A movie sequel is a follow-up to a movie that continues the story either immediately after the first movie ended or returning years later. Movie companies have been making sequels since the early 1900s. Sequels of films have been around for decades.
In 1915, “The Birth of a Nation” came out, and its sequel “The Fall of a Nation” came out a year later. The first silent film starred Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh and Henry B. Walthall” and told the story of two families during the Civil War, Lincoln’s Assassination and the establishment of the KKK. It’s believed this is the first movie sequel.
There’s an earlier sequel, but both it and the original were shorts. Therefore, it is not considered a movie sequel due to its length. “The Little Train Robbery” came out in 1905 and was a parody of 1903’s short “The Great Train Robbery.”
Each year, more sequels come out. Some are tremendously successful and others miss the mark. Fans of original movies may feel there was no need for a sequel, and other movies have so many sequels that they get tired of the franchise. Filmmakers take a risk when making sequels.
As of 2023, “The Avengers: Endgame” was the best-selling sequel of all time. The movie’s global box office revenue reached almost $2.8 billion, beating “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” and “Jurassic World.” Its performance landed it the Guinness Book of World Records for “Highest-Grossing Movie Sequel.”
These movies are among the “Most Successful Sequels Ever” ranked by ticket sales. Many others tanked and made our list of the worst sequels.
To determine the worst sequels of all time, 24/7 Tempo developed an index of movies using average ratings on IMDb (an online movie database owned by Amazon) and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes (an online movie and TV review aggregator) as of March 2024, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only sequels with at least 25,000 ratings on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes. Documentaries were not considered. Cast credits are from IMDb. (Before discovering the worst sequels of all time, be sure to check out the 20 worst movies of all time.)
Here is the list of the worst sequels of all time:
50. Fifty Shades Freed (2018)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.5/10 (60,248 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 37% (5,791 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 11% (195 reviews)
- Starring: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Eric Johnson
49. Friday the 13th Part V (1985)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.8/10 (36,042 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 26% (62,151 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 18% (22 reviews)
- Starring: Melanie Kinnaman, John Shepherd, Anthony Barrile
48. Look Who’s Talking Too (1990)
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.7/10 (45,729 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 32% (196,732 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 13% (15 reviews)
- Starring: John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Olympia Dukakis
47. Spy Kids 4-D: All the Time in the World (2011)
Source: Courtesy of Dimension Films
- IMDb user rating: 3.5/10 (24,194 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 37% (30,709 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 23% (61 reviews)
- Starring: Jessica Alba, Jeremy Piven, Joel McHale
46. Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2015)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
N/A
- IMDb user rating: 5.1/10 (38,070 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 26% (35,064 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 14% (110 reviews)
- Starring: Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke
45. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.3/10 (114,735 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 31% (112,890 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 18% (114 reviews)
- Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ciarán Hinds, Idris Elba
44. Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- IMDb user rating: 4.6/10 (14,620 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 31% (219,744 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 14% (95 reviews)
- Starring: Frankie Muniz, Anthony Anderson, Hannah Spearritt
43. I Spit on Your Grave 2 (2013)
Source: Courtesy of Anchor Bay Films
- IMDb user rating: 5.7/10 (28,522 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 30% (2,056 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (9 reviews)
- Starring: Jemma Dallender, Joe Absolom, Yavor Baharov
42. Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.7/10 (49,863 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 33% (194,037 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 9% (100 reviews)
- Starring: Rob Schneider, Eddie Griffin, Jeroen Krabbé
41. An American Werewolf in Paris (1997)
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 5.1/10 (24,209 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 30% (78,675 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 7% (29 reviews)
- Starring: Tom Everett Scott, Julie Delpy, Vince Vieluf
40. Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 5.1/10 (35,890 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 27% (80,487 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 10% (134 reviews)
- Starring: Stellan Skarsgård, Izabella Scorupco, James D’Arcy
39. Zoolander 2 (2016)
Source: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
- IMDb user rating: 4.7/10 (67,083 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 20% (41,780 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 22% (235 reviews)
- Starring: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Penélope Cruz
38. Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 5.0/10 (41,687 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 38% (56,203 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (20 reviews)
- Starring: Steve Guttenberg, Bubba Smith, Michael Winslow
37. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 4.6/10 (119,887 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 30% (212,446 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 12% (77 reviews)
- Starring: Reiko Aylesworth, Steven Pasquale, Shareeka Epps
36. Jason X (2001)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (53,376 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 25% (71,651 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 19% (108 reviews)
- Starring: Kane Hodder, Lexa Doig, Jeff Geddis
35. Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
N/A
- IMDb user rating: 4.6/10 (26,325 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 27% (25,292 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 14% (77 reviews)
- Starring: Chris J. Murray, Brit Shaw, Ivy George
34. Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.8/10 (24,382 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 25% (171,811 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 11% (81 reviews)
- Starring: Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, Jere Burns
33. I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.7/10 (71,130 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 29% (371,427 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 7% (57 reviews)
- Starring: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Brandy Norwood
32. Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (35,960 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 33% (37,548 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 5% (62 reviews)
- Starring: Kevin James, Raini Rodriguez, Eduardo Verástegui
31. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 4.2/10 (30,419 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 24% (59,645 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 16% (19 reviews)
- Starring: John D. LeMay, Kari Keegan, Kane Hodder
30. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.6/10 (35,754 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 27% (62,119 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 8% (25 reviews)
- Starring: Jensen Daggett, Kane Hodder, Todd Caldecott
29. The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (22,850 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 20% (44,107 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 25% (72 reviews)
- Starring: Mark Addy, Stephen Baldwin, Kristen Johnston
28. Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 4.6/10 (35,061 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 33% (49,703 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (8 reviews)
- Starring: Bubba Smith, David Graf, Michael Winslow
27. Highlander: The Final Dimension (1994)
Source: Courtesy of Dimension Films
N/A
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (21,695 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 28% (39,189 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 5% (20 reviews)
- Starring: Christopher Lambert, Mario Van Peebles, Deborah Kara Unger
26. The Next Karate Kid (1994)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.5/10 (28,653 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 24% (61,092 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 7% (27 reviews)
- Starring: Pat Morita, Hilary Swank, Michael Ironside
25. Halloween VIII: Resurrection (2002)
Source: Courtesy of Dimension Films
- IMDb user rating: 4.0/10 (39,632 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 25% (90,497 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 12% (67 reviews)
- Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Busta Rhymes, Brad Loree
24. Basic Instinct 2 (2006)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (38,643 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 26% (89,168 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 6% (157 reviews)
- Starring: Sharon Stone, David Morrissey, David Thewlis
23. Scary Movie V (2013)
Source: Courtesy of The Weinstein Company
- IMDb user rating: 3.5/10 (68,491 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 38% (236,252 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 4% (52 reviews)
- Starring: Simon Rex, Ashley Tisdale, Charlie Sheen
22. Look Who’s Talking Now (1993)
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (28,647 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 29% (185,890 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (25 reviews)
- Starring: John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, David Gallagher
21. Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (30,409 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 28% (42,918 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (8 reviews)
- Starring: Bubba Smith, David Graf, Michael Winslow
20. Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.3/10 (16,931 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 20% (49,540 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 9% (85 reviews)
- Starring: Jennifer Morrison, Matthew Davis, Hart Bochner
19. Species II (1998)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corporation
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (28,558 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 18% (39,287 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 9% (33 reviews)
- Starring: Natasha Henstridge, Michael Madsen, Marg Helgenberger
18. Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)
Source: Courtesy of Artisan Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 4.0/10 (37,056 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 18% (58,191 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 14% (108 reviews)
- Starring: Jeffrey Donovan, Stephen Barker Turner, Erica Leerhsen
17. Universal Soldier: The Return (1999)
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 4.2/10 (28,800 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 24% (43,491 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 5% (58 reviews)
- Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bill Goldberg, Heidi Schanz
16. Piranha 3DD (2012)
Source: Courtesy of RADiUS-TWC
- IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (41,342 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 22% (22,593 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 13% (53 reviews)
- Starring: Danielle Panabaker, Ving Rhames, David Hasselhoff
15. Daddy Day Camp (2007)
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 3.2/10 (16,388 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 38% (160,302 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 1% (81 reviews)
- Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr., Lochlyn Munro, Richard Gant
14. Jaws 3 (1983)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (42,094 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 17% (187,841 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 14% (35 reviews)
- Starring: Dennis Quaid, Bess Armstrong, Simon MacCorkindale
13. Batman & Robin (1997)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 3.8/10 (241,109 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 16% (554,450 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 12% (93 reviews)
- Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, Chris O’Donnell
12. Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
N/A
- IMDb user rating: 3.4/10 (38,652 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 23% (258,955 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 10% (119 reviews)
- Starring: Derek Richardson, Eric Christian Olsen, Eugene Levy
11. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (52,919 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 25% (88,363 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 4% (50 reviews)
- Starring: Robin Shou, Talisa Soto, James Remar
10. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (46,555 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 16% (66,035 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 11% (46 reviews)
- Starring: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder
9. RoboCop 3 (1993)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Home Video
- IMDb user rating: 4.1/10 (48,785 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 15% (58,242 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 6% (31 reviews)
- Starring: Robert John Burke, Nancy Allen, Mario Machado
8. Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018)
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate Home Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 3.9/10 (30,186 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 14% (822 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 8% (26 reviews)
- Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Dave Bautista, Xiaoming Huang
7. Caddyshack II (1988)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 3.8/10 (15,249 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 18% (27,434 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 4% (24 reviews)
- Starring: Jackie Mason, Robert Stack, Dyan Cannon
6. Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 3.9/10 (78,535 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 16% (222,027 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 4% (73 reviews)
- Starring: Sandra Bullock, Jason Patric, Willem Dafoe
5. 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain (1998)
Source: Andrew H. Walker / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
- IMDb user rating: 3.0/10 (12,527 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 29% (76,131 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (6 reviews)
- Starring: Loni Anderson, Hulk Hogan, Jim Varney
4. Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 3.5/10 (33,055 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 22% (38,381 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (7 reviews)
- Starring: G.W. Bailey, George Gaynes, Michael Winslow
3. Jaws: The Revenge (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 3.0/10 (44,259 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 15% (88,545 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 3% (39 reviews)
- Starring: Lorraine Gary, Lance Guest, Mario Van Peebles
2. Son of the Mask (2005)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 2.2/10 (54,703 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 16% (38,675 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 6% (105 reviews)
- Starring: Jamie Kennedy, Traylor Howard, Alan Cumming
1. Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (2004)
Source: Cherie Steinberg / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
- IMDb user rating: 1.9/10 (30,656 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 24% (6,987 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (46 reviews)
- Starring: Jon Voight, Scott Baio, Vanessa Angel