Throughout cinema history, some of these worst movie trilogies have proven that studios often prioritize profit over storytelling. While some film series have managed to deliver iconic stories and unforgettable characters, others have failed to justify having a sequel, let alone three feature-length movies. In trying to exploit the success of the first film, the sequels either ruin the entire franchise or tarnish the reputation of its actors and directors.
The list takes a closer look at the worst movie trilogies that should never have seen the light of day. From rushed productions that sacrificed quality to drawn-out storylines, these trilogies exist only as cautionary tales for Hollywood. Whether a die-hard film buff or a casual moviegoer, here are the worst movie trilogies that remind audiences why sometimes one movie is more than enough.
Blade
The 1998 Blade was released at a time when superhero films were either campy or niche. Blade brought something fresh, not just another comic book movie but a cool, R-rated, action-packed vampire thriller with a Black superhero (Wesley Snipes) at its center. More importantly, Blade proved there was a hungry audience for comic book adaptation beyond the PG formula. With a modest $45 million budget, Blade tripled its budget, grossing $131.2 million in 1998.
As far as New Line Cinema was concerned, they had struck gold with the genre and couldn’t resist franchising it. Under Guillermo del Toro’s direction, Blade II (2002), while visually stunning, leaned too heavily on CGI. While it had a slightly bigger budget, the sequel wasn’t necessarily better, as it relied more on spectacle than storytelling. Then came Blade: Trinity (2004), a messy, bloated sequel that practically killed the franchise. To date, the Marvel-centric MCU is still struggling to bring the superhero fully into its universe.
Taken
The first Taken movie hit theaters in early 2008. Northern Irish actor Liam Neeson, who was mostly known for dramatic roles, reinvented himself as a late-career action star. In Taken, Neeson delivered one of the most iconic lines in modern cinema: “I will find you, and I will kill you.” Unsurprisingly, the scene and phrase became an internet meme. Audiences loved the raw, stripped-down story of a father with “a particular set of skills” rescuing his kidnapped daughter. Besides being fast-paced and brutally efficient, Taken was refreshingly simple compared to the bloated action blockbusters of its time.
Ideally, Taken’s story was perfect as a one-off revenge thriller. However, when the studio decided to stretch it into a trilogy, that’s when things fell apart. Taken 2 and Taken 3 tried to repackage the same plot formula without any of the surprise or emotional stakes that made the first film captivating. By Taken 3, the film series had abandoned what little realism it had left and turned Bryan Mills into a virtually indestructible action hero. Somehow, somewhere between the first and third film, producers forgot that it was Mills’s vulnerability, despite his set of skills, that made the character relatable in the first place.
The Hangover
When The Hangover hit theaters in 2009, it wasn’t just another R-rated comedy, but became a phenomenon! The movie tapped into something audiences didn’t even realize they were craving. The Hangover was a fresh take on the buddy comedy with a surprisingly clever, chaotic, and raunchy take. It has a mystery element, with the top characters piecing together the previous night’s blackout. Also, the chemistry between Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Ken Jeong was one that even audiences didn’t realize they needed.
However, lightning rarely strikes twice. In all honesty, The Hangover wasn’t built for sequels. When The Hangover Part II (2011) was released, it didn’t take long for audiences to figure out it was essentially the same story transplanted to Bangkok, minus the surprise. It felt like the writers were working off a checklist rather than being creative. By The Hangover Part III (2013), the franchise abandoned its original formula entirely, opting for a darker, heist-style plot. In the end, the trilogy collapsed under the weight of its own success, as it tried too hard to cash in on a concept that only worked once. It will always remain a prime example of worst movie trilogies.
Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades of Grey premiered in February 2015 as an adaptation of E. L. James’s bestselling novel. Ideally, it tapped into an already-established fanbase hungry to see Christian Grey (portrayed by Jamie Dornan) and Anastasia “Ana” Steele’s (Dakota Johnson) steamy romance play out on the big screen. Also, the film’s marketing was relentless, pushing provocative themes while courting controversy to fuel curiosity. Unsurprisingly, Fifty Shades of Grey raked in $569.7 million against its $40 million production budget.
However, in hindsight, the film was never about cinematic excellence. Critics panned the film for its clunky dialogue, stiff performance, and paper-thin plot. Yet, it worked as a guilty-pleasure novelty. It was supposed to be a one-time curiosity watch that everyone wanted to talk about, even if they hated it. For reasons unknown, Universal Pictures mistook this curiosity for a need for sequels. Turning Fifty Shades into a full trilogy was like trying to stretch a single viral TikTok into a three-hour documentary series. Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed stripped away the original film’s curiosity factor, leaving audiences with melodramatic romance clichés, awkward sex scenes, and even less plot than before.
Divergent
When Divergent premiered in March 2014, it had everything a young adult blockbuster needed to succeed. It was set in a dystopian world, had a strong female lead, and a built-in fanbase from Veronica Roth’s bestselling novel. Shailene Woodley brought an emotional depth to Beatrice “Tris” Prior that stood out among YA adaptations. The film’s slick production design and action-driven plot gave audiences exactly what they were craving after the post-Hunger Games era.
With Box Office earnings of $288.9 million from an $85 million budget, the problem wasn’t Divergent. Simply put, the decision to milk it into a film series has turned it into one of the worst movie trilogies in modern cinema. The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015) and The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016) only exposed how thin the source material was. It failed abysmally to compete with The Hunger Games. The Divergent film series was so poorly received that the proposed fourth film and television series had to be shelved to avoid further embarrassment. While the list isn’t exhaustive, these are the top five famous worst movie trilogies of modern cinema.
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