Buzz
Adapted films are based on popular novels, comics, plays, TV series, or even other movies. However, as we’ll see, the popularity of the original work doesn’t always guarantee a successful adaptation. Additionally, some films that initially flopped later gained recognition, while others achieved commercial success but were panned by critics and fans alike. Many of these films never received a sequel.
10. Catwoman (2004)
Catwoman, a feline-inspired thief from DC Comics who oscillates between heroism and villainy, first appeared in the 1992 movie Batman Returns. Her standalone film in 2004 was a critical and commercial disaster, often labeled as one of the worst superhero movies of all time.
The film is riddled with issues. Initially, the script underwent numerous rewrites by 28 different writers, resulting in a Catwoman who bears no similarity to her comic book counterpart. In the comics, Catwoman is Selina Kyle, a skilled burglar, but in the movie, she is Patience Phillip, a graphic designer with no connection to the original character.
Phillip is murdered after uncovering her employer's plan to release a harmful and addictive anti-aging cream. She is resurrected by an Egyptian goddess's cat, transforming her into one of many incarnations of Catwoman created by the goddess. This transformation also gives her cat-like behaviors, such as eating cat food and avoiding rain.
The film grossed less than its $100 million budget and was a critical disaster. It won Worst Picture and Worst Screenplay at The Golden Raspberry Awards, which honors the worst in cinema. Halle Berry, who played the lead, accepted the Worst Actress award with a sarcastic speech thanking Warner Bros. for casting her in what she called a “piece-of-sh—, God-awful film.”
9. Battlefield Earth (2000)
Battlefield Earth is set in the year 3000, where an alien race has enslaved humanity to mine gold. Based on the novel by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, the movie was widely mocked upon release. Renowned critic Roger Ebert famously described it as akin to “taking a bus trip with someone who has needed a bath for a long time.”
The film faced two major issues before and during production. First, it was penned by the founder of Scientology, which raised eyebrows. Second, its $100 million budget was considered excessive by major studios like Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 20th Century Fox, and Warner Bros., all of which declined to finance it. Eventually, Franchise Pictures and Intertainment AG stepped in, agreeing to co-produce it for $55 million, with Intertainment covering 47 percent. However, Franchise Pictures later inflated the production costs to $80 million through fraudulent means.
Despite these efforts, the film was severely underfunded. Cinematographer Giles Nuttgens noted it had the smallest lighting budget he’d ever encountered. John Travolta even contributed $5 million of his own money to keep the project afloat. Yet, the movie was a colossal failure, leading to the bankruptcy of Trendmaster, a toy company that had invested heavily in merchandise, expecting to earn over $50 million.
Screenwriter J.D. Shapiro later apologized to audiences, calling the film the “suckiest” of all “sucky” movies. He admitted he got involved in the project while visiting the Los Angeles branch of the Church of Scientology, hoping to meet women. Although he claimed his original script was vastly different from the final product, he conceded that his efforts to find romance were unsuccessful.
8. Myra Breckinridge (1970)
Myra Breckinridge, based on Gore Vidal’s novel of the same name, follows a transgender woman’s quest to become a famous actress. The film was a complete failure, often described as a “sexual freak show” rather than a legitimate movie. One particularly controversial scene depicts the transgender protagonist raping a male colleague, contributing to its X rating, typically reserved for pornographic content.
The film also included clips from older movies, prompting threats of legal action from their casts. Unsurprisingly, the movie, intended to be humorous and provocative, failed miserably upon release. The flop was so severe that it nearly destroyed 20th Century Fox and the careers of its cast members.
7. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Wizard of Oz, adapted from L. Frank Baum’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, is now a beloved classic. However, its initial release in 1939, coinciding with the end of the Great Depression and the start of World War II, was a financial disappointment, earning just $200,000 over its $2.8 million budget.
The Wizard of Oz faced numerous challenges during production. Five directors worked on it, with Victor Fleming receiving official credit, though George Cukor shaped its direction. Over 12 scriptwriters contributed, leading to significant deviations from the novel. At one point, magic was removed, and the Tin Man, Lion, and Scarecrow were reimagined as humans in costumes. Eventually, Dorothy’s journey was rewritten as a dream.
The production was also marred by accidents. Buddy Ebsen, the original Tin Man, nearly died after inhaling aluminum from his costume. Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch, endured two fire-related injuries, and her stunt double, Betty Danko, suffered one as well. Even Toto, the dog, wasn’t spared, sustaining a broken jaw when a crew member accidentally stepped on it. The film only achieved commercial success two decades later, when CBS broadcast it in 1959.
6. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
The Superman franchise, based on DC Comics’ Superman, began with its first film in 1978, followed by sequels in 1980 and 1983. While the first two films are widely praised, the fourth installment, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, is considered a disaster. Often labeled the worst in the series and even the “worst sequel ever made,” The Washington Post criticized it as “more sluggish than a funeral barge.”
The film’s low quality is unsurprising, given its meager $17 million budget, a stark contrast to the $55 million spent on the first movie. This was due to Cannon Films, known for low-budget productions, acquiring the rights from Alexander and Ilya Salkind, who produced the earlier films. Shot in the UK despite being set in New York, the directors attempted to mask this by adding red fire hydrants, hot dog vendors, and a woman carrying an “I Love NY” bag in various scenes.
The plot, even by superhero standards, was implausible. It features Nuclear Man, a clone of Superman created by Lex Luthor. The two battle on Earth, with Nuclear Man destroying landmarks like the Great Wall of China, which Superman miraculously repairs. Their fight eventually moves to the Moon, where Nuclear Man kidnaps Lacy, the new editor of the Daily Planet, and takes her into space.
Despite wearing only a standard office outfit with a knee-length skirt, Lacy neither freezes nor struggles to breathe in space. She also survives reentry unharmed when Superman rescues her and brings her back to Earth, defying all logic.
5. Batman & Robin (1997)
The 1997 film Batman & Robin, the fourth installment in the series, features Batman, Robin, and Batgirl battling the villainous trio of Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and Bane. Widely despised, the film nearly ended the Batman franchise and prompted a reboot. Its unrealistic portrayal of heroes, villains, and Gotham City drew heavy criticism. For example, Batman flaunts a Batman-themed credit card while gambling for a chance to spend a night with the seductive Poison Ivy.
Another point of contention was the inclusion of nipples on Batman’s and Robin’s suits. The bizarre design choice, deemed overly sexual for the franchise, led to widespread ridicule. Director Joel Schumacher faced significant backlash for this decision. Although he and several cast members have since apologized for their involvement, Schumacher humorously predicted that his legacy would forever be tied to adding nipples to Batman’s costume.
4. Raise the Titanic (1980)
Raise the Titanic, a 1980 film based on Clive Cussler’s novel of the same name, depicts a fictional mission to recover the Titanic from the ocean floor. With a budget of $30 million, the film grossed a mere $7 million. Lord Grade, head of ITC Entertainment, famously remarked, “It would have been cheaper to lower the Atlantic,” a sentiment many agree with.
Cussler was deeply disappointed after watching Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark a year later, as it perfectly captured the vision he had for his novel’s adaptation. He vowed to never permit another film adaptation of his works unless he had a say in selecting the cast and script.
3. The Last Airbender (2010)
The Last Airbender, a live-action adaptation of Nickelodeon’s animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, failed due to its poor casting and script. The original series was action-packed, which likely influenced the decision to cast a martial artist as the lead for his martial arts skills rather than acting ability. The dialogue was poorly written, and the film lacked the humor and dynamic action of the animated series. Additionally, it faced serious accusations of racism.
M. Night Shyamalan, the Indian-American director, opted for an all-white cast for the heroes, despite the animated series portraying them as Asian and Inuit. He also cast Indian actors as the villains of the Fire Nation. This sparked outrage, leading to calls for a boycott and the formation of the Racebending movement. Shyamalan defended his choices, claiming he couldn’t be racist because he wasn’t white and stating the film was intended for nine-year-olds, not adults.
2. The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987)
The Garbage Pail Kids Movie draws inspiration from a series of trading cards and stickers launched in 1985. These characters bore a resemblance to the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, which were immensely popular in the 1980s. While young boys favored the Garbage Pail Kids over the more feminine Cabbage Patch Kids, adults found them repulsive.
Parents and teachers despised the cards, with many schools banning them. Ironically, the bans only increased their popularity, prompting the creation of a movie. The film depicted the characters as bizarre, doll-like children and was a box office disaster, earning just $1.5 million against a $30 million budget. A planned 13-episode CBS series was canceled and only released on DVD in 2006.
1. Howard the Duck (1986)
Howard the Duck follows the adventures of Howard, a humanoid alien duck known for his crude and sexist behavior. Based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name, it was the first Marvel comic adapted into a film and a monumental failure.
The production was rushed to meet a summer 1986 release, resulting in a film that strayed far from the source material. Beverly, Howard’s human girlfriend, was changed from a nude model in the comics to a rock musician. Additionally, Howard’s lips rarely moved in sync with his dialogue, as the character was a puppet controlled by a puppeteer. Voiceovers were added post-production, further diminishing the film’s quality.
The film grossed a mere $16 million against its $37 million budget, plunging its director, George Lucas—creator of Indiana Jones and Star Wars—into financial trouble. To recover, Lucas was forced to sell some of his assets, including a fledgling computer animation studio. This studio was purchased by Steve Jobs, who later rebranded it as Pixar.
