Top 10 Terrible Movies That Shockingly Made a Fortune at the Box Office

Let’s face it: just because a movie makes bank doesn’t mean it’s good. From cringe-worthy scripts to baffling plot twists, Hollywood has a knack for turning critical flops into box office gold. Whether it’s franchise loyalty, star power, or sheer curiosity, audiences sometimes flock to films that leave reviewers (and common sense) in the dust. Buckle up as we count down the worst movies that somehow crushed it financially.

10. The Emoji Movie (2017)

Why It’s Bad: This animated “comedy” about sentient emojis trying to save their digital world was roasted for its lazy premise, painfully forced humor, and blatant corporate shilling (looking at you, Dropbox ads). Critics called it “the death of creativity.”

Box Office Win: Despite a 9% Rotten Tomatoes score, it grossed $217 million globally.

Why It Worked: Kids dragged parents to theaters, and let’s be real—some adults were morbidly curious to see how bad it could get.

9. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

Why It’s Bad: Michael Bay’s explosion-filled sequel was slammed for its incoherent plot, racist robot caricatures, and Shia LaBeouf’s infamous “NOOOO!” scream. Even the director later admitted it was “crap.”

Box Office Win: It raked in $836 million, proving that robots punching each other sell tickets.

Why It Worked: Bayhem + giant robots = a formula for financial success, if not Oscar nods.

8. Suicide Squad (2016)

Why It’s Bad: Jared Leto’s Joker was more cringe than chaos, the editing felt like a fever dream, and the plot? What plot? Critics called it a “hot mess,” but at least Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn became a meme.

Box Office Win: It earned $746 million and won an Oscar (for makeup, but still).

Why It Worked: Hype from that awesome trailer and DC fans desperate for a win.

7. Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012)

Why It’s Bad: The finale featured a CGI baby, a vampire battle that turned out to be a dream, and dialogue like “You nicknamed my daughter after the Loch Ness Monster?!”

Box Office Win: It made $829 million because Team Edward/Jacob stans needed closure.

Why It Worked: The Twilight faithful would’ve watched Bella read a phone book for two hours.

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

Why It’s Bad: By the fourth installment, Jack Sparrow’s schtick felt tired, the story was a muddled treasure hunt, and Penélope Cruz’s chemistry with Johnny Depp fizzled.

Box Office Win: It made $1 billion, becoming the franchise’s highest-grossing film.

Why It Worked: Brand recognition and the undying allure of Depp in eyeliner.

5. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Why It’s Bad: A grim, joyless slugfest with a nonsensical “Martha!” resolution. Even Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor felt like a Zuckerberg parody gone wrong.

Box Office Win: It still clawed its way to $873 million.

Why It Worked: The mere idea of Batman fighting Superman was too iconic to resist.

4. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

Why It’s Bad: Dinosaurs auctioned as weapons? A clone girl with magic DNA? Critics called it “bats**t insane” (in a bad way).

Box Office Win: It stomped to $1.3 billion anyway.

Why It Worked: Nostalgia + Chris Pratt running from CGI creatures = box office magic.

3. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Why It’s Bad: Fans roasted its fan-fic-level plot twists, undercooked characters, and frantic pacing. Palpatine’s return? Somehow.

Box Office Win: It still grossed $1.07 billion, because it’s Star Wars.

Why It Worked: The Skywalker name and hope that it’d fix The Last Jedi backlash.

2. Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

Why It’s Bad: Wooden acting, questionable consent, and a soundtrack that outshone the “plot.” Critics called it “as sexy as a PowerPoint presentation.”

Box Office Win: It made $569 million, fueled by hype and “book club” outings.

Why It Worked: Curiosity about the BDSM-lite phenomenon—and Jamie Dornan without a shirt.

1. Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Why It’s Bad: Critics called it a visually stunning but emotionally hollow rehash of the first film, with a “FernGully meets Free Willy” vibe.

Box Office Win: It made $2.3 billion at the box office, becoming the third-highest-grossing film ever.

Why It Worked: James Cameron’s CGI wizardry and the promise of “you gotta see it in 3D!”

Money talks, but quality? Eh, sometimes it whispers. These films prove that franchises, star power, and sheer spectacle can outweigh terrible scripts—at least for one weekend at the multiplex. So next time you see a bad movie topping the charts, just remember: somewhere, a studio exec is crying into a pile of cash.

What’s your guilty pleasure box office bomb? Share your picks