If a motion picture has franchise potential, movie makers are quick to exploit its success and make a sequel. In the case of the Indiana Jones films, that strategy has produced lucrative results. Some sequels can be better than the original (Also See The Best Movie Sequels of All Time.)
But not every well-received movie is franchise material.
To determine the worst sequels of all time, 24/7 Tempo developed an index 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 early November 2023, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies with at least 5,000 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes, and ruled out documentaries. Cast credits are from IMDb.
All the films on this list posted IMDb user-rating scores of 4.4 or lower. Twenty-two registered single-digit Rotten Tomato Tomatometer scores, and four, including the worst sequel on our list, recorded no Tomatometer scores at all.
In terms of genre, horror films appear most frequently on our list with 15. The bar for making a good horror flick is pretty high: The special effects have to be special; the makeup has to be professional; the acting must be authentic; and the plots have to be believable. Failure to accomplish any of these can result in a film that’s laughably bad or cringeworthy. Examples of this are two sequels to Jaws and Friday the 13th. (Also See The Worst Horror Movies of All Time.)
Among the well-regarded original films with clunker sequels on our list are “Spy Kids,” “Pink Panther,” “Blair Witch Project,” and “Grease.”
“Batman & Robin,” which received the most Rotten Tomatoes audience votes (554,450), managed a score of just 12 on the RT Tomatometer. George Clooney, who played the caped crusader, regales audiences of how he feared he had ruined the franchise with his performance.
Scroll below to see the worst sequels of all time.
50. Escape Plan: The Extractors (2019)
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate Premiere
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate Premiere
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (13,142 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 10% (430 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 25% (12 reviews)
- Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Dave Bautista, 50 Cent
49. Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (35,960 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 33% (37,548 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 5% (62 reviews)
- Starring: Kevin James, Raini Rodriguez, Eduardo Verástegui
48. Jason X (2001)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (53,376 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 25% (71,651 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 19% (108 reviews)
- Starring: Kane Hodder, Lexa Doig, Jeff Geddis
47. Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (14,740 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 38% (70,154 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 13% (99 reviews)
- Starring: Bette Midler, Chris O’Donnell, Jack McBrayer
46. Mannequin: On the Move (1991)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (6,128 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 41% (7,594 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 13% (23 reviews)
- Starring: Kristy Swanson, William Ragsdale, Meshach Taylor
45. Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (49,890 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 33% (231,656 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 26% (88 reviews)
- Starring: Eddie Murphy, Janet Jackson, Larry Miller
44. Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (2011)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (26,502 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 58% (132,131 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 5% (62 reviews)
- Starring: Martin Lawrence, Brandon T. Jackson, Jessica Lucas
43. God’s Not Dead 2 (2016)
Source: Courtesy of Pure Flix Entertainment
Source: Courtesy of Pure Flix Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (12,050 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 62% (13,307 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 10% (40 reviews)
- Starring: Melissa Joan Hart, Jesse Metcalfe, David A.R. White
42. The Craft: Legacy (2020)
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (10,525 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 26% (336 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 47% (114 reviews)
- Starring: Cailee Spaeny, Zoey Luna, Gideon Adlon
41. Grease 2 (1982)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.4/10 (34,301 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 53% (393,848 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 39% (36 reviews)
- Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, Maxwell Caulfield, Lorna Luft
40. Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.3/10 (16,931 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 20% (49,540 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 9% (85 reviews)
- Starring: Jennifer Morrison, Matthew Davis, Hart Bochner
39. Are We Done Yet? (2007)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.3/10 (20,541 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 32% (40 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 8% (92 reviews)
- Starring: Ice Cube, Nia Long, John C. McGinley
38. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011)
Source: Sascha Steinbach / Getty Images
Source: Sascha Steinbach / Getty Images
- IMDb user rating: 4.3/10 (114,735 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 31% (112,890 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 18% (114 reviews)
- Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ciarán Hinds, Idris Elba
37. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 4.3/10 (8,131 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 31% (5,731 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 18% (72 reviews)
- Starring: Jason Drucker, Alicia Silverstone, Tom Everett Scott
36. Curse of the Pink Panther (1983)
Source: Courtesy of WGN
Source: Courtesy of WGN
- IMDb user rating: 4.3/10 (5,854 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 24% (1,928 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 31% (13 reviews)
- Starring: David Niven, Robert Wagner, Herbert Lom
35. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 4.3/10 (33,341 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 51% (66,682 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 12% (82 reviews)
- Starring: Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney
34. Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 4.3/10 (57,533 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 25% (96,667 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 45% (143 reviews)
- Starring: Daryl Sabara, Alexa PenaVega, Antonio Banderas
33. Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)
Source: Courtesy of WGN
Source: Courtesy of WGN
- IMDb user rating: 4.2/10 (47,170 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 23% (53,068 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (25 reviews)
- Starring: Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Virginia Madsen
32. Universal Soldier: The Return (1999)
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 4.2/10 (28,800 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 24% (43,491 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 5% (58 reviews)
- Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bill Goldberg, Heidi Schanz
31. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 4.2/10 (30,419 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 24% (59,645 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 16% (19 reviews)
- Starring: John D. LeMay, Kari Keegan, Kane Hodder
30. V/H/S Viral (2014)
Source: Courtesy of Magnet Releasing
Source: Courtesy of Magnet Releasing
- IMDb user rating: 4.2/10 (15,742 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 13% (5,068 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 34% (32 reviews)
- Starring: Patrick Lawrie, Emilia Ares, Celia K. Milius
29. RoboCop 3 (1993)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Home Video
Source: Courtesy of Orion Home Video
- IMDb user rating: 4.1/10 (48,785 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 15% (58,242 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 6% (31 reviews)
- Starring: Robert John Burke, Nancy Allen, Mario Machado
28. Amityville 3-D (1983)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 4.1/10 (6,287 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 19% (11,264 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 10% (20 reviews)
- Starring: Tony Roberts, Tess Harper, Robert Joy
27. Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)
Source: Courtesy of Artisan Entertainment
Source: Courtesy of Artisan Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 4.0/10 (37,056 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 18% (58,191 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 14% (108 reviews)
- Starring: Jeffrey Donovan, Stephen Barker Turner, Erica Leerhsen
26. Halloween VIII: Resurrection (2002)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 4.0/10 (39,632 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 25% (90,497 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 12% (67 reviews)
- Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Busta Rhymes, Brad Loree
25. The Last Exorcism Part II (2013)
Source: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
Source: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
- IMDb user rating: 4.0/10 (16,095 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 26% (21,825 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 15% (72 reviews)
- Starring: Ashley Bell, Julia Garner, Spencer Treat Clark
24. King Kong Lives (1986)
Source: Courtesy of De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
Source: Courtesy of De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
- IMDb user rating: 3.9/10 (5,903 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 17% (11,972 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (12 reviews)
- Starring: Brian Kerwin, Linda Hamilton, Peter Elliott
23. Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 3.9/10 (78,535 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 16% (222,027 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 4% (73 reviews)
- Starring: Sandra Bullock, Jason Patric, Willem Dafoe
22. Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018)
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate Home Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 3.9/10 (30,186 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 14% (822 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 8% (26 reviews)
- Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Dave Bautista, Xiaoming Huang
21. Son of the Pink Panther (1993)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- IMDb user rating: 3.9/10 (5,229 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 18% (5,285 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 6% (33 reviews)
- Starring: Roberto Benigni, Herbert Lom, Claudia Cardinale
20. Boo 2! A Madea Halloween (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Lions Gate Films
Source: Courtesy of Lions Gate Films
- IMDb user rating: 3.9/10 (4,442 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 40% (5,803 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 4% (23 reviews)
- Starring: Tyler Perry, Cassi Davis, Patrice Lovely
19. Caddyshack II (1988)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 3.8/10 (15,249 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 18% (27,434 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 4% (24 reviews)
- Starring: Jackie Mason, Robert Stack, Dyan Cannon
18. Batman & Robin (1997)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 3.8/10 (241,109 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 16% (554,450 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 12% (93 reviews)
- Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney, Chris O’Donnell
17. The Bad News Bears Go to Japan (1978)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 3.8/10 (2,939 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 28% (6,454 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 6% (16 reviews)
- Starring: Tony Curtis, Jackie Earle Haley, Tomisaburô Wakayama
16. Piranha II: The Spawning (1981)
Source: Courtesy of Saturn International
Source: Courtesy of Saturn International
- IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (8,375 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 11% (1,935 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 6% (18 reviews)
- Starring: Tricia O’Neil, Steve Marachuk, Lance Henriksen
15. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (46,555 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 16% (66,035 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 11% (46 reviews)
- Starring: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder
14. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (52,919 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 25% (88,363 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 4% (50 reviews)
- Starring: Robin Shou, Talisa Soto, James Remar
13. Jaws 3 (1983)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (42,094 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 17% (187,841 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 14% (35 reviews)
- Starring: Dennis Quaid, Bess Armstrong, Simon MacCorkindale
12. Piranha 3DD (2012)
Source: Courtesy of RADiUS-TWC
Source: Courtesy of RADiUS-TWC
- IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (41,342 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 22% (22,593 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 13% (53 reviews)
- Starring: Danielle Panabaker, Ving Rhames, David Hasselhoff
11. Howling II: … Your Sister Is a Werewolf (1985)
Source: Courtesy of Cinema '84/Greenberg Brothers Partnership
Source: Courtesy of Cinema ’84/Greenberg Brothers Partnership
- IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (6,876 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 14% (7,607 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 31% (13 reviews)
- Starring: Christopher Lee, Annie McEnroe, Reb Brown
10. The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 3.7/10 (22,850 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 20% (44,107 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 25% (72 reviews)
- Starring: Mark Addy, Stephen Baldwin, Kristen Johnston
9. Scary Movie V (2013)
Source: Courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment
Source: Courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 3.5/10 (68,491 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 38% (236,252 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 4% (52 reviews)
- Starring: Simon Rex, Ashley Tisdale, Charlie Sheen
8. Spy Kids 4-D: All the Time in the World (2011)
Source: Courtesy of Dimension Films
Source: Courtesy of Dimension Films
- IMDb user rating: 3.5/10 (24,194 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 37% (30,709 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 23% (61 reviews)
- Starring: Jessica Alba, Jeremy Piven, Joel McHale
7. Teen Wolf Too (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Atlantic Releasing
Source: Courtesy of Atlantic Releasing
- IMDb user rating: 3.4/10 (12,369 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 18% (7,970 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 7% (15 reviews)
- Starring: Jason Bateman, Kim Darby, John Astin
6. Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
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Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 3.4/10 (38,652 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 23% (258,955 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 10% (119 reviews)
- Starring: Derek Richardson, Eric Christian Olsen, Eugene Levy
5. Daddy Day Camp (2007)
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 3.2/10 (16,388 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 38% (160,302 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 1% (81 reviews)
- Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr., Lochlyn Munro, Richard Gant
4. Jaws: The Revenge (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 3.0/10 (44,259 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 15% (88,545 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 3% (39 reviews)
- Starring: Lorraine Gary, Lance Guest, Mario Van Peebles
3. Jeepers Creepers: Reborn (2022)
Source: Courtesy of Screen Media Films
Source: Courtesy of Screen Media Films
- IMDb user rating: 2.5/10 (12,542 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 8% (1,155 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (16 reviews)
- Starring: Gary Graham, Dee Wallace, Timo Vuorensola
2. Son of the Mask (2005)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 2.2/10 (54,703 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 16% (38,675 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 6% (105 reviews)
- Starring: Jamie Kennedy, Traylor Howard, Alan Cumming
1. Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (2004)
Source: 2004 Getty Images / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
Source: Cherie Steinberg / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
- IMDb user rating: 1.9/10 (30,656 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 24% (6,987 reviews)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 0% (46 reviews)
- Starring: Jon Voight, Scott Baio, Vanessa Angel