Top 10 Movies Whose Legacies Were Tarnished by Scandals

No amount of time-travel can change the fact that “The Flash” was an unmitigated PR disaster. Long before anyone even saw it, the film was struck by a never-ending storm of scandals surrounding its star, Ezra Miller. The actor really ran the gamut; we’re talking accusations of harassment, disorderly conduct, inappropriate relationships, burglary, and more. Miller was promptly pulled out of the film’s marketing campaign, but by then, the damage was already done. Despite being attached to one of DC’s most beloved heroes, neither audiences nor critics showed up to support the divisive picture. It just goes to show that not even superpowered speedsters can outrun bad press forever.

The scariest part of this horror flick is a scene that never even made it into the final cut. At the end of the first segment, “Time Out,” Vic Morrow’s character is supposed to valiantly carry two children away from a helicopter explosion. However, the stunt went horribly wrong, leading to fatal results. The aftermath shook not just “Twilight Zone: The Movie,” but the entire industry to its core. Guilds, studios, and even state fire marshals mandated new regulations on dangerous stunts, especially those involving child actors. While the film went on to perform modestly at the box office, it has a legacy in the entertainment space for a very different reason.

While “The Room” is considered one of the worst movies ever made, “The Disaster Artist” is anything but. Led by an inspired performance from James Franco, the Tommy Wiseau biopic seemed poised to go all the way to Oscar gold and beyond. At least, until Franco weathered allegations of serious sexual misconduct. Just like that, the movie was old news. The actor tried to save face, but when Academy Award nominations dropped, “The Disaster Artist” came up much shorter than pundits expected. People didn’t want to touch this movie with a ten-foot pole, meaning Franco’s behavior singlehandedly turned “The Disaster Artist” from an Oscar frontrunner into a cautionary tale.

In 2010, actor Casey Affleck fielded two separate civil lawsuits over unwanted sexual advances in the workplace. Years later, those same allegations came back to haunt him, especially as “Manchester by the Sea” began to pick up awards buzz. Many viewers took issue supporting a movie headlined by an alleged harasser, and that sentiment turned to full-on backlash when he took home the Oscar for Best Actor. The hubbub eventually forced Affleck to withdraw from presenting at the Academy Awards the following year. While he still has a gold trophy, the intense fan outcry ensured that “Manchester by the Sea” was a valley of Affleck’s career, not a peak.

It’s a wonder this movie ever saw the light of day, even with Glinda’s help. The production was a mess; if something could go wrong, it did. For example, Margaret Hamilton suffered third degree burns during a flubbed flying scene. Oh, and the snow used in the poppy field? It was actually asbestos. But, still, Judy Garland had the worst of it. Putting aside her long-documented struggles with substance abuse disorder, she was horribly mistreated in order to look more quote-unquote “appealing” for the role. These days, it’s hard to accept the magic of Oz when the movie had so little of it behind the scenes.

At a time when people couldn’t get enough of the Wizarding World, a few choice comments from author J.K. Rowling turned all that adoration into vitriol. Many fans were offended by Rowling’s sentiment towards the transgender community, and the online debate overshadowed any goodwill towards the prequel series, “Fantastic Beasts.” That’s not even the end of the franchise’ issues, either. Following a highly-publicized domestic violence suit, Johnny Depp was fired as big-bag Grindelwald, and replaced for the series’ third film, “The Secrets of Dumbledore.” But, by then, fans had already checked out, anyway. Clearly, it’ll take more than a few spells to repair this brand’s image.

Don’t let the name fool you, this movie is not pretty. Indulging in all things taboo, “American Beauty” follows Kevin Spacey’s Lester as he fosters an inappropriate relationship with a teenage girl. What people didn’t know is that Spacey was doing the same thing in real life with unassuming boys. When the allegations first hit the mainstream around 2017, the uncanny parallels between Spacey and Lester made “American Beauty” a lot tougher to watch. After all, viewers signed up for a fictional drama, not a tragic documentary. Much like Spacey’s own reputation, “American Beauty” had a steep fall from grace, and at this point, it’s unlikely it’ll ever recover.

One of the greatest rom-coms ever made is also guilty of one of the most controversial casting decisions. While there’s no denying “Breakfast at Tiffany’s’” enduring appeal, its tasteless depiction of Mr. Yunioshi - especially as portrayed by white actor Mickey Rooney - hasn’t aged quite as well. Modern critics have noted that he’s a total racial caricature, complete with goofy prosthetics and offensive speech patterns. Even Rooney himself admitted that, had he known what kind of impact his performance would have, he wouldn’t have played the role at all. Sadly, that realization came far too late, and Mr Yunioshi remains a shameful blemish on an otherwise iconic movie.

Anyone who says there’s no such thing as bad press wasn’t around for “Don’t Worry Darling.” Before cameras even started rolling, male lead Shia LaBeouf was abruptly replaced by Harry Styles, who - get this - later began sleeping with the director, Olivia Wilde. Add in tensions with star Florence Pugh and some truly bizarre moments on the press tour, and you had a marketing campaign more dramatic than the movie itself. In fact, when “Don’t Worry Darling” finally hit theaters, no one even cared anymore. They just wanted updates on all the alleged feuds. Hey, “Don’t Worry Darling” is definitely a memorable film. Just not for any of the right reasons.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Sixteen Candles” (1984)
Its Romance Hasn’t Held up Very Well, & Long Duk Dong Is a Walking Stereotype

“Mulan” (2020)
Filming Near Internment Camps Was Not a Good Look for a Family-Friendly Disney Flick

“Death on the Nile” (2022)
The Only Thing That Died in This Murder-Mystery Was Armie Hammer’s Career

Separating the art from the artist can be hard; particularly when the so-called artist is accused of unwanted advances by over eighty different women. Harvey Weinstein’s gross misuse of power dates all the way back to the 1970s, and unfortunately, so does his film career. The prolific producer worked on all kinds of fantastic movies, from Oscar winners to slashers to action flicks, and more. But, knowing Weinstein’s true colors makes it difficult to support any of them. It’s impossible to shake the question of what really went on behind the scenes. It’s a shame; Weinstein’s actions didn’t just ruin one movie or a single studio - it tainted an entire corner of Hollywood altogether.

Do you still enjoy any of these movies? Let us know in the comments below!