20 Worst Movies of the Last 5 Years, Ranked

The past few years delivered plenty of ambitious releases that missed the mark with audiences. Big franchises tried to reboot long running stories, streamers chased event sized exclusives, and low budget shockers went viral for their wild premises. The result was a pile of films that got people talking for the wrong reasons, whether for awkward plotting, uneven effects, or just being out of step with what viewers wanted.

To keep the focus on recent titles, everything here falls within the last five years and spans theatrical rollouts and streaming premieres. You will see superhero experiments, horror rethinks, splashy musicals, and grown up remakes of teen favorites. Each entry below sticks to clear facts about what the movie is, who made it, and how it fits into its franchise or platform.

‘Jeepers Creepers: Reborn’ (2022)

This entry attempts a fresh start for the ‘Jeepers Creepers’ series with a new cast and creative team. It centers on a horror festival where the Creeper targets attendees and blends slasher beats with meta touches about genre fandom. Filming used contained locations and practical creature work supported by digital enhancements.

Distribution focused on specialty outlets and limited engagements before a wider home release. The film positions itself as a reset that removes prior continuity baggage so newcomers can follow the premise without background knowledge. Merchandise and poster branding emphasized the restart angle across marketing materials.

‘The Next 365 Days’ (2022)

The third film in the Polish ‘365 Days’ saga continues the relationship between Laura and Massimo while introducing more rivalries and power struggles. Major scenes take place in seaside villas and luxury locales, matching the earlier movies with fashion heavy production design and music driven interludes.

The project adapts material from the book series associated with the franchise and was produced in collaboration with the same core companies behind the earlier entries. It premiered on a global streaming platform, giving the series a simultaneous reach in many territories and keeping the trilogy’s audience engaged.

‘365 Days: This Day’ (2022)

This sequel advances the events of the first ‘365 Days’ with a larger emphasis on rival families and a new love triangle. The production leans on stylized cinematography, glossy location work in Italy and Poland, and a curated pop soundtrack that doubles as promotional tie ins.

The film was developed in tandem with another sequel to expedite delivery to fans. It arrived directly on a major streamer with localized subtitles and dubs for dozens of markets. Costuming, cars, and set pieces remain central branding features across trailers and social assets.

‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey’ (2023)

This micro budget slasher reimagines characters from the Hundred Acre Wood in a contemporary survival scenario. It uses rural settings, masked performers, and practical gore effects, relying on the characters’ public domain status for its hook.

The movie built momentum through viral posters and teaser clips on social platforms before rolling into limited theatrical dates and video on demand. A quick production schedule and targeted horror fan outreach helped the film secure international sales and set up follow on installments.

‘Home Sweet Home Alone’ (2021)

This family comedy returns to the ‘Home Alone’ premise with a new kid, a fresh set of would be intruders, and lots of gadget based hijinks. The setting shifts to a well appointed suburban house that doubles as a playground for elaborate traps and pratfalls.

The film debuted on a studio owned streaming service as part of a holiday push and brought back a familiar face from the original series for a brief nod. Production took place in Canada with soundstage work supporting interiors while exterior shots built a winter look for seasonal release timing.

‘Madame Web’ (2024)

Set inside a studio universe built around Marvel characters associated with Spider Man, this standalone story follows Cassandra Webb, a paramedic who develops precognitive abilities. The film introduces several young heroines tied to future identities from the comics and uses New York City backdrops for chase sequences.

The project pairs a television veteran director with a cast led by Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney. It rolled out globally through the studio’s usual distribution network, with trailer campaigns highlighting psychic visions, connective character teases, and a darker urban tone than typical cape fare.

‘Children of the Corn’ (2020)

This adaptation returns to Stephen King’s short story about a rural community where the kids overthrow the adults. The movie shoots in fields, barns, and small town streets and features creature elements tied to the corn itself, mixing practical plant effects with digital augmentation.

The production filmed in Australia and used regional incentives to stretch its budget. Release involved a limited theatrical window followed by availability through a genre focused streaming service and physical media, continuing the property’s long history of direct to viewer entries.

‘Cinderella’ (2021)

This jukebox musical retells the ‘Cinderella’ fairy tale with new arrangements of recognizable pop songs and an original soundtrack number for the lead. The wardrobe department created multiple ball gowns and performance looks, while the ballroom set accommodates large ensemble choreography.

The film arrived as a streaming exclusive from a major platform after a shift in distribution plans. The cast includes Camila Cabello in her film debut along with Idina Menzel, Billy Porter, and other stage trained performers, positioning the project for cross promotion with music outlets.

‘Thunder Force’ (2021)

This buddy comedy invents a world where everyday people can gain super abilities through experimental treatment. The plot teams up two childhood friends who become unlikely defenders of their city, pairing slapstick sequences with super powered showdowns.

The project comes from a frequent collaboration between filmmaker Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy and co stars Octavia Spencer. It launched on a global streamer, where it was supported by a tie in campaign featuring character featurettes and behind the scenes reels focused on stunt work and effects rigs.

‘He’s All That’ (2021)

A gender flipped remake of ‘She’s All That’, this teen romance follows a social media influencer who accepts a challenge to transform a classmate before prom. The film updates familiar beats with smartphone centric storytelling and influencer culture details.

The production shot in Los Angeles area schools and homes and integrates real world platforms into on screen graphics. The cast includes Addison Rae and Tanner Buchanan with cameos that nod to the earlier movie, and the release went straight to streaming with broad territory availability.

‘Firestarter’ (2022)

This remake of the Stephen King story focuses on a young girl with pyrokinetic powers on the run with her father from a secretive government program. It emphasizes cat and mouse pursuit sequences, laboratory settings, and fiery set pieces achieved with a blend of live burns and CG.

The movie is a Blumhouse and Universal collaboration with Zac Efron and Ryan Kiera Armstrong leading the cast. It used a simultaneous release strategy through a studio streamer and theaters, and the score comes from John Carpenter with his longtime collaborators, adding a synth forward sound.

‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ (2022)

This installment positions itself as a direct follow up to the original ‘Texas Chain Saw Massacre’, bringing Leatherface into a modern setting where a group of entrepreneurs plans to revitalize a small town. Practical gore makeup drives the set pieces with extended sequences in confined spaces like buses and abandoned houses.

The film premiered on a major streamer after being acquired from the producing partners. Marketing leaned on legacy callbacks, including the return of the original survivor character, while production itself took place overseas with locations doubling for rural Texas.

‘The Exorcist: Believer’ (2023)

This continuation of ‘The Exorcist’ brings back Ellen Burstyn to connect a new possession case to the earlier story. It follows two families coping with a shared crisis as clergy, medical professionals, and community figures become involved, with set design drawing from suburban homes, churches, and clinics.

The film is part of a planned trilogy developed by Blumhouse and Morgan Creek with distribution through a major studio. The release included premium format screenings, faith community outreach, and companion documentaries exploring the franchise’s legacy and production approach.

‘Expend4bles’ (2023)

The fourth entry in the ‘Expendables’ series shifts focus toward Jason Statham’s character while keeping the ensemble formula of mercenary missions, heavy weapons, and practical explosions. The action toggles between shipboard sieges and dockyard firefights, with second unit work handling large scale stunt logistics.

Production utilized the studio complex in Bulgaria alongside location work and employed an international cast that includes returning veterans and new faces. The film’s rollout included an IMAX friendly campaign, collectible posters, and brand tie ins with tactical gear and energy drinks.

‘Blacklight’ (2022)

This action thriller stars Liam Neeson as a government fixer drawn into a conspiracy involving a journalist and a whistleblower. It features urban chases, warehouse shootouts, and a subplot about family that adds personal stakes to the procedural elements.

Filming took place in Australia with city streets doubling for American locations, and the production used regional incentives to support its schedule. Distribution in North America came through a partnership between independent labels, followed by streaming and physical media availability.

‘Moonfall’ (2022)

Roland Emmerich returns to large scale disaster storytelling with a plot about a mysterious force knocking the Moon from orbit. The film uses extensive soundstage sets for spacecraft interiors and mission control rooms and combines miniatures, motion control, and heavy CG for destruction sequences.

The cast includes Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, and John Bradley, and the production assembled an international financing package with multiple sales partners. Marketing emphasized spectacle through premium format trailers and tech breakdowns that highlighted the virtual production pipeline.

‘Morbius’ (2022)

Adapted from Marvel comics, this film follows Dr Michael Morbius as he attempts to cure a rare blood disorder and inadvertently gains vampiric abilities. The story blends laboratory drama with superhero action and uses stylized slow motion to visualize echolocation and bloodlust.

It is part of a studio run universe centered on characters linked to Spider Man and stars Jared Leto with Matt Smith as the antagonist. Release plans shifted more than once due to calendar reshuffles, and the final rollout included large scale outdoor ads and character posters across major markets.

‘Lift’ (2024)

This heist caper teams a master thief with an Interpol agent to stop a terror finance plot by stealing a fortune mid flight. The movie stages set pieces inside airport terminals and an airborne cargo hold, mixing wire work, digital set extensions, and practical cockpit builds.

Directed by F Gary Gray, the film features Kevin Hart, Gugu Mbatha Raw, and an ensemble of specialists who bring different skills to the operation. It premiered on a global streaming platform, which supported it with interactive promos, behind the scenes clips, and influencer partnerships.

‘Atlas’ (2024)

This science fiction adventure follows a data analyst who ends up inside a military exosuit on a hostile planet while tracking a rogue artificial intelligence. The production leans on motion capture, large volume LED walls, and extensive VFX to stage mech fights and off world environments.

Jennifer Lopez leads the cast with Simu Liu and Sterling K Brown in key roles, and the film releases through a major streamer with worldwide reach. The campaign centered on character featurettes explaining suit mechanics, plus tech forward teasers that foreground the AI antagonist.

‘Argylle’ (2024)

This spy romp from Matthew Vaughn centers on a novelist whose plots begin mirroring real espionage events, pulling her into a globe trotting adventure with a mysterious operative. The production moves through European capitals and uses clean primary colored costumes and graphic action staging associated with the director’s style.

The ensemble includes Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa, and more. Apple handled acquisition and partnered with a traditional studio for theatrical distribution before the title shifted to its home platform, and the campaign included music tie ins and character centric teasers.

Share your picks in the comments and tell us which recent misfires you would add to the list.