Top 20 Bad Movies That Were Very Successful

It’s happened many times: a movie gets terrible reviews, but audiences still flock to see it, making it a huge financial success. These films often benefit from well-known franchises, massive marketing campaigns, and impressive special effects. Here’s a list of twenty movies that people often love to criticize, but that still earned a lot of money – with details on their budgets, box office earnings, and what made them so popular.

‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’ (2014)

The film earned over a billion dollars globally and performed exceptionally well internationally, particularly in China, where it achieved record-breaking results. Made with a production budget exceeding $200 million, it relied on high-quality presentation formats to maximize earnings. Strong brand recognition and impressive robot action sequences encouraged audiences to see it multiple times. The film also revitalized the franchise by introducing new human characters and aiming for broader international appeal.

‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’ (2009)

Even though critics didn’t love it, the movie had a massive opening weekend – one of the biggest of its time – and ultimately grossed over $800 million worldwide. A large budget and extensive marketing campaign kept it in the public eye for weeks. Releasing it during the summer and tying it in with popular toys boosted its visibility. Showing it in premium formats like IMAX also helped increase ticket sales.

‘Transformers: The Last Knight’ (2017)

The latest film earned over $600 million worldwide, with most of the revenue coming from international audiences. China was a particularly strong market, helping to make up for weaker ticket sales in the United States. The movie had a high production budget and featured the return of popular robot characters. It also expanded the story’s universe, introducing elements of medieval lore, legends, and connections to other fictional worlds.

‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ (2009)

The second movie in the series launched to huge success, earning over seven hundred million dollars globally. Despite a relatively low budget for the franchise, it was incredibly profitable. Successful fan events and a well-planned social media campaign kept audiences highly engaged, and the ongoing debate between Team Edward and Team Jacob created a lot of buzz and excitement.

‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1’ (2011)

Dividing the movie’s conclusion into two parts proved successful, earning over $700 million worldwide. It debuted at number one in many major markets and continued to perform well throughout the holiday season. The film also boosted its revenue with higher prices for premium viewing formats and special collector’s items. A suspenseful ending effectively built anticipation for the concluding film.

‘Suicide Squad’ (2016)

The collaboration between these comic book heroes was a huge success, earning over $700 million globally and having a record-breaking opening weekend in August. It continued to gain attention when it won an Academy Award for its makeup and hairstyling. The movie also highlighted popular new characters like Harley Quinn, and its soundtrack featured several hit songs. This widespread appeal reached people who weren’t even dedicated comic book fans.

‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ (2016)

The film featured two major heroes, and its release led to nearly nine hundred million in global revenue. A huge marketing campaign included merchandise, advertisements with partners, and promotions connected to sports. This campaign introduced the new Wonder Woman character and hinted at potential future team-ups. The film also benefited from showings on large format screens and early previews for fans.

‘Venom’ (2018)

Okay, so this new antihero flick absolutely crushed it at the box office! It had one of the biggest October openings ever, raking in around $850 million globally. Considering the budget was in the $100-150 million ballpark, that’s a seriously impressive return. What really surprised me was how well it did in China – audiences there *loved* this character. Plus, it’s a quick watch and genuinely funny, which definitely helped spread positive buzz among regular moviegoers. I think that combination of things is why it connected so broadly.

‘Jurassic World Dominion’ (2022)

The film’s success, exceeding one billion dollars globally, was driven by its combination of dinosaurs and the return of beloved actors. It performed particularly well on large-format screens internationally, with release dates strategically planned around major holidays. Revenue from outside the US significantly surpassed domestic earnings. While concluding a three-film story arc, the movie also benefited from the established popularity of its overall franchise.

‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ (2011)

This action-packed film earned over a billion dollars worldwide, making it the most successful movie in the series. It did particularly well internationally, especially in developing countries. Filmed in 3D, it allowed theaters to charge more for tickets in all formats. Popular actors and a well-known franchise helped promote the movie around the world.

‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales’ (2017)

The latest film earned almost $800 million globally, even though it didn’t perform as strongly in the US. Success came mainly from international audiences, particularly in Asia and Europe. The movie attracted viewers by introducing new characters while also featuring beloved ones from previous films. Releasing the film during the holidays and offering premium viewing options helped it stay popular for a longer time.

‘The Last Airbender’ (2010)

The movie, based on the popular Nickelodeon show, made over $300 million worldwide, though it was a costly production. While a last-minute addition of 3D boosted ticket prices, reviews were generally lukewarm. Thanks to the show’s existing fanbase, it had a strong opening weekend and ultimately proved profitable despite receiving several Razzie nominations.

‘Godzilla’ (1998)

The film launched with a massive marketing campaign and quickly earned almost $400 million worldwide. Related merchandise, including toys and a popular soundtrack, were also big hits. A release during the holiday season attracted many families, and the film’s impressive visuals and action kept audiences excited.

‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ (2018)

The Wizarding World franchise has earned approximately $650 million worldwide. International audiences contributed more to this success than domestic ones, highlighting the franchise’s widespread global appeal. The latest film deepened the magical universe with fresh settings and creatures, captivating fans. Strong sales of merchandise and the popularity of the theme park helped keep the film in the public eye.

‘The Mummy’ (2017)

The film earned over $400 million globally, performing especially well in China. It was designed to kickstart a series of interconnected monster movies, and a major marketing push featured prominent actors. High-quality presentation formats and premieres in different countries helped increase its reach, while sales of home video copies and television rights provided additional revenue.

‘Terminator Genisys’ (2015)

While not a huge hit with domestic audiences, the film earned around $440 million worldwide thanks to strong international sales, particularly in China, which significantly boosted its performance. The movie aimed to revitalize the franchise with a new take on the timeline and appearances from familiar characters. Although it was an expensive film to make, tax breaks and collaborations with other companies helped to cover the costs.

‘The Da Vinci Code’ (2006)

Despite mixed reviews, the movie earned around $760 million globally. Its popularity stemmed from being based on a popular book and featuring a well-known director, attracting a wide audience. A premiere at the Cannes Film Festival generated extensive press coverage. The film’s success led to two sequels and continued revenue through DVD sales, streaming, and other channels.

‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ (2015)

Despite a modest $40 million budget, this romantic drama earned over $570 million around the world. Releasing it around Valentine’s Day was a smart move, attracting couples heading to the movies. The film’s soundtrack was also popular, becoming a streaming success and keeping the movie in the public eye. It was the first in a planned series of three films and continued to perform well internationally for weeks.

‘Fifty Shades Darker’ (2017)

The second film brought in over $380 million, largely thanks to international audiences. The marketing focused on the connection between the characters and the film’s impressive, fantastical world. It did particularly well in theaters with premium features, which helped increase ticket sales. Because it was released relatively soon after the first movie, audiences remained highly engaged.

‘Independence Day: Resurgence’ (2016)

The latest alien invasion movie opened in theaters around the world, reaching an audience of nearly four hundred million. While the film had a large production budget, most of its earnings came from international audiences, particularly in several important markets. Without a major star to draw viewers, the movie relied heavily on impressive visual effects and action. Marketing focused on appealing to fans of older films, and the movie was shown in premium formats like IMAX to boost revenue.

Let us know in the comments which ‘bad’ movies you secretly enjoy, and if you think they’re still worth watching today!

2025-10-19 05:16