15 Most Disappointing Movies Of 2025, Ranked

With last year firmly in the rearview mirror, we can finally say it: 2025 was a great year for movies. Yes, otherwise smart filmmakers are increasingly getting duped by the "promise" of AI movie-making, the box office is still struggling (seemingly in vain) to return to those pre-COVID-19 numbers, and Warner Bros. — the second-highest-grossing movie studio of the year — celebrated its solid critical and commercial performance by selling itself to Netflix.

But quality-wise, audiences were able to enjoy some of the best movies of the decade so far. It was such a strong showing that those films that failed to meet expectations felt even more disappointing by comparison. Whether it was a less-than-stellar debut from a first-time filmmaker, a shocking misfire from an established director, or a clumsy treatment of beloved source material, these were the most disappointing movies of 2025.

Expectation: A thrilling return to the screen for Daniel Day-Lewis.

Reality: An admirable yet overly ambitious debut for Ronan Day-Lewis.

Having Daniel Day-Lewis as the star of your debut feature film would be an unmitigated boon for most first-time filmmakers. For Ronan Day-Lewis (the son of the legendary "There Will Be Blood" actor), it's far more complicated.

The obvious positive is that, despite having been in retirement since 2017's "The Phantom Thread," the elder Day-Lewis remains a performer without peer. With him leading a cast that includes Sean Bean and Samantha Morton, "Anemone" is easily an acting showcase for the ages. But coming out of retirement to lead your son's directorial debut invites a lot of pressure leading up to its release. The film must not only be worthy of overcoming unavoidable criticisms about Hollywood nepotism, but of one of the greatest living actors risking a near-perfect end to his career. It's a ridiculously high bar for a debut feature to clear. Whether or not "Anemone" does so is debatable.

Overall, "Anemone" is a visually compelling but narratively overwrought feature with unnecessarily punishing pacing. Given that it bombed so badly at the box office (while also being critically divisive), it was hardly a triumphant return for Daniel Day-Lewis' acting career.

Expectation: A triumphant directorial debut from one of YouTube's most beloved cinephiles.

Reality: A muted, occasionally promising effort that won't convince anyone who hasn't already been "Stuckmannized."

To put it bluntly, we were champions of "Shelby Oaks" here at /Film. Our 8/10 review of the low-budget found footage horror film — the highly anticipated directorial debut of YouTuber and film critic Chris Stuckmann — praised it for its performances (Camille Sullivan in particular), its imaginative use of its found footage framing device, and Stuckmann's overall confidence as a first-time horror filmmaker.

But this was seemingly the highest praise "Shelby Oaks" received. Critics at large were split on whether the film had much to offer beyond rehashed genre tropes and an interesting but clumsily told story. Even Stuckmann's YouTube peers were conflicted. Popular online commentator Charlie "MoistCr1TiKaL" White carefully broke down his mixed impressions of the film, acknowledging the difficulty Stuckmann faced in breaking into mainstream filmmaking. Fellow film critic Jeremy Jahns expressed his desire to see Stuckmann succeed but sharply criticized the screenplay and gave the film a low rating overall.

While we still consider it one of the best horror movies of 2025, there's no denying that the conversation has shifted from "passionate movie fan makes it into the big leagues" to "YouTuber bites off more than he can chew." It's a bummer of a narrative that, regardless of your opinion of the film, dulls its potential as an inspiring, unlikely success story for future filmmakers.

Expectation: A laugh-out-loud action comedy with a meta twist.

Reality: A passingly amusing product that isn't as original as it thinks it is.

The first trailer for the 2025 "Anaconda" reboot had us skeptical. Heavily featuring a predictable comedic dynamic between Jack Black and Paul Rudd, we couldn't help but wonder if the then-upcoming film missed the point of the original cult classic. At the same time, there was promise in this pivot from pulpy action horror to overt action comedy. A straight-up attempt at an "Anaconda" reboot would be groan-worthy in the age of IP-driven filmmaking. On the other hand, a comedic riff on the very idea of an "Anaconda" reboot presented a surprisingly plausible pathway for Sony Pictures to creatively capitalize on a recognizable product. They could have their snake and eat it too.

While Black and Rudd bring delightfully dumb charm to this silly reboot, that's really all "Anaconda" has going for it. The jokes are somewhat forgivably hit-or-miss, and the story is as hard to wrangle as the film's titular reptile. But it's the confused execution of the meta tone that fails hardest, leading to a surprisingly awkward film that strangles its own potential.

Expectation: A fun B movie by way of a Coen brother.

Reality: A meh-movie with neither B movie charm nor Coen smarts.

In theory, we aren't opposed to a celebrated filmmaker like Ethan Coen loosening the tie a bit to make something audiences wouldn't expect from him. Especially at this stage in his career, he's more than earned the right to explore storytelling without the oppressive brood of "No Country for Old Men" or the meticulous scripting of "A Serious Man."

Intentionally setting out to make a B-movie provided Coen ample room to make "Drive-Away Dolls," a '90s throwback that was plenty fun, if middling compared to his other work. "Honey Don't!" unfortunately suffers from Coen going back to the same creative well without adding anything of note or changing his approach in an interesting way.

Margaret Qualley sizzles in the moody, unabashedly queer noir, but her performance can't carry a film that tries to spin as many plates as a proper Coen brothers dramedy without the dramatic rigor to keep them aloft. It all comes crashing down in a messy finale that makes the B-movie narrative aesthetic feel like an unconvincing excuse for an equally unconvincing film.

Expectation: An action-packed spectacle worthy of "The Raid."

Reality: A forgettable Netflix action movie with a few standout scenes.

Uniting Tom Hardy and Gareth Evans for a hyper-violent shoot 'em up, "Havoc" should've been an easy win for Netflix. Though Hardy's career has been largely suffocating in a black symbiote suit for the 2020s, he's still the same action star that led "Mad Max: Fury Road." Evans, meanwhile, hadn't made a straightforward action movie since "The Raid 2," which continues to be lauded as one of the greatest action movies ever made. In a perfect world, "Havoc" would be celebrated as a return to form for them both.

Instead, "Havoc" is a film so generic and uninspiring that it isn't distinguishable from the glut of seemingly procedurally-generated action movies overflowing on Netflix. Aside from one or two action set pieces that prove Evans is at least still capable of creating carnage in exciting fashion, it isn't likely "Havoc" will be remembered even by the most fervent fans of "The Raid."

Expectation: A sharp, hilariously weird horror comedy bolstered by a stacked ensemble cast.

Reality: A predictable slog dulled by thin writing and shopworn satire.

It gives us no pleasure to include two Paul Rudd movies on this list. Unfortunately, however, "Death of a Unicorn" is an even more confused creative misfire than "Anaconda."

From its premise, this A24 feature veers dangerously close to obvious thematic territory that's been well-trod by several great and memorable films from the past five years alone. It has the same cheeky eat-the-rich class critique as the first two "Knives Out" films, the ridiculous creature feature mash-up of "Cocaine Bear," and the zoomer horror humor of "Bodies Bodies Bodies." These commonalities make the film's key, surface-level selling points feel unexciting.

This also illuminates the core issue with the film, which is that nothing below the surface-level really matters. Social commentary exists not as subtext but almost as rote exposition to justify an unmoving parade of gags and gore. Even if the unicorn violence is kinda fun at first, "Death of a Unicorn" is ultimately too lifeless to love.

Expectation: A satisfying end to the "Conjuring" franchise.

Reality: Another disappointing installment that leaves us dreading more.

Given that there are maybe only three or four good movies in the entire franchise, it may have been too much to expect "The Conjuring: Last Rites" to wrap it all up on a high note. James Wan's first two films remain the best it has to offer, and it's still impressive that they spawned one of the only financially successful cinematic universes of the post-Marvel Cinematic Universe gold rush. But even if we were never going to get "Conjuring: Endgame" (in fairness, it's hard to create an epic, cathartic send-off for your characters when they're based on real people), fans of the flagship series deserved a more impactful finale.

"The Conjuring: Last Rites" delves far beneath the elevated standards set by Wan, taking on the deceptively thrilling scares-over-story mentality of "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It" and "The Nun II." It might cause you to jump the first time you watch it, but it lacks the emotional depth and narrative scale necessary to let the franchise rest in peace.

Expectation: A bold new take on Captain America for a politically anxious age.

Reality: An anodyne retread that tries to placate all sides by patronizing them.

In hindsight, "Captain America: Brave New World" makes what the Russo brothers did even more impressive. There's an unenviable but potentially rewarding balancing act that must be handled when adapting such an overtly patriotic character while American audiences at large have complicated feelings about their own country — and that balancing act gets exponentially harder when you're working for a studio as conflict-averse as Disney.

While the Russos and Malcolm Spellman (creator of "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier") managed to pull this off to varying degrees of success, "Captain America: Brave New World" immediately gives up trying. At best, the film is a safe, forgettable rehash of Spellman's series, asking the same questions about identity and legacy while offering banal answers and not giving Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson much to do.

Expectation: A feature film follow-up to the success of "Cobra Kai."

Reality: A critical and commercial dud that might send the franchise back to the sidelines.

"Karate Kid: Legends" is somewhat of a rarity in comparison to other legacy sequels. While most of these films get made by IP-driven studio execs looking to squeeze a few extra dollars out of old ideas, "Karate Kid" actually earned a place in contemporary pop culture through the unlikely success of "Cobra Kai." There was an audience of fans old and new already primed to get excited about seeing Ralph Macchio reprise his role as Daniel LaRusso — and, uh, sure, throw in Jackie Chan from the reboot too. What's the harm in that?

Aside from the very confusing plot holes it creates, this crisscrossing of worlds has little to offer any fan other than the most basic promises of a legacy sequel. All of the subversiveness that "Cobra Kai" brought is replaced by cloying attempts at generating nostalgia and a plot that repeats every predictable beat from the franchise.

Expectation: Another intelligently reimagined monster mash from Leigh Whannell.

Reality: A creature feature that's only half-good.

The best thing we can say about Leigh Whannell's "Wolf Man" is that it won't leave a lasting scar on the filmmaker's record. But in the same way that it's not nearly as troubled as "Insidious: Chapter 3," the film overall falls so far beneath what he achieved on "Upgrade" and "The Invisible Man" — and, strangely, beneath the flashes of promise shown in this very movie — that it's arguably his most frustrating work yet.

Whannell proved with "The Invisible Man" that he was capable of imbuing tired premises with both visual and narrative novelty. That is still broadly true with regard to "Wolf Man," even though the film will leave viewers feeling torn in two. In valiantly mining his story for human drama, Whannell loses sight of the frights that should be at his disposal. It plays out like a muzzled psychological thriller for much of the runtime, which is a fundamental issue for a movie that sold on the decidedly unsubtle premise of a man transforming into a wolf. More over, because of this questionable focus, it feels like a betrayal when the drama fails to captivate in its place.

Expectation: A risky but ingenious adaptation of a Hollywood-ready video game.

Reality: A deceptively subversive, episodic mess that mars its source material.

With a decidedly cinematic presentation and cast that includes Rami Malek, Brett Dalton, Jordan Fisher, and Hayden Panettiere, "Until Dawn" is already one of the best horror stories you can experience. Adapting the video game into a movie would be no small feat, though director David F. Sandberg and writers ​​Gary Dauberman and Blair Butler seemed up to the task. Not only did they smartly choose to expand upon the game, rather than rehash it, but they crafted a specialized time-loop narrative device that could ingeniously evoke the game's choose-you-own-adventure mechanics.

Unfortunately, however, that's where the creative innovation stops for this film. We can give "Until Dawn" points for being the most horror movie of 2025, which is to say that it uses that imaginative narrative device to unimaginatively jam in every half-baked horror idea one could remember from other, better horror movies. To add insult to injury, the attempt to canonize it within the game's lore is wholly unsatisfying and works against the subtle, dread-inducing world-building of the source material.

Expectation: A stylish killer thriller buoyed by the inspired casting of Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich.

Reality: "The Menu," reheated.

When you look at the pieces of "Opus," you can't help but marvel at how poorly they work when assembled. The cast in particular is brilliantly selected — in addition to Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich playing more or less to type, Juliette Lewis, Murray Bartlett, and Tony Hale are all given rare but welcome opportunities to shine on film. Its musical bent is also relatively refreshing, with its specific investigation of cultural journalism perfectly suited for our time.

But like "Death of a Unicorn," everything about "Opus" is too familiar for its own good. There's hardly anything new about whisking a young, morally upright person off to an island where an enigmatic artist slowly reveals himself to be a bitter, murderous, narcissistic sociopath. ("We have 'The Menu' at home.") A lack of originality could be forgiven if the story dug deeper into its few unique aspects, but it was clearly more interested in exploring themes that other, better films have explored in recent memory.

Expectation: An ethically challenging drama from a celebrated contemporary filmmaker.

Reality: A myopic mess that once again wastes Ayo Edebiri.

There's nothing wrong with ambiguity in storytelling. When a filmmaker starts to hide behind that ambiguity, however, the story is rendered completely worthless.

This is what makes "After the Hunt" such a difficult movie. Despite exhibiting the distinctive style of Luca Guadagnino's best work, the story is handled with uncharacteristic self-consciousness on behalf of the acclaimed filmmaker. This unpredictable psychological drama pushes the limits of ambiguity in its depiction of sexual misconduct allegations. Charitably, one might argue it's a daring creative choice to shift focus away from simple punitive culpability.

But that read belies a questionable, apparent desire in the film to scrutinize the cynical motives accusers might have in how they come forward with an accusation, not to mention the possibility that someone might lie about something so heinous to further their own agenda. "After the Hunt" isn't amoral for entering this territory, but its refusal to offer the audience more than skepticism feels like a choice made out of fear.

Expectation: A defiantly sentimental throwback that — oh no, Ayo Edebiri is in this one too.

Reality: We're so sorry, Ayo.

It would be so lovely to live in a world where a movie like "Ella McCay" could still be a hit. The star-studded dramedy from James L. Brooks wears its heart on its sleeve and openly challenges the darker tone that most successful, contemporary character-driven movies have embraced. For the entirety of its runtime, it confidently insists that it (and other movies like it) still belongs. That the film brought Disney one of its worst box office openings ever is arguably a sign that audiences don't agree.

While some may enjoy a screwball melodrama that revels in being old-fashioned, it's easy to see why "Ella McCay" registers as inauthentic or mawkish. Presenting politics as a major theme only to refuse a serious engagement with it betrays an indulgence at play in the filmmaking, and it invites the average viewer living in the real world to dismiss this film entirely.

Expectation: Jared Leto... but the trailer... but Jared Leto...

Reality: Jared Leto.

There was really no reason to get excited about "Tron: Ares." From the first announcement, the project reeked of being a potential box office bomb. An IP-driven Disney sequel no one is really asking for? Helmed by a director best known for two terrible IP-driven Disney sequels? Starring Jared Leto? What was anyone thinking?

And yet, after trailers for the film started to be released, the footage shown was just slick enough to convince us that "Ares" might be a sleeper hit in the making. Instead, it was a monumental box office crash. Stymied by an almost impressively uncharismatic Leto, the thoughtlessly made "Tron: Ares" went from looking (and sounding) like potentially one of the best science fiction movies of 2025 to being the film that potentially kills "Tron" once and for all.