shailene Woodley. Talk about two serious blows.

#11: “Battlefield Earth” (2000)

“Battlefield Earth” is infamous for being one of the worst movies of all time, filled with bad acting and curiously-angled shots. The movie also has its roots in Scientology. Scientology’s founder, L. Ron Hubbard, wrote the novel on which the movie is based, and famous Scientologist John Travolta hoped that the novel would be adapted in two parts. Those hopes were soon dashed post-release. The movie dramatically fell off the box office charts after its opening weekend, eventually grossing just shy of $30 million on a $73 million budget. The commercial failure, coupled with the eventual bankruptcy of production company Franchise Pictures, meant that we never got to see the conclusion of Hubbard’s story onscreen.

#10: “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” (2014)

There wasn’t exactly a strong demand for a reboot of the Spider-Man franchise only five years after “Spider-Man 3,” and unfortunately, the mediocre quality of these films didn’t do much to win over audiences. “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” received a mixed reception, and eventually grossed a disappointing (relative to the property) $709 million. While this iteration of the “Spider-Man” series was meant to spawn an entire universe, including more Spider-Man films, and Sinister Six, Venom, and Black Cat movies, these plans were indefinitely delayed after the performance of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.” Sony then reached a deal with Marvel to bring Spider-Man to the MCU, effectively cancelling “The Amazing Spider-Man” franchise in the process.

#9: “Batman & Robin” (1997)

Like “Battlefield Earth,” “Batman & Robin” is known for being one of the worst movies of all time. And like “Battlefield Earth,” there were high hopes that it would pave the way for future installments. Warner Bros. had commissioned a sequel based solely on the dailies of “Batman & Robin.” It was to be called “Batman Unchained” and planned to feature Scarecrow as the main antagonist with George Clooney reprising his role as the caped crusader. However, Clooney decided that he was done with the cowl after the harsh reception of “Batman & Robin,” and the sequel was cancelled. Warner Bros. then hired Christopher Nolan to completely reboot the franchise, resulting in “Batman Begins.”

#8: “Fantastic Four” (2015)

Fox had big plans for their rebooted Fantastic Four. A sequel was announced before“Fantastic Four” even began filming, with a planned release date of July 14, 2017. However, the movie was a massive critical and commercial bomb, earning only $168 million at the worldwide box office and a 9% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The future of the franchise was immediately thrown into question, although it wasn’t looking very good for the Marvel’s First Family. In December 2017, Dsney announced that it was purchasing Fox’s TV and film assets, a move that would place the future of the Fantastic Four in the hands of Marvel Studios. We saw how well it worked for Spider-Man, so fingers crossed.

#7: “Terminator Genisys” (2015)

There once was a time when the “Terminator” series was the pinnacle of action cinema. Nowadays, we get the likes of “Terminator Genisys” - which many people found to be a convoluted, watered-down mess. The film earned only $89 million at the domestic box office, which was considered a massive disappointment for the iconic franchise. Worse yet, “Genisys” was set to be the first movie of a new trilogy, but these plans were cancelled after the movie’s numbers came in. It was then announced that James Cameron would be returning to the series, and that the next film would serve as a reboot and continue the story of “Terminator 2.” Hasta la vista, “Genisys.”

#6: “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” (2013)

Hollywood desperately wants to find the next Harry Potter. While some young adult adaptations like “The Hunger Games” and “Twilight” have found success, many others have failed – but few as spectacularly as “The Mortal Instruments.” “City of Bones” opened poorly and never recovered, earning only $90 million on a $60 million budget. Plans for a sequel, “City of Ashes,” were made before the release of “City of Bones,” but due to the disappointing box office performance, these plans were put on hold. It was eventually announced that the sequel was cancelled and that “The Mortal Instruments” would continue as a television series.

#5: “Superman Returns” (2006)

“Superman Returns” served as a reboot/sequel of the first two “Superman” movies and ignored the third and fourth entries (which, let’s be honest…. was for the best). Unfortunately, while many people considered it a decent movie, it was a disappointment at the box office, earning only $391 million against a $200+ million budget. A sequel was planned and set to star Brainiac and Bizarro as villains, with much of the cast reprising their roles, but it was scrapped after the underperformance of “Superman Returns.” A reboot was planned instead, and Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel” was released seven years later.

#4: “The Golden Compass” (2007)

Warner Bros. was really swinging for the fences with “The Golden Compass,” but hey, like we said, you gotta find the next Harry Potter. It was made on a $180 million budget and starred various A-listers, including Nicole Kidman, Ian McKellen, and Daniel Craig. However, fans of the novel were incensed that the adaptation diluted the story’s anti-religious themes, and significant studio interference negatively impacted the finished product. The movie received mediocre reviews and grossed only $70 million in the domestic market. Due to the movie’s underperformance and alleged pressure from the Catholic Church, New Line cancelled the remaining two entries of the series, leaving His Dark Materials fans without a satisfying conclusion to the onscreen story.

#3:“The Last Airbender” (2010)

We didn’t really have high hopes for M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Last Airbender,” but it turned out to be even worse than we imagined. Not only did the movie generate a measly 6% on Rotten Tomatoes, it was heavily criticized for whitewashing many of its Asian characters. Despite the bile spat at the movie from both critics and fans, it managed to generate a respectable $319 million at the box office. While Shyamalan had planned to make a sequel featuring Azula as the villain, these plans never came to fruition. However, Shyamalan has expressed interest in making more “Airbender” movies at a future date, should the opportunity arise. Let’s hope he’s just trolling.

#2: “John Carter” (2012)

Suffice it to say that Disney had big plans for the “John Carter” name. They allegedly put upwards of $350 million into the movie (including marketing costs), and the filmmakers reported that they were planning to make the series into a trilogy. The producers even began work on the second movie, “The Gods of Mars,” before “John Carter” was released to theaters. However, the film only made $284 million and plans for the remaining two movies were quickly cancelled, while director Andrew Stanton returned to the world of 3D animated films, directing “Finding Dory” instead.

#1: “Green Lantern” (2011)

Of all the superhero bombs, “Green Lantern” was the most spectacular. The film was yet another swing and a miss for DC, as it earned a 26% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed only $220 million on a massive $200 million budget. When you consider that the movie needed to make $500 million to be considered a financial success (as speculated by The Hollywood Reporter), it’s clear that “Green Lantern” was a massive failure. The studio’s plans for an extended “Green Lantern” series were immediately scrapped, making its end-credit teaser more than a little embarrassing.





Did any of these movies deserve a sequel? Fight for your favorites in the comments below!