15 Recent Films Everyone Knew Were Bad—Including The People Who Made Them

15 Recent Films Everyone Knew Were Bad—Including The People Who Made Them

Sometimes a bad movie just happens. Maybe the script was doomed from day one, maybe the studio meddled too much, or maybe everyone involved just needed to pay off their mortgages. But what’s even juicier than a box-office bomb? When the people who made it admit they saw the disaster coming.

1. Madame Web (2024)

It takes a special kind of film for its star to publicly shrug and say, “Yeah… I get it.” Dakota Johnson did exactly that after Madame Web tanked at the box office. She admitted in interviews that she wasn’t shocked by the backlash and called the whole experience a “real learning moment.”

Behind the scenes, Sony was desperately trying to create a Spider-Man-less Spider-Verse. The result? A superhero movie that forgot to be super—or coherent. Critics called it “confusing,” “lifeless,” and “a $100 million meme.”

Johnson’s refreshingly honest post-mortem gave fans something the movie didn’t: authenticity. When even the star says she’ll “never do anything like that again,” you can’t help but admire the brutal self-awareness.

2. Morbius (2022)

Long before it became an internet punchline, Morbius was already circling disaster. Director Daniel Espinosa admitted he’s “his own worst critic,” which was his polite way of saying, “Yeah, it didn’t turn out great.”

Even worse, co-star Matt Smith confessed he wasn’t sure what his character’s motivation was—during filming. That’s never a good sign. Fans noticed, too, as the film’s chaotic tone and cringe-worthy dialogue quickly went viral for all the wrong reasons.

Sony tried to cash in on the memes by re-releasing the movie in theaters… and it bombed a second time. When you fail twice with the same movie, everyone involved knows the bite isn’t as strong as the hype.

3. Dolittle (2020)

Robert Downey Jr. traded in Iron Man’s armor for a talking-animal adventure—and immediately regretted it. Years later, he called Dolittle a “two-and-a-half-year wound,” admitting that the project was more chaos than charm.

The film was supposed to relaunch Downey’s post-Marvel career, but endless rewrites and reshoots left it with the energy of a bad dream. Even the animals looked like they wanted new agents.

When the man who led the MCU calls his own movie a “squandered opportunity,” that’s not just honesty—it’s therapy. Dolittle may have been meant for kids, but the behind-the-scenes drama was pure grown-up tragedy.

4. Chaos Walking (2021)

Imagine making a movie so confusing your studio calls it “unreleasable.” That’s exactly what happened with Chaos Walking. Lionsgate ordered massive reshoots after early screenings went south.

Despite starring Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland—two of the biggest names in Hollywood—the movie couldn’t find its footing. Critics called it a “sci-fi mess,” and even the cast’s charm couldn’t save the thin plot and weird pacing.

Everyone on set reportedly knew the film was in trouble, and it shows. When a studio openly admits panic mid-production, the only real surprise is that they released it at all.

5. Music (2021)

Pop star Sia’s directorial debut was supposed to be heartfelt, but it landed like a ton of tone-deaf bricks. After intense backlash over her casting choices, Sia apologized publicly and said she “listened to the wrong people.”

Critics accused the movie of misrepresenting autism, and audiences weren’t any kinder. What was meant to be uplifting came across as offensive and awkward. Sia later deleted her Twitter and admitted she was “deeply sorry.”

Owning up to a creative misfire isn’t easy—but when the director herself says she “got it wrong,” that’s as real as it gets. Music became a master class in how not to handle sensitive topics.

6. Ghosted (2023)

It’s not often that a rom-com featuring Chris Evans and Ana de Armas manages to be completely forgettable, but Ghosted pulled it off. After the bad reviews, Evans admitted the movie “could’ve been better.”

The Apple TV+ action-romance had everything on paper—chemistry, budget, star power—but the spark just wasn’t there. Viewers compared it to an AI trying to write a Hallmark spy flick.

When Captain America himself acknowledges the film’s flaws, it’s a subtle nod that even the people behind the camera knew this one ghosted its potential.

7. Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

Superhero fatigue is real, and Fury of the Gods might be Exhibit A. Director David F. Sandberg didn’t hide from the backlash, admitting he was “done with superheroes for now” after the movie’s poor reception.

The film tried to recapture the goofy fun of the first Shazam! but instead felt like a noisy, CGI-stuffed afterthought. Even loyal fans struggled to care about a story that seemed to care so little about itself.

Sandberg’s honesty earned him more respect than the movie did. Sometimes the best superpower is admitting defeat gracefully.

8. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Marvel’s once-tiny hero got a big-budget sequel—and an even bigger problem. Screenwriter Jeff Loveness said he was “taken aback” by the negative reaction, hinting that even the creative team sensed the film didn’t click.

Despite wild visuals and a strong Kang performance, Quantumania felt overstuffed and under-focused. The story collapsed under its own CGI weight.

When writers start publicly defending their work mid-press tour, you can tell the confidence evaporated long before the premiere. This one shrunk Marvel’s momentum faster than any Pym particle ever could.

9. Dear Evan Hansen (2021)

Turning a hit Broadway musical into a movie should’ve been an easy win. Instead, Dear Evan Hansen became a masterclass in miscasting and tone-deaf adaptation.

Ben Platt—who originated the role on stage—was 27 playing a high-schooler, and audiences just couldn’t unsee it. After the backlash, Platt called the experience “disappointing” and admitted the criticism stung.

Even he seemed to realize what everyone was thinking: great songs don’t save a movie that makes viewers cringe instead of cry.

10. The Exorcist: Believer (2023)

Producer Jason Blum didn’t mince words when he said going up against Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour film was “the biggest mistake of my career.” That’s what happens when horror meets pop-culture hurricane.

Beyond bad timing, the movie itself couldn’t recapture the terror of the original. Fans called it dull, predictable, and spiritually empty—everything a possession movie shouldn’t be.

At least Blum was self-aware enough to see the devil in the details. Sometimes, you don’t need a Ouija board to predict failure—you just need a calendar.

11. The King’s Man (2021)

Before The King’s Man hit theaters, director Matthew Vaughn hinted it was a “pretty weird” prequel. Translation: expectations, please lower yourselves.

Despite stylish action and a strong cast, the film lacked the swagger that made the original Kingsman movies fun. It took itself too seriously—and audiences noticed.

Even Vaughn’s early interviews sounded more like warnings than hype. When the creator calls his own movie “odd,” that’s a polite Hollywood way of saying, “We tried, but yeah… we knew.”

12. Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021)

LeBron James stepping into Bugs Bunny’s universe sounded like a slam dunk. Instead, A New Legacy became a cautionary tale in over-branding.

Director Malcolm D. Lee later admitted the movie was a “learning experience,” and critics shredded it for being more ad than art. The film jam-packed every Warner Bros. IP imaginable—because nothing says family fun like a cameo from Mad Max.

Even the nostalgia couldn’t save it. When you need 1,000 Easter eggs to distract from the lack of story, everyone on set probably knew the scoreboard was going to read “L.”

13. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

The first Wonder Woman was a triumph; the sequel, not so much. Patty Jenkins herself admitted that rushing the story hurt the final product.

Despite big visuals and sincere performances, the plot felt like it was written mid-Zoom call. Fans called it messy, and even Gal Gadot later said the team “learned a lot” from how it was received.

When the director and star both hint that they’d do things differently next time, you know they saw the writing on the invisible jet.

14. Amsterdam (2022)

With an A-list cast and a respected director, Amsterdam had every reason to succeed—but instead became a head-scratching failure.

David O. Russell’s ensemble mystery was marketed as clever and stylish, but it played out like a confused history lesson. Insiders later hinted that even the studio knew test screenings were rough.

When critics call your prestige project “exhausting,” it’s safe to assume the cast sensed the chaos too. The movie looked great—but so does a car crash in slow motion.

15. Don’t Worry Darling (2022)

Few movies melted down in real time like Don’t Worry Darling. Between on-set drama, PR scandals, and awkward red-carpet moments, everyone knew something was off.

Florence Pugh reportedly distanced herself from the project before it even premiered, and Olivia Wilde’s endless damage control didn’t help. The gossip overshadowed the movie itself, which critics panned as style-over-substance.

When the drama is more entertaining than the film, that’s the ultimate “we knew” moment. It turns out the real thriller was happening behind the scenes.