15 Most Disappointing Movies Of The 2020s (So Far)

Movies in the 2020s have been largely hit or miss, thanks in no small part to COVID-19. The worldwide pandemic mucked up the entertainment industry all over the world, resulting in wonky releases, stalled productions, and a widespread reduction in box office gains. Even after it ended, movies continued to struggle — but it wasn’t all doom and gloom.

Some films earned plenty of cash while keeping the industry alive. Unfortunately, not every movie can be as successful as “Sinners” or “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” Many arrived and died in the theaters, destroying fan expectations with lackluster performances and poorly delivered plotlines. The worst of these are often big-budget tentpole movies that fans were excited to see.

Sadly, upon watching some of the decade’s most disappointing movies, many audiences were left dejected. This has impacted the industry, resulting in some of the worst box office earnings in recent memory. Each of these movies was highly anticipated by viewers, but in the end, they all proved to be disappointing. Some are watchable, and they certainly have their fans, but for the most part, they’re duds.

When “Wonder Woman” came out in 2017, fans immediately accepted Gal Gadot as the Amazonian demigod, thanks to her exceptional performance. The film gained widespread acclaim and holds a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is impressive for a superhero’s inaugural film. The winning combination of Gadot and director Patty Jenkins worked seamlessly, leading to anticipation of a follow-up.

That finally came in 2020, but thanks to the pandemic, the release didn’t work out well financially for anyone involved. Warner Bros. released “Wonder Woman 1984” on HBO Max and in theaters simultaneously, destroying its chances of becoming a box office success. Ultimately, that didn’t matter, as the film was widely panned by audiences and critics alike.

The film has a 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where critics lambasted its slow pacing, poorly defined villains, ridiculous climax, and more. The narrative shifted from World War I all the way into the 1980s, and it just didn’t work. Additionally, the iffy nature of Diana (Gadot) and Steve’s (Chris Pine) weirdly non-consensual reunion after the latter’s death decades earlier left fans feeling disappointed and even a little bit disgusted.

Legacy sequels are all the rage in Hollywood, giving longtime fans something to look forward to as various IPs are reignited years after their last movies. One of the longest spans between films comes from the “Space Jam” franchise, which kicked off in 1996. It took 25 years, but Warner Bros. finally put together a sequel to “Space Jam” in 2021 with “Space Jam: A New Legacy.”

Unfortunately, in the case of this franchise, it was too little, too late, and despite all of the talented players working in front of and behind the camera, the sequel failed in all respects. The plots are essentially the same: The Looney Tunes recruit an NBA star, in this case LeBron James, to help them win a basketball tournament.

The film released simultaneously on HBO Max and in theaters, diluting its box office take, but that’s only one of the problems. “A New Legacy” lacks humor, has pacing issues that are exacerbated by its 115-minute runtime, and it simply pales in comparison to its predecessor. Unsurprisingly, it holds a 25% on Rotten Tomatoes, though viewers didn’t despise it as much as critics.

The “Venom” franchise launched in 2018, and there’s no denying it made some money while building up a fanbase. Otherwise, it’s unlikely Sony would have dumped as much money into it as it did. Still, while Tom Hardy’s performance is admittedly worth a look, the quality of the sequels degraded what adoration the first film garnered upon release.

The second, “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” introduces the titular villain, as played by Woody Harrelson. While his performance is on par with what you expect from the talented actor, the script and action sequences are disappointing. For a movie about alien symbiotes granting immense superpowers to humans who tear through people like they’re made of confetti, it’s surprisingly tiresome.

The sequel leans into humor as did the first, but it doesn’t match “Venom’s” success, making the jokes fall on deaf ears. Harrelson is held back through the first two acts, which is a shame, as he brings his A-game despite the limitations. Ultimately, critics hated the film, giving it a 58% on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences showed up in droves, giving the studio an excuse to make a third film.

Marvel Studios’ gambit with “Guardians of the Galaxy” paid off, which encouraged the people responsible to tap another relatively obscure set of cosmic characters for the MCU. They went with the Eternals, which are well-known to longtime comic book fans, but most casual viewers had never heard of them when “Eternals” hit theaters in 2021.

The film has a star-studded cast and an endless supply of Marvel money, but unlike “Guardians,” the movie failed to woo casual viewers. The film’s director, Chloé Zhao, thought it didn’t work because of money, resources, and delays, but that’s only part of the problem. Too much attention was focused on only a handful of characters, when the team is the focus in the comics.

Add to that the fact that it probably should have been divided into two films, and you’re left with an over-ambitious attempt to expand the MCU beyond its limits, alienating many along the way. Audiences didn’t despise it nearly as much as critics, though it maintains a 47% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sony’s Spider-Man movies have largely been box office and critical disappointments. Still, the studio remained steadfast in using, or possibly abusing, its Marvel licenses. Instead of producing movies about Spider-Man, the studio embraced numerous ancillary characters and villains, which is how “Morbius” found its way to the silver screen.

The character debuted in “The Amazing Spider-Man” #101, which is why the rights belong to Sony. The film has a lot of talent, including its protagonist and antagonist played by Jared Leto and Matt Smith, respectively. The movie’s problem isn’t its actors — it’s the story, which is convoluted, nonsensical, and difficult to sit through. Add to that the terrible special effects, and you’re left with a disappointing dud.

Critics tore “Morbius” apart, which is why it has a shamefully low 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, though the audience score is significantly higher. Still, there’s no denying that the movie takes itself way too seriously, which was a mistake, as it could have worked somewhat if the filmmakers had embraced a more campy tone, highlighting just how awful the script is with humor.

The “Ant-Man” standalone movies have been largely successful for the MCU. Unfortunately, things changed with 2023’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.” The film doesn’t deviate from the format, embracing humor in its lead, played by Paul Rudd, but its execution could have used some work. It didn’t help that Jonathan Majors’ Kang was played exceptionally well, while audiences already knew his fate. His personal legal troubles meant Kang wasn’t long for the MCU, and fans knew it. This took some of the power out of his would-be conquering, reducing the villain’s on-screen intensity.

It also didn’t help that he was defeated by ants, and, yes, it’s an “Ant-Man” movie, but that’s a bit too silly for most viewers. The film was a box office bomb, failing to break even, though thanks to tax credits, it technically made a profit of $88,236, so … success? Critics derided the movie for failing to live up to its predecessors, and it maintains a 46% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Argylle” had a lot going for it, thanks to Henry Cavill starring as the titular super spy. Cavill’s work in the spy movie genre had shown his prowess in “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” suggesting this film would follow its success. Unfortunately, “Argylle” is a chaotic mess of hammy acting, ridiculous stuntwork, a strange CGI-cat, and a story that’s unbelievably ridiculous. It’s honestly a miracle it ever got a green light.

The character of Argylle is the protagonist of a series of books written by the film’s lead, played by Bryce Dallas Howard. As the story progresses, things range from a little unusual to absolutely campy without taking a break to let the audience rest. While the movie doesn’t take itself seriously, this doesn’t help with the narrative, and it’s hard to watch.

Critics lambasted the movie for wasting some $200 million on a guaranteed stinker, citing the story, excessive runtime of 139 minutes, and its lack of redeeming qualities. It’s a shame, as the film’s opening is well-done, and includes a strong performance by acting newcomer Dua Lipa. Still, nobody could save this flop, which holds a rating of 33% on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Morbius” should have completely derailed Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, but unfortunately, the studio didn’t abandon its plans, pushing forward with “Madame Web.” The character in the comics is about as different from the one presented on screen as possible, which immediately alienated longtime comic book fans upon the trailer’s release — never a good sign.

Still, “Madame Web” had a lot of talented actors attached, including Dakota Johnson as the eponymous lead, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O’Connor. But even the actors knew they made a bad movie, and it was poorly marketed. Critics shredded it to pieces, resulting in headlines like “Madame Web” Isn’t As Bad As You’ve Heard. It’s so Much Worse” – and that’s one of the kinder ones.

Ultimately, it’s a boring movie with no redeeming qualities whatsoever, which makes its 10% rating on Rotten Tomatoes seem higher than it should be. The movie was relatively inexpensive for a superhero flick, costing $100 million, and it earned $100 million from disappointed audiences. Still, thanks to movie math, it ended up losing money by failing to break even.

The “Borderlands” video game franchise has been going strong since its debut in 2009, and a new entry hit the market in 2025. Video game movie adaptations are tricky, and many are objectively terrible. Still, movies like “Sonic the Hedgehog” and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” did gangbusters, so “Borderlands” had a chance, thanks to a strong cast and IP.

This built up expectations in gamers who enjoyed playing “Borderlands” titles for years. Sadly, like so many that came before it, the movie adaptation was a complete mess. The heroes all bicker endlessly, making their interactions tiresome after only a few minutes, and an over-reliance on CGI dilutes the live-action actors’ efforts to turn in good performances.

A movie has to be pretty bad to reduce actors like Cate Blanchett, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black to mere footnotes in a film that holds a 10% on Rotten Tomatoes. Cynthia Vinney’s “Borderlands” review for Looper cites its ineffective storytelling, wooden characters, and poorly chosen rating of PG-13 instead of R for its failure to gamers and viewers alike.

Director Francis Ford Coppola has never shied away from big movie epics: He gave the world the “Godfather” trilogy, after all. Throughout his career, he’s made numerous passion projects, often funding them himself, and several flopped. Still, fans of his work often look forward to his latest offering when it hits theaters, and there was buzz surrounding “Megalopolis” before its release.

There was also a lot of negative press, but looking beyond the struggles in getting the movie made, which took Coppola 40 years, he managed it. The cast is stellar, it features gorgeous sets and special effects, and the score is exceptional. Unfortunately, none of that saved “Megalopolis” from bombing hard with audiences and critics, resulting in its paltry rating of 45% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie’s structure is chaotic, making its story and the long runtime of 138 minutes a slog. “Megalopolis” is an unmitigated flop, and because Coppola invested $120 million of his own money into its production, it was financially disastrous for him. He’s had to sell off his personal possessions to recover, making the film disappointing to the director as well as audiences.

“Joker” arrived in theaters in 2019, blowing everyone away with the unique take on Batman’s longtime nemesis. The film received 11 Academy Award nominations, winning three, including a best actor statue for its star, Joaquin Phoenix. The same team returned in the 2024 sequel, adding Lady Gaga to the cast, which only increased the anticipation of moviegoers hoping to see another brilliant adaptation.

They were universally disappointed with the result, which is a strange, experimental movie that flipped the format, blending elements of musicals with ultra-violence, courtroom speeches, and an insane asylum. “Joker: Folie à Deux” is certainly ambitious, but most theater-goers walked away scratching their heads in disappointment, as it failed on all accounts to live up to its predecessor.

“Joker” has a well-earned 68% on Rotten Tomatoes, while its sequel sits at only 31%, a score equaled by its audience rating. Audrey Fox’s review of “Folie à Deux” for Looper calls the film “A chaotic, profoundly stupid mess.” She cites its low emotional stakes and perplexing musical concept with uninspired numbers that completely wasted Gaga’s musical talent.

“Venom: Let There Be Carnage” made enough money at the box office to allow for a conclusion to the trilogy, resulting in 2024’s “Venom: The Last Dance.” Instead of closing out the franchise with an entertaining swan song, the threequel made less than its predecessors, and it failed to deliver on fan expectations.

There are still elements of humor as Tom Hardy makes his way through the inane plot, which he helped write, but it’s all a bit convoluted. It begins with an unnecessary opening monologue explaining the situation, and while this was likely intended to avoid confusion, its inclusion suggests the filmmakers knew ahead of time the movie wasn’t the easiest to follow. The action sequences are at least watchable, as are the effects.

Still, like the other two films in the trilogy, this too is rated PG-13, reducing expectations and limiting its potential. Ironically, had the films been rated R, they might have made more money, as R-rated superhero movies have succeeded previously. Regardless, the final entry in the franchise is a let-down, earning only a 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The “Star Trek” film franchise has never been a huge earner, but it enjoys a large fanbase willing to sit down for whatever is released. The inimitable Michelle Yeoh joined the cast of “Star Trek: Discovery” as Emperor Phillipa Georgiou, ruler of the Terran Empire in the Mirror Universe. Through the series, she made her way back to her appropriate time, though still in the Prime Universe.

“Star Trek: Section 31” is a heist movie, so that adds to its appeal, as does Yeoh’s inclusion. If there’s one thing a heist movie shouldn’t be, it’s boring, but that’s what this disappointing flop is. It’s clear the filmmakers tried to tap into the franchise’s nostalgia in as many ways as possible, but it misses the mark throughout its 95-minute runtime.

“Section 31” didn’t receive a theatrical release, dropping on Paramount+ in January 2025. Still, few chose to sit through the movie to the end, as it’s just not entertaining enough to captivate most viewers’ attention, and it has a 22% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audrey Fox’s “Section 31” review for Looper appropriately calls it lifeless and full of cringy humor.

The MCU’s post-“Endgame” run of movies and TV series hasn’t gone over as well as earlier entries, and this created a problem. The series “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” shows Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) transformation from the Falcon into the new Captain America. The series was well received, but if moviegoers didn’t see it, they were probably confused watching “Captain America: Brave New World.”

Sam is Cap in the film, and he continues his superhero journey, following in the footsteps of Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), but you truly have to watch the show to understand this. Of course, that’s only one reason why the film bombed, and it has a 46% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Audiences enjoyed it, and it’s not a terrible action or superhero movie. Still, it shouldn’t have been a movie at all. It would have been much better suited as Season 2 of “Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” Marvel Studios wanted Cap to have a film, so that’s what audiences got. The runtime doesn’t justify both the Leader (Tim Blake Nelson) and Red Hulk’s (Harrison Ford) presence, making it overcrowded and messy.

Walt Disney wowed audiences when he released “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in 1937. It was only a matter of time before Disney translated the classic into live-action, but unlike some of the previous adaptations, this one flopped badly. Negative press surrounding star Rachel Zegler, permeated the trades up to and after the film’s release, casting a negative light on “Snow White.”

This resulted in a great deal of controversy surrounding Zegler and “Snow White” before it even hit theaters. Add to that, the behind-the-scenes drama, which included death threats made against Gal Gadot, and you have a recipe for disaster, which is precisely what this movie became.

The movie itself is unequal to its predecessor, and this is due to various changes made from the source. It all amounts to a dopey depiction of dwarves, the live-action leads, and a film that disappointed the small number of viewers who were excited to see it by the time it was released. Frankly, “Snow White’s” 38% on Rotten Tomatoes is surprisingly higher than expected.