The 25 Worst Sequels of All Time, According to Rotten Tomatoes

Sequels don't necessarily get the bad rap they once did. In addition to achieving success at the box office, many cinematic follow-ups are met with critical acclaim. Two out of the 10 Best Picture nominees for this year’s Academy Awards are the second entries in their franchises. But for every Top Gun: Maverick (2022) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), there are plenty of sequels that remind us how they got their poor reputation. Here are the worst movie sequels of all time, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

Each of the titles listed scored a 5 percent or less on the Tomatometer, meaning critics overwhelmingly rejected it upon its release. Several scored 0 percent, including Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 (2004), which is regarded as one of the worst movies of all time in addition to being one of the worst sequels.

Some movies were disappointing follow-ups to beloved classics. Jaws: The Revenge (1987), The Sting II (1983), and Staying Alive (1983)—the sequel to Saturday Night Fever (1977)—all appear in the rankings. Four Police Academy sequels rank in the bottom 15, perhaps making it the worst-reviewed franchise of all time.

You can view the worst sequels ever made and their Rotten Tomatoes scores in the table below. For a reminder that follow-ups can live up to—and in some cases, exceed—their predecessors, check out these movie franchises where the sequels were better than the original.