Top 20 Worst Movies by Saturday Night Live Stars

Even popular comedians from Saturday Night Live sometimes star in movies that don’t succeed. These films received poor reviews, struggled to make money, or both. We’ll give you a quick rundown of each movie – what it was about, who worked on it, and how viewers reacted – so you can see where things went wrong for these talented performers.

‘Jack and Jill’ (2011)

In this comedy, Adam Sandler stars as identical twins – one a high-strung advertising executive who’s terrified of his sister’s upcoming visit. The movie relies heavily on showcasing products and features appearances by several celebrities, notably a memorable scene involving Al Pacino. While heavily promoted, the film initially did well at the box office but quickly lost viewers after negative reviews spread. It famously won numerous Razzie Awards and became a common target for jokes on late-night talk shows.

‘The Love Guru’ (2008)

Mike Myers is back doing character-based comedy in a new film where he plays a spiritual guru tasked with helping a hockey player find love. The movie blends romantic comedy elements with jokes about sports and references to popular culture. Critics weren’t impressed, pointing out that it relied too much on old jokes and included some uncomfortable humor. Ultimately, the film didn’t perform well in theaters, both in the US and internationally, and quickly disappeared from cinemas.

‘The Adventures of Pluto Nash’ (2002)

Eddie Murphy stars in a funny science fiction movie about a nightclub owner on the moon who has to deal with gangsters. Despite having impressive sets and special effects, the film was delayed for a long time before it came out. It ended up being a major box office failure, becoming notorious as one of the biggest flops of the 1990s. Over time, people became curious about it through home video and cable television, but it never received a proper critical reassessment.

‘Norbit’ (2007)

Eddie Murphy stars in a silly, over-the-top comedy as a man who discovers he was adopted and is stuck in a messy marriage. While the movie initially did well at the box office, its popularity quickly dropped. Critics disliked its use of exaggerated costumes and reliance on familiar tropes, though they did appreciate the makeup effects. Despite the controversy surrounding its humor, the film ultimately made money internationally.

‘Little Nicky’ (2000)

In this comedy, Adam Sandler plays the surprisingly mild-mannered son of Satan, tasked with finding his brothers in New York City. While the movie features lots of special effects and appearances by many famous faces, it didn’t do well in theaters initially. However, the soundtrack and frequent showings on TV helped it find an audience who appreciate quirky humor.

‘Holmes & Watson’ (2018)

I saw Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly try their hand at a detective comedy, and it was definitely… silly! I heard they actually changed things after showing it to test audiences, and unfortunately, it came out around the holidays when a lot of other big movies were competing for attention. Honestly, the early reactions weren’t great – I remember hearing about low scores from people leaving the theater, and even some people actually walking out during the first week! It did okay at first because people are fans of those two actors, but it quickly disappeared after New Year’s.

‘Bewitched’ (2005)

Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman star in a clever remake about actors on a sitcom revival who unexpectedly encounter real magic. The film mixes a humorous look at Hollywood with a romantic comedy, and includes many references to the original series. However, critics and audiences generally didn’t connect with the idea, and the movie had a modest opening, quickly losing viewers as bigger summer blockbusters came out.

‘The House’ (2017)

Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler star as parents who start a casino in their backyard to pay for their kids’ college. The movie relies on big, chaotic scenes and a series of funny problems in their neighborhood. Critics felt the actors’ improvising was inconsistent and that the story’s central plan didn’t feel very important. The film didn’t do well during the summer and made most of its money in its first few weeks of release.

‘Corky Romano’ (2001)

Chris Kattan stars as a kind-hearted veterinarian who unexpectedly teams up with the FBI to assist his family, who happen to be involved in organized crime. The movie relies heavily on slapstick humor and jokes that come from his character’s innocent and clueless personality. Although it was marketed towards teenagers, it didn’t attract a large audience in theaters. Later, it found some popularity as a movie shown frequently on cable television, but it didn’t receive positive reviews from critics.

‘It’s Pat’ (1994)

Julia Sweeney’s film follows her androgynous character in a story about work and love. While based on a popular sketch, stretching it into a full-length movie proved challenging, leading to some repetitive jokes. The film didn’t do well in theaters and was quickly pulled, becoming a prime example of how tricky it can be to adapt short sketches into feature films.

‘The Ladies Man’ (2000)

Tim Meadows plays a late-night radio DJ who gives pretty bad dating advice, often while trying to avoid the spouses of people he’s advised. The film adds musical performances and features a supporting cast, but critics found the story was weak and relied too much on repeating the same jokes. It didn’t do very well in theaters, and Meadows eventually went back to appearing on television.

‘Superstar’ (1999)

Molly Shannon plays a quirky, hopeful student at a Catholic school who’s determined to become famous and experience her first kiss. The movie introduces us to her classmates and a strict principal, who play a part in her journey. While critics enjoyed the film in smaller scenes, they felt the story didn’t quite work as a full-length movie. It made back its budget, but didn’t receive overwhelmingly positive reviews.

‘Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo’ (2005)

Rob Schneider is back as the clumsy fish tank cleaner in a new movie that takes his mishaps abroad. The sequel relies heavily on crude jokes and elaborate scenes filmed in different locations. Critics didn’t like it, and audiences quickly lost interest after the first weekend. While the film earned some money internationally, it marked the end of the series.

‘The Animal’ (2001)

Rob Schneider stars as a hapless guy who starts developing animal characteristics after receiving an experimental transplant. The movie uses this premise for action-packed chases, a love story, and lots of silly, physical comedy. While reviewers found the humor often relied on being overly crude, they admitted some of the physical gags were funny. The film had a good opening weekend, but its performance declined as other summer blockbusters came out.

‘Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser’ (2015)

David Spade is back as the same quirky character he played before, this time in a movie released directly for streaming. The film uses time travel to bring back beloved characters and jokes from the original. However, viewers haven’t responded as enthusiastically as they did to the first movie. Instead of a traditional movie theater release, the focus was on getting views and promoting the film online.

‘Nothing but Trouble’ (1991)

Dan Aykroyd’s horror comedy follows a group of travelers stranded in a strange town. The film is visually striking with detailed makeup and outlandish sets, but it mixes shocking humor with social commentary in a way that many viewers found jarring. This led to negative reviews and poor ticket sales. Over time, the movie gained attention more for its unusual style than its comedic value.

‘Blues Brothers 2000’ (1998)

Dan Aykroyd brought the band back together with new members and a tour featuring appearances by famous musicians. While the movie honors blues music greats, it doesn’t quite capture the magic of the original film, especially without its original stars. Critics found the plot weak, simply serving as a way to link the concert performances. Ultimately, it wasn’t as popular or financially successful as the first movie.

‘Zoolander 2’ (2016)

Ben Stiller is back as the somewhat naive model caught up in an international mystery within the fashion industry. The new movie features a lot of famous faces and larger-scale scenes, bringing back the original cast. However, both critics and viewers thought the humor wasn’t as fresh or funny as the first film. It didn’t perform well at the box office in North America and needed strong international sales to make up the difference.

‘Land of the Lost’ (2009)

Will Ferrell stars in a new version of the classic dinosaur adventure, featuring alternate worlds and lots of special effects. The movie tries to be both funny and impressive, but didn’t quite connect with families or older audiences. Despite attempts to boost its popularity with toys and theme park attractions, the film struggled to gain a strong following.

‘Beverly Hills Ninja’ (1997)

Okay, so this movie stars Chris Farley, and it’s hilarious to watch him play this genuinely good-hearted, but totally clumsy warrior type. He’s basically thrown into a case in Los Angeles and just bumbles his way through it. It’s full of classic slapstick – pratfalls, some impressive stunts, and a lot of ‘fish out of water’ moments where you just see how physically funny Chris Farley was. Critics weren’t kind, honestly, but fans like me really enjoyed a few of the action sequences. It didn’t set the box office on fire when it came out, but it definitely found an audience later on home video.

Let us know in the comments which former SNL cast members you think didn’t quite succeed, and which one you’d be willing to give another chance.

2025-11-07 09:16