There’s this sort of pain that comes with patiently waiting for a movie that ends up being a huge disappointment. Some of these movies weren’t even necessarily bad, they just failed to match the hype that accompanied their release. Here are 17 highly anticipated movies that flopped badly:
The Lion King (2019)
Live-action movie news always comes with mixed feelings, but for The Lion King, there was mostly positive expectation. However, The Lion King sadly stretched the term “live-action” to its limit. It featured animal graphics that were stunningly detailed but devoid of any distinctive character or emotions. It was a big letdown for fans and critics.
Godzilla (1998)
After waiting forty years for this iconic monster to make its way from Japan to Hollywood, fans were met with only disappointment. Godzilla of 1998 upset most of its longtime fans even before its release. Fans were furious when Roland Emmerich, co-writer and director, removed Godzilla’s iconic fire breath.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
Although Marvel Phase 4 was ushered in with so much hype, it has only managed to polarize fans. In 2022, Thor: Love and Thunder disappointed many and has one of the MCU’s lowest scores on Rotten Tomatoes. While it had humor and a strong cast, critics criticized its underdeveloped script and weak visuals.
R.I.P.D. (2013)
R.I.P.D. stars Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds as afterlife officers hunting escaped spirits. Despite its promising premise and actors, the film flopped. The film came off as trying too hard to be like the Men in Black film series, and that meant it was destined to flop in the hyper-competitive summer season of 2013.
The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
The Matrix Revolutions is almost universally regarded as the weakest installment in the franchise. It lacked satisfying resolution and failed to address plot holes. It also lacked innovation in special effects and featured weaker performances compared to earlier films.
Green Lantern (2011)
Green Lantern could have been a typical superhero film, but poor CGI, a dreadful script, and mishandling of beloved DC characters turned it into an epic cinematic failure. The movie’s questionable choices and puzzling storyline led to its box-office disappointment.
The Mummy (2017)
The Mummy had potential with a gender-bent villain and Sofia Boutella’s casting. However, a weak story with a dull and gloomy tone and an attempt at a cinematic universe failed even with the casting of Tom Cruise. Its dreary tone doesn’t match up to the fun that made Brendan Fraser’s The Mummy duology so successful.
Dark Phoenix (2019)
X-Men peaked with Days of Future Past, which was unanimously praised by critics and fans. Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix were unfortunately unable to replicate the same kind of success. The latter was especially lazy, ruining the franchise’s iconic storyline. In a year of major hits like Avengers: Endgame, the film felt insignificant.
Dolittle (2020)
Post-MCU, Robert Downey Jr. starred in 2020’s Dolittle. The movie ended up being a disappointing remake that lacked charm and humor. It also suffered from lazy writing and unconvincing acting from Downey Jr.
Cats (2019)
Cats (2019) certainly qualifies as one of the most memorable disasters of the 21st century. The movie even managed to anger Andrew Lloyd Webber, the composer of the original Cats musical the film is based on. The film’s strange humanoid cat vision and illogical plot led to harsh criticism, and it was inevitably a major box office bomb.
Snakes on a Plane (2006)
Described by The Guardian as “perhaps the most internet-hyped film of all time,” Snakes on a Plane was a surprising failure. In an attempt to capitalize on the hype preceding its release, several changes were made to the original movie idea. This fan-service approach, however, proved to be misguided, resulting in the film’s gross underperformance at the box office.
Black Adam (2022)
Black Adam’s debut aimed to elevate a B-list character to the A-list but ended up as a spectacular trainwreck. The film’s choice to spotlight Shazam!’s antagonist fell flat due to a weak story, bland characters, and unremarkable action.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Hobbit disappointed fans. The CGI effects were excessive, and the movie felt unnecessarily lengthy. The decision to stretch a short novel into three movies was widely criticized. And while the prequel trilogy managed decent commercial success, it generally fell short of expectations.
Star Wars Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
The Rise of Skywalker attempted to please fans after The Last Jedi backlash but also ended up disappointing. Emperor Palpatine’s return felt forced and poorly explained, coming off as half-hearted fan service.
Suicide Squad (2016)
Suicide Squad’s hype from trailers backfired, leading to a disjointed movie. The studio’s attempt to emulate the popular trailer tone, akin to Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), failed. The film felt like a forced music video, further reducing confidence in DC after the disappointment of Batman v Superman (2016).
Justice League (2017)
After Zack Snyder stepped down as director due to a family matter, Joss Whedon took over the post-production of Justice League (2017), and this led to a disjointed film. Despite high expectations, the movie only managed mixed reviews and failed to break even at the box office.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Batman v Superman brought Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman together. And with this impressive lineup, fans understandably couldn’t wait to see it. They were, however, let down with the film being bloated with too many storylines and riddled with glaring plot holes.
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