Movie sequels and prequels are becoming more common than ever. At their best, sequels are a win for both the studios that produce them and the audiences who get to enjoy yet another installment of a familiar story. Not all movies are created equal, however, and some sequels leave moviegoers wishing these sequels had never been made.
Major movie studios are almost certain to follow up a successful blockbuster with at least one sequel. It’s a safe investment, financially speaking. Audiences often want to see more of the characters and cinematic worlds that they already know they like. This can be seen in the ongoing success of popular franchises like Star Wars and Batman. These are the best movie sequels of all time.
Sequels can also be lousy, however, letting down fans and sometimes signaling the end of a movie series. Bad sequels can be the result of less competent filmmakers than those responsible for the original movie; the absence of actors who made the original special; or simply a lack of proper financing necessary to make a quality film.
But it’s not just good or successful movies that get sequels. Some bad sequels are even made for movies that weren’t especially well received in the first place. Bad sequels are especially prevalent among the horror or comedy genres. Fans of these types of films may have higher tolerances for “bad” movies and are willing to give sequels a chance if they are in some way tied to a well-known earlier film, even if the original was critically panned. Any recognizability can be a boon to profitability, especially when working in these genres which also tend to be made with lower budgets.
24/7 Tempo has identified the 50 worst sequels of all time based on critic and audience ratings on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) and Rotten Tomatoes. These are the sequels hated by viewers, professional critics, and sometimes even the people involved in their making — like George Clooney, who regretted his performance as Batman in “Batman & Robin.”
Click here to see the 50 worst movie sequels of all time.
To determine the worst movie sequels of all time, 24/7 Tempo created an index based on each film’s Rotten Tomatoes average critic rating, Rotten Tomatoes average audience rating, and Internet Movie Database average user rating. To be considered, each film needed to have at least 10,000 total user ratings on both IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, 10 approved Tomatometer critic reviews, and be classified as a sequel by IMDb. Editorial discretion was then used to determine which movies did not fully meet the qualifications of a sequel, such as the case with reboots or film franchises that feature a consistent character but are otherwise unrelated with regards to storyline.
50. Weekend at Bernie’s II (1993)
> Directed by: Robert Klane
> Starring: Andrew McCarthy, Jonathan Silverman, Terry Kiser
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.5 out of 10
Actors Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman return in this sequel about two slackers palling around with the corpse of their murdered boss. While 41% of audience members reported liking the comedy on Rotten Tomatoes, only 10% of critics could bring themselves to giving it the thumbs up.
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49. I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)
> Directed by: Danny Cannon
> Starring: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Brandy Norwood
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.3 out of 10
This 1998 teen horror flick revives the character of Julie James — played by Jennifer Love Hewitt — who, along with her friends, was involved in a deadly hit and run in the 1997 movie “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” This time, she’s in the Bahamas. Only 7% of critics liked the movie, calling it boring and moronic.
48. The Next Karate Kid (1994)
> Directed by: Christopher Cain
> Starring: Pat Morita, Hilary Swank, Michael Ironside
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.7 out of 10
“The Karate Kid” (1984) was praised by critics as exciting and heart-warming. Much less appreciated was “The Next Karate Kid” (1994) — the fourth in the series released one decade later. Only 7% of critics enjoyed it, despite the talents of a young Hilary Swank in the lead.
47. Problem Child 2 (1991)
> Directed by: Brian Levant
> Starring: John Ritter, Michael Oliver, Jack Warden
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.4 out of 10
In its Critics Consensus, Rotten Tomatoes characterized “Problem Child 2” as a “dubious sequel,” and only 7% of critics liked the movie, which revisits the home life of a mean, selfish child and his dad. Amazingly, the sequel managed to top the original’s critics rating of 0 on Rotten Tomatoes, which Critics Consensus panned as “particularly unpleasant.”
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46. Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001)
> Directed by: Simon Wincer
> Starring: Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, Jere Burns
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.6 out of 10
On Rotten Tomatoes, 87% of critics gave positive ratings to the original “Crocodile Dundee” (1986) about a charming crocodile hunter adjusting to life in New York City. Reviews for the series’ third installment, “Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles” (2001), were less kind. Only 11% of critics liked it and one-quarter of audiences, with the site’s Critics Consensus describing it as “as unnecessary as it is belated.”
45. Staying Alive (1983)
> Directed by: Sylvester Stallone
> Starring: John Travolta, Cynthia Rhodes, Finola Hughes
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.7 out of 10
John Travolta returns as Tony Manero, the pelvic-gyrating disco king from the hit “Saturday Night Fever” in a sequel written and directed by Sylvester Stallone. Instead of a disco, Tony Manero takes his dancing ambitions to Broadway. Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes gave “Staying Alive” a 0 and said the movie was “shockingly embarrassing and unnecessary.” “Saturday Night Fever” received a Freshness score of 83% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes when it was released six years earlier.
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44. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
> Directed by: Colin Strause
> Starring: Reiko Aylesworth, Steven Pasquale, Shareeka Epps
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.2 out of 10
Considering the success of “Aliens” (1986) and “Predator” (1987), combining the two might seem like a great idea. However, “AVP – Alien Vs. Predator” (2004) was poorly received, and its sequel, “Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem” (2007) did even worse. Only 11% of critics and 30% of audiences delivered positive reviews, with one critic calling it “mindless.”
43. Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987)
> Directed by: Jim Drake
> Starring: Steve Guttenberg, Bubba Smith, Michael Winslow
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.3 out of 10
The Police Academy movie franchise was hardly a favorite of critics, who dismissed the three earlier comedies as sophomoric. However, the fourth installment of the series hit bottom, with critics on Rotten Tomatoes giving it a 0. Critics Consensus said the film was “utterly, completely, thoroughly and astonishingly unfunny.”
42. The Last Exorcism Part II (2013)
> Directed by: Ed Gass-Donnelly
> Starring: Ashley Bell, Julia Garner, Spencer Treat Clark
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.6 out of 10
The 2010 horror flick “The Last Exorcism” was relatively well-received by critics, earning a 72% Freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This number plummeted to 15% for its sequel, “The Last Exorcism Part II.” The movie commits what is perhaps the worst sin possible for a horror film: it is boring.
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41. Are We Done Yet? (2007)
> Directed by: Steve Carr
> Starring: Ice Cube, Nia Long, John C. McGinley
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.3 out of 10
The sequel to “Are We There Yet?” about a family that moves from the city and buys a suburban fixer-upper was a bigger failure among critics than the original. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave the sequel a rating of 8%, and Critics Consensus said “Are We Done Yet” was “uninspired.”
40. Jason X (2001)
> Directed by: James Isaac
> Starring: Kane Hodder, Lexa Doig, Jeff Geddis
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.5 out of 10
Silent killer Jason Voorhees has been the star of 12 movies, beginning with “Friday the 13th” (1980). “Jason X,” which finds Jason hunting down a group of astronauts in the future, is rated as among the worst. Critics found the slasher format tired by this point — the movie was released in 2001 — and audiences seem to think so as well, judging by the 25% positive audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
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39. Curse of the Pink Panther (1983)
> Directed by: Blake Edwards
> Starring: David Niven, Robert Wagner, Herbert Lom
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.2 out of 10
Without Peter Sellers as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau (Sellers died in 1980), “Curse of the Pink Panther” lacked a strong comedic fulcrum. Sellers was replaced by Ted Wass, who played an inept New York City detective. The movie foundered, even with Panther returnees David Niven, Robert Wagner, and Herbert Lom. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 29% rating, and only 25% of audiences like the Panther sequel.
38. Rings (2017)
> Directed by: F. Javier Gutiérrez
> Starring: Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Alex Roe, Johnny Galecki
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.2 out of 10
The 2002 horror movie “The Ring” — centered around a video tape that results in the deaths of those who watch it seven days later — was warmly received by critics, who gave it a 71% Freshness rating and praised its atmosphere and acting. Its sequel, “Rings,” released 15 years later, was hated, with critic John Semley writing for the Globe and Mail that “pretty much everything about ‘Rings’ is incoherent.” Only 8% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes liked it.
37. Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005)
> Directed by: Mike Bigelow
> Starring: Rob Schneider, Eddie Griffin, Jeroen Krabbé
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.8 out of 10
“Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo” checked off many of the boxes for reasons why critics on Rotten Tomatoes dislike a movie — “raunchy, politically incorrect, and not particularly funny,” as the Critics Consensus notes. The sequel to the forgettable “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo” scored 9% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, though it did better among audiences, with a score of 33% liking the movie.
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36. Major League: Back to the Minors (1998)
> Directed by: John Warren
> Starring: Scott Bakula, Corbin Bernsen, Dennis Haysbert
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.0 out of 10
“Major League: Back to the Minors,” the third entry in the baseball franchise, was liked by only 21% of critics and 24% of audience members on Rotten Tomatoes with most agreeing that it’s simply dull. By contrast, the original “Minor League” is Certified Fresh and liked by 84% of audiences.
35. A Haunted House 2 (2014)
> Directed by: Michael Tiddes
> Starring: Marlon Wayans, Jaime Pressly, Cedric the Entertainer
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.0 out of 10
The comedic talents of Marlon Wayans and Cedric the Entertainer were not enough to save the sequel to “A Haunted House,” a send-up of horror flicks. Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes chided the sequel as “sloppy, vulgar, and manic” and gave it a rating of 8%. Audiences were kinder, with 43% of filmgoers saying they liked “A Haunted House 2.”
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34. Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
> Directed by: Rob Hedden
> Starring: Jensen Daggett, Kane Hodder, Todd Caldecott
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.0 out of 10
While “Jason X” was critically panned, even it was better received than the 1989 flick “Jason Takes Manhattan,” which won over just 8% of critics rating it on Rotten Tomatoes. Most of the movie takes place on a ship rather than in the Big Apple, and the censoring of explicit content by the MPAA left the film with much to be desired.
33. Leprechaun 2 (1994)
> Directed by: Rodman Flender
> Starring: Warwick Davis, Charlie Heath, Shevonne Durkin
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.7 out of 10
Neither critics nor audiences were especially enthralled with the original “Leprechaun” (1993), which stars a young Jennifer Aniston. Regardless, the horror flick about an evil Leprechaun grossed nearly $19 million at the domestic box office when adjusting for inflation, making a sequel inevitable. Not a single critic reviewing the film on Rotten Tomatoes gave it a positive rating, and only 28% of audiences liked it.
32. Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
> Directed by: Rick Rosenthal
> Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Busta Rhymes, Brad Loree
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.3 out of 10
The original “Halloween” (1978) is a tense, economical slasher film that changed the horror genre forever. It currently has a 96% Freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The eighth film in the series — “Halloween: Resurrection” (2002) — won over a mere 11% of critics, with Variety’s Joe Leydon accusing it of being “even more uselessly redundant and shamelessly money-grubbing than most third-rate horror sequels.”
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31. Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015)
> Directed by: Andy Fickman
> Starring: Kevin James, Raini Rodriguez, Eduardo Verástegui
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.5 out of 10
The original “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” (2009) raked in more than $146 million at the domestic box office on a $26 million budget. Kevin James returned to play the New Jersey mall security guard in the 2015 sequel that, despite grossing nearly $71 million, only received positive reviews from 5% of the critics logged on Rotten Tomatoes. Many reviewers took issue with the movie’s over-reliance on “fat jokes.”
30. Daddy Day Camp (2007)
> Directed by: Fred Savage
> Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr., Lochlyn Munro, Richard Gant
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.3 out of 10
Only 1% of the critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave “Daddy Day Camp” — the sequel to 2003’s “Daddy Day Care” — a positive review. Cuba Gooding Jr. replaced Eddie Murphy, who starred in the original film, but he delivers a lazy and unfunny performance. Critic Richard Roeper summed the film up as “just horrible.”
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29. Look Who’s Talking Now (1993)
> Directed by: Tom Ropelewski
> Starring: John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, David Gallagher
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.5 out of 10
Not one of the 25 critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes for “Look Who’s Talking Now” are positive, with the average rating being 2.5 out of 10. The third and final movie in the Look Who’s Talking series adds talking dogs to the mix, though the gimmick is not enough to save what critic Rita Kempley writing for the Washington Post called “a crude and mawkish film.”
28. Basic Instinct 2 (2006)
> Directed by: Michael Caton-Jones
> Starring: Sharon Stone, David Morrissey, David Thewlis
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.0 out of 10
Despite boasting star power from the likes of Sharon Stone and Charlotte Rampling, this sequel to director Paul Verhoeven’s 1992 Hitchcockian thriller failed to win over many critics or moviegoers, impressing only 7% of the former and 26% of the latter. Critics described it as silly, flat, and lackluster.
27. Species II (1998)
> Directed by: Peter Medak
> Starring: Natasha Henstridge, Michael Madsen, Marg Helgenberger
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.1 out of 10
The 1995 sci-fi horror flick “Species” received middling reviews upon its release. Critics were less kind to its sequel, released three years later. Only 9% liked the movie, which is described by the Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus as “clumsily exploitative and sloppily assembled.” Despite this, two more Species movies were produced.
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26. Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000)
> Directed by: John Ottman
> Starring: Jennifer Morrison, Matthew Davis, Hart Bochner
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.1 out of 10
Only 19% of critics gave the thumbs up to the slasher flick “Urban Legend” (1998). An even lower 9% of critics approved of the follow-up “Urban Legends: Final Cut.” The movie is described as “stupid” and “mediocre,” with Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus stating that it “brings nothing new to an already exhausted genre.”
25. The Human Centipede II (Full Sequence) (2011)
> Directed by: Tom Six
> Starring: Laurence R. Harvey, Ashlynn Yennie, Maddi Black
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.3 out of 10
Despite its grotesque premise of surgically connecting multiple humans, “The Human Centipede (First Sequence)” (2009) — the first in the series — was given positive reviews by half of the critics reviewing it on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie’s vulgarity may have worked in its favor, however, as its sequel — liked by 29% of critics — is described on the Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus as being worse as it “loses its ability to repulse and shock and ends up obnoxious and annoying.”
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24. Piranha 3DD (2012)
> Directed by: John Gulager
> Starring: Danielle Panabaker, Ving Rhames, David Hasselhoff
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.3 out of 10
The 2010 horror comedy “Piranha 3-D” won over the majority of critics with its unique brand of unpretentious and borderline over-the-top entertainment. Its follow-up, “Piranha 3DD” — which places the killer fish in a water park setting — fails to recreate the balance of the original. It only impressed 14% of Rotten Tomatoes’ critics.
23. Amityville 3-D (1983)
> Directed by: Richard Fleischer
> Starring: Tony Roberts, Tess Harper, Robert Joy
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.1 out of 10
There are 23 Amityville Horror movies to date, and 1983’s “Amityville 3-D,” or “Amityville: The Demon,” may be the worst. The movie — which features Tony Roberts, Tess Harper, and even a young Meg Ryan — received a positive review from only 5% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Janet Maslin, writing for the New York Times, said, “The cast is good, but the characters are idiots.”
22. Universal Soldier: The Return (1999)
> Directed by: Mic Rodgers
> Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bill Goldberg, Heidi Schanz
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.7 out of 10
Jean-Claude Van Damme returned for this sequel to “Universal Soldier” (1992) as a cyborg warrior tasked with going to war with a group of android killing machines. Only 5% of critics and 24% of audiences could get behind the movie, with the Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus blaming everything from “its generic story to its second rate action and subpar performances” for its failure.
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21. Howling II: … Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985)
> Directed by: Philippe Mora
> Starring: Christopher Lee, Annie McEnroe, Reb Brown
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.7 out of 10
The original “The Howling” (1981) was a modest success, receiving positive reviews from 70% of the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Only 27% liked its 1985 sequel, “Howling II,” and — worst still — only 15% of audiences gave it thumbs up. The movie — which features Christopher Lee as an occult expert who travels to Transylvania to take down a gang of werewolves — was described by Roger Ebert as “impenetrable and amazingly inept.” Producers would go on to create another six Howling films.
20. Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)
> Directed by: Russell Mulcahy
> Starring: Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Virginia Madsen
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.7 out of 10
Fans and critics mostly enjoyed “Highlander” (1986) — an action-fantasy movie about immortal warriors from the 15th century. Yet while that movie’s borderline ludicrousness largely worked in its favor, its sequel went too far, with numerous critics describing it as a mess. Zero critics gave it positive review, although 23% of viewers liked it.
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19. Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)
> Directed by: Jan de Bont
> Starring: Sandra Bullock, Jason Patric, Willem Dafoe
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.4 out of 10
Boasting the acting talent of Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, and Sandra Bullock, “Speed” (1995) has an exceptional 94% Freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Bullock is the only one to return for the flop of a sequel, “Speed 2: Cruise Control” (1997), which was liked by only 4% of critics. The movie replaces the original’s speeding bus with a cruise ship that is similarly forced to maintain a high speed.
18. Scary Movie 5 (2013)
> Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee
> Starring: Simon Rex, Ashley Tisdale, Charlie Sheen
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.0 out of 10
The fifth entry into the horror-spoof series is accused of being “juvenile even by Scary Movie standards,” according to Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Consensus. Only 4% of the 51 critics who reviewed it on the site gave the movie a positive review. Regardless, the movie managed to gross $32 million at the domestic box office against its reported $20 million budget.
17. Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)
> Directed by: Joe Berlinger
> Starring: Jeffrey Donovan, Stephen Barker Turner, Erica Leerhsen
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.4 out of 10
“The Blair Witch Project” (1999), which is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, was a massive success upon its release and helped popularize the found footage horror subgenre that is going strong to this day. “Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2” (2000) abandons this approach and is worse off for it, pleasing only 14% of critics and 18% of viewers who have reviewed it on Rotten Tomatoes.
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16. RoboCop 3 (1993)
> Directed by: Fred Dekker
> Starring: Robert John Burke, Nancy Allen, Mario Machado
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.1 out of 10
Commentary-laden action flick “Robocop” (1987) pleased 89% of critics and 84% of audiences who reviewed it on Rotten Tomatoes. “Robocop 3” (1993) managed to please just 3% of critics and 14% audience reviewing it. The sequel is accused of being “tame” and “stupid.”
15. Batman & Robin (1997)
> Directed by: Joel Schumacher
> Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, Chris O’Donnell
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.7 out of 10
The Batman franchise is hugely popular, and critics generally review its various films positively. Joel Schumacher’s “Batman & Robin” (1997) is a notable exception, receiving only positive reviews from 11% of the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. A slightly larger share of audience members liked it — 16%. George Clooney, who stars as Batman, later told the Hollywood Reporter that he “wasn’t good in it” and “it wasn’t a good film.”
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14. Jaws 3-D (1983)
> Directed by: Joe Alves
> Starring: Dennis Quaid, Bess Armstrong, Simon MacCorkindale
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.9 out of 10
Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” (1975) has a near-perfect Freshness rating of 98% and is credited for revolutionizing the blockbuster movie system. The series’ third entry, “Jaws 3-D,” was liked by only 10% of critics, by contrast. Its scathing Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus describes the shark flick as “a cheese-soaked ocean thriller with no evident reason to exist.”
13. Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018)
> Directed by: Steven C. Miller
> Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Dave Bautista, Xiaoming Huang
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.4 out of 10
The 2013 film “Escape Plan,” starring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, divided both critics and audience members. Its sequel, “Escape Plan 2: Hades” (2018), unified them in their contempt. The movie — which retained Stallone but lost Schwarzenegger — won over only 8% of critics and 14% of audience members. Hollywood Reporter’s Frank Scheck describes the action flick as “essentially a tired, low-rent attempt to create a new franchise.”
12. Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
> Directed by: John Boorman
> Starring: Richard Burton, Linda Blair, Louise Fletcher
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.1 out of 10
“The Exorcist” (1973) is often considered one of the scariest movies ever made. Its 1977 sequel did not even come close and impressed only 15% of critics and 13% of audiences reviewing it on Rotten Tomatoes. The site’s Critics Consensus cites the movie’s “hokey mystical effects, lousy plotting, and worse acting” for its failure.
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11. Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003)
> Directed by: Troy Miller
> Starring: Derek Richardson, Eric Christian Olsen, Eugene Levy
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.7 out of 10
“Dumb and Dumber” (1994) is a fan favorite, thanks in large part to the comedic performances of Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. The sequel (actually a prequel), “Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd” (2003) produced far fewer laughs and received a good review from only 10% of critics and 23% of viewers on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie failed to recoup its $30 million production budget at the domestic box office.
10. Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994)
> Directed by: Kim Henkel
> Starring: Renée Zellweger, Matthew McConaughey, Robert Jacks
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 3.2 out of 10
Horror classic “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974) is liked by 88% of critics and 82% of audience members on Rotten Tomatoes. This is the highest rated of the franchise and far higher than “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation” (1994), which won over only 14% of critics and 18% of viewers. Directed by Kim Henkel, who co-wrote the original, and starring Renée Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey in two of their earliest roles, the movie often plays out as more of a bizarre remake than a sequel.
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9. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)
> Directed by: John R. Leonetti
> Starring: Robin Shou, Talisa Soto, James Remar
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.3 out of 10
The original “Mortal Kombat” (1995) film, inspired by the video game of the same name, was relatively well received thanks to its atmosphere and effects. However, only 2% of critics and a quarter of audience members on Rotten Tomatoes liked its sequel. The site’s Critics Consensus faults the “shallow characters, low budget special effects, and mindless fight scenes” found in “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.”
8. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
> Directed by: Sidney J. Furie
> Starring: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.8 out of 10
An exceptional 94% of critics reviewing the original “Superman” (1978) on Rotten Tomatoes liked it. The series’ fourth film — “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace” (1987) — won over just 11% of critics and 17% of audiences, however, despite actors Christopher Reeve and Gene Hackman reprising their roles. The superhero would not be the subject of another major live action film until “Superman Returns” in 2006.
7. Teen Wolf Too (1987)
> Directed by: Christopher Leitch
> Starring: Jason Bateman, Kim Darby, John Astin
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.6 out of 10
Despite its somewhat iconic status, the original “Teen Wolf” (1985) only received positive reviews from 44% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes. This is still better than “Teen Wolf Too,” which features Jason Bateman taking over for Michael J. Fox in the lead. The movie was condemned by all but 7% of critics, with reviewers describing it as tedious, unfunny, and dreadful.
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6. Caddyshack II (1988)
> Directed by: Allan Arkush
> Starring: Jackie Mason, Robert Stack, Dyan Cannon
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.3 out of 10
“Caddyshack” (1980) is a classic comedy, with memorable performances by Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, and Rodney Dangerfield. Only Chase returned for the 1988 sequel, which transformed the raucous, R-rated comedy into a PG-rated family affair. Only 4% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes liked the film, with the Chicago Tribune’s Dave Kehr calling it “shoddy, lazy and numbingly stupid.”
5. Troll 2 (1990)
> Directed by: Claudio Fragasso
> Starring: Michael Paul Stephenson, George Hardy, Margo Prey
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.3 out of 10
Horror flick “Troll 2” has developed a cult status for being “so bad it’s good.” A documentary titled “Best Worst Movie” (2009) about the making of the film was even produced. And while 44% of viewers on Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a positive rating, only 6% of professional critics could bring themselves to do the same.
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4. King Kong Lives (1986)
> Directed by: John Guillermin
> Starring: Brian Kerwin, Linda Hamilton, Peter Elliott
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 1.6 out of 10
The original “King Kong” (1933) is a treasure of cinema, was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry, and has garnered near-universal praise from critics. It was remade in 1976, for which the sequel “King Kong Lives” was released a decade later. This film, in which King Kong seeks out a female gorilla mate, does not have a single positive critic review on Rotten Tomatoes, with most finding it simply dull.
3. Son of the Mask (2005)
> Directed by: Lawrence Guterman
> Starring: Jamie Kennedy, Traylor Howard, Alan Cumming
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.8 out of 10
This sequel to the cartoonish Jim Carrey-vehicle “The Mask” (1994) won over 6% of critics and 16% of audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie features both a baby and a dog wearing the titular mask. Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Consensus refers to the flick as “painfully unfunny” and “sorely missing the presence of Jim Carrey.”
2. The Human Centipede III (Final Sequence) (2015)
> Directed by: Tom Six
> Starring: Dieter Laser, Laurence R. Harvey, Eric Roberts
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.2 out of 10
The Human Centipede series hit its lowest point with its third and final entry, “The Human Centipede III (Final Sequence).” The movie centers around a prison warden who, inspired by the earlier Human Centipede films, sets out to connect 500 humans. The gross-out flick impressed 17% of critics and 11% of viewers on Rotten Tomatoes and reportedly made less than $15,000 at the domestic box office.
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1. Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (2004)
> Directed by: Bob Clark
> Starring: Jon Voight, Scott Baio, Vanessa Angel
> Rotten Tomatoes critics rating: 2.2 out of 10
Director Bob Clark’s original “Baby Geniuses” (1999) was not a critical hit, with just 2% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes giving it a good review. His follow-up, “Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2” (2004), managed to do even worse, receiving zero positive reviews. Audiences didn’t love it either — it currently holds a 1.9/10 rating on IMDb, making it the only film on this list to have a rating lower than 2.0. Writing for the Wall Street Journal, critic Joanne Kaufman called it “unspeakably ghastly.” The sequel managed to gross less than half of its $20 million production budget at the domestic box office, although this did not stop the production of a further three Baby Geniuses movies.
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