Top 10 Reboots that Destroyed a Franchise

The original “Baywatch” series isn’t exactly what we’d call ‘high-brow,’ but it certainly had its charm. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the 2017 film adaptation. Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron should’ve been a comedic match made in heaven–and maybe they would’ve been with a better plot. Following the lifeguard team as they attempt to stop a drug lord, “Baywatch” earned 5 Razzie nominations, including Worst Picture and Worst Screenplay. Plans for a potential sequel were put into motion the month it came out, yet Paramount has yet to move on them for obvious reasons. Hey, at least we can all enjoy some good old fashioned camp through the TV show.

Following his fan-favorite appearance as Drogo on “Game of Thrones,” Jason Momoa took on another brutal role in “Conan the Barbarian.” Arnie may have captured the role in the 80s, but Momoa definitely showed potential as a successor. However, we’re grateful he’d go on to land “Aquaman,” because he was absolutely wasted in this reboot. The film was lambasted by critics for its shallow characters, unnecessary overuse of 3D, and weak performances. Audiences didn’t seem that interested either as it only made around two-thirds of its total budget back. Unfortunately, “Conan” was just another bad action movie that came and went. While various plans for another film have been discussed over the years, nothing has ever come of it.

Horror reboots usually get a bad rap, though with movies like this, we’d say that reputation has some merit. Warner Bros. and New Line released this revival for Freddy Krueger in 2010, and reactions were both negative and consistent in their criticisms. While Jackie Earle Haley as the lead was a great pick, his co-stars failed to bring anything to the script, which itself lacked any depth and characterization. It was all style and no substance, yet it still became the most profitable entry in the franchise worldwide. Although a second remake was considered, New Line chose to focus on “The Conjuring” series. Considering the sheer volume of negative reviews, we’d say that was a smart choice.

The love for “Charlie’s Angels” has endured for a surprisingly long time. The camp and badassery of the ‘70s TV series transitioned well to the big screen in the early 2000s. Sadly, it seems the Angels’ time in the spotlight is over. Following a disastrous TV revival in 2011, the property was given another shot in 2019, again as a movie. Written and directed by Elizabeth Banks and starring Kristen Stewart, it seemed a shoe-in to at least get audiences interested in the IP again. As we know, that didn’t happen. “Charlie’s Angels” only garnered mediocre reviews. While it isn’t nearly as bad as some other reboots, it was also a box office disappointment, which crushed any hopes for a sequel.

On paper, an R-rated, horror-centric “Hellboy” sounds fantastic. In execution, it was anything but. It began as a third installment in the original series, but Guillermo del Toro was only offered a producer role. Wanting to write and direct the way he had for the first two films, del Toro took his leave, as did leading star Ron Perlman. Lionsgate then went the reboot route with David Harbour in the title role. Harbour could only do so much in a movie more concerned with violence than anything else. “Hellboy” had a messy plot, weak characterization, and a severe lack of passion, leading it to be a box office bomb. Director Neil Marshall even disowned it, claiming producer interference during shooting and editing made it the worst professional experience of his life.

The tales of King Arthur and his knights have been told across movies, TV, video games, and other forms of media for decades. And there’s likely nothing that will ever change that. However, “Legend of the Sword” is a special case. Directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Charlie Hunnam, it followed the young King retaking his throne from the uncle who betrayed and killed his father. With Ritchie’s energetic style of filmmaking clashing with the setting and plot, the final product was an uneven adventure that failed to make its budget back at the box office. It was originally planned as a franchise opener with six movies in total, but its poor reception and revenue cancelled any talk of those future endeavors.

Hugh Lofting’s “Doctor Dolittle” books have been adapted into a variety of forms, including some very loose, modern-day adaptations starring Eddie Murphy. The 2020 adaptation, starting from scratch and falling more in line with Lofting’s books – and with Robert Downey, Jr. in his first post-MCU role no less – should’ve been a home run. What we got, instead, was genuinely painful, with low-brow jokes, a parade of lifeless CGI animals, and a rare bad performance from Downey that earned him a Worst Actor Raspberry nomination. What’s worse is that with a bloated budget of $175 million, it reportedly lost Universal somewhere between $50 and $100 million. This may be the last time we see the good doctor.

While Fox’s first attempt at the Fantastic Four was a bit weak, it was Oscar-worthy compared to what came next. With a promising cast and director Josh Trank hot off the success of his directorial debut, “Chronicle,” we had high hopes for the team’s return. Unfortunately, the project had a lot of behind-the-scenes troubles, namely studio interference. Nearly every element was panned by critics and audiences, from its dull plot to its poor effects to its dismal characterization. Seriously, this version of Dr. Doom still hurts us. Not only was it buried by negative reviews, it was also a rare superhero financial bomb, reportedly losing Fox more than $80 million. A sequel was planned, and cheesily teased, but died quickly after the movie’s release.

The Lone Ranger and Tonto were beloved Western heroes across radio, TV, and film for decades. That legacy came crashing down with Disney’s 2013 installation. It was the property’s first movie since 1981. But with the same team behind the original “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, it could’ve been a fresh start. Problems were prevalent from the beginning, unfortunately, including controversy surrounding casting Johnny Depp as Tonto, who’s Native American, and a ballooning budget that nearly got the film canceled. When it did release, it was criticized for a dull plot and action scenes, as well as an overly long runtime. It became one of the biggest box office bombs of all time, losing Disney between $160 to $190 million and ruining ambitions for a follow-up.

It’s one thing for a movie to kill a planned sequel, but something else entirely to kill a planned shared universe. In 2017, Universal rebooted its “Mummy” series, which had found success during the reign of classic movie monsters as well as the Brendan Fraser-led franchise. The Dark Universe was announced prior to the premiere, which would have rebooted other monsters and tied them all together. But, then, “The Mummy” hit theaters… Criticism aimed at its acting and poor plot – which was partially used to haphazardly set up the Dark Universe – were rough, to say the least. The movie also didn’t make nearly as much money as it needed to. And, thus, the Dark Universe perished before it even had a chance to begin.