Another Top 10 Movies That Bombed So Hard They Had to Cancel the Sequel
These franchises were dead on arrival. From Jumper, to The Lone Ranger, to I Am Number Four, these movies performed so poorly that any hope of a sequel was dashed almost immediately. WatchMojo ranks another top movies that bombed so hard they had to cancel the sequel.
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Special thanks to our user Moral Free for suggesting this idea!
#10: “The Lone Ranger” (2013)
Top 10 Movies that Bombed so Hard They Had to Cancel the Sequel
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.
#9: “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.
#8: “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.
#7: “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” (2017)
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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.
#6: “Planet of the Apes” (2001)
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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 themovie 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.
#5: “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.
#4: “Godzilla” (1998)
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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.
#3: “Ghostbusters” (2016)
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The all-female reboot of “Ghostbusters” was immediately met with disdain. Its trailer was heavily downvoted on YouTube and many people personally attacked the filmmakers and cast over social media. It was a mess. Regardless of the reasons for the vitriol, the movie ended up grossing a disappointing $229 million on a $144 million budget. 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 cancelling the sequels due to the film’s mediocre reception.
#2: “The Divergent Series: Allegiant” (2016)
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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. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions. “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” (2004) “Independence Day: Resurgence” (2016) “I Am Number Four” (2011)
#1: “The Last Airbender” (2010)
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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 arises. We hope it doesn’t.
