There are a lot of good methods to market a movie round one in every of its stars, however one of the crucial noteworthy (and typically, not all the time, efficient) is to border the film as a comeback for that actor. Everybody likes to see an artist who in all probability was absent for some time or had an extended string of flops return to their former stage of success, however typically, these comebacks do not go down properly in any respect. Typically, even when the actor does a very good job in it, the film is so dangerous that it turns into simply one other failure.

With a purpose to qualify, a film would not essentially have to have labored as its actor’s comeback (in reality, none of those did); merely to have been marketed and framed as a comeback narrative for its star. From Eddie Murphy to Bela Lugosi, many actors have tried and didn’t take again the highlight with movies that have been meant to showcase their abilities, however as an alternative fell flat on their faces.

15

‘Lions for Lambs’ (2007)

Tom Cruise’s Comeback

The legendary actor Robert Redford has additionally labored behind the digicam on a number of notable events, but it surely would not all the time end up all that properly. Working example: Lions for Lambs, arguably not solely his, but additionally Tom Cruise’s worst movie. It is a crime drama a few sequence of occasions set off by two Military rangers getting harm behind enemy traces in Afghanistan.

The film got here on the heels of Cruise’s PR issues, his involvement with Scientology and his wild Oprah interview beginning to present audiences that he wasn’t precisely who they thought he was. This was meant to indicate that he nonetheless had the appearing abilities that he’d proven all all through the ’80s and ’90s, however the comeback fell flat on its face. Cruise did a very good job within the film (as did Redford and Meryl Streep), however the movie itself was so obnoxiously preachy and boring that it did not make issues higher for the actor.

14

‘Bruised’ (2020)

Halle Berry’s Comeback

On paper, Bruised ticked all of the packing containers for a giant profession comeback. An amazing actor who hadn’t starred in something large shortly, a venture that was even directed by them, and it was a boxing film, no much less—a fairly prestigious style total. Sadly, although, the movie wasn’t the large success that Halle Berry hoped for. It is a few disgraced MMA fighter who finds redemption within the cage and the braveness to face her demons when the son she’d given up as an toddler unexpectedly reenters her life.

Berry is unsurprisingly good each in entrance of the digicam and in her directing debut, however sadly, evidently she unfold herself too skinny. Bruised is simply too lengthy and too by the numbers to really feel particular, with a heavy-handed story anchored by a script that one may mistake for actually another boxing film screenplay on the market.

13

‘Emancipation’ (2022)

Will Smith’s Comeback

Will Smith lastly gained his long-awaited and long-overdue Academy Award in 2022 for 2021’s King Richard. Sadly, his Oscar victory will endlessly be tainted by the notorious slap scandal involving Chris Rock. That very same yr, although, Smith tried to redeem himself by starring in the identical sort of Oscar-baity sentimentalist drama that he’d been starring in for the final 15 years: Emancipation, a few runaway slave shifting by way of the Louisiana swamps on a tortuous journey to flee the plantation house owners that just about killed him.

Since Emancipation by no means fairly appears to be positive whether or not it desires to be a standard motion thriller or a thought-provoking critique of this horrible chapter in American historical past, it finally ends up coming throughout as confused and sensationalistic. It is a hole and poorly directed film, and though Smith is undeniably phenomenal in it, the poor high quality of the movie blended along with his sturdy lack of recognition on the time made this tried comeback useless on arrival.

12

‘What Occurs Later’ (2023)

Meg Ryan’s Comeback

As soon as upon a time, Meg Ryan was one of many largest rom-com stars on the planet, starring in classics as excellent as When Harry Met Sally… and Sleepless in Seattle. Final yr, the queen of rom-coms tried to return to the highlight with a bang. As a substitute, she fell flat on her face with a quiet thud. What Occurs Later, directed by Ryan, is about two ex-lovers seeing one another for the primary time in years, caught at a snowed-in airport in a single day.

There’s some allure to the film, and Ryan and David Duchovny are nice; that is actually not one in every of the worst romance films of the previous few years by any means, but it surely’s additionally actually not nice. What Occurs Later‘s solely promoting level is seeing Meg Ryan in a rom-com once more. Exterior of that, the film is boring, self-serious, and pointlessly quirky. Consequently, what ought to have been an enormous comeback for an enormous star as an alternative flew beneath most individuals’s radars in 2023.

11

‘Greatest F(r)iends: Quantity 1’ (2017)

Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero’s Comeback

So far as followers of “so dangerous it is good” cinema are involved, Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero are legends. Wiseau directed, wrote, produced, and starred in his ardour venture The Room, which Sestero — his finest pal — co-starred in. After that venture grew to become a cult hit, the pair continued appearing and directing in separate small initiatives. It was 2017’s Greatest F(r)iends: Quantity 1, written by Sestero, that lastly introduced the pair again collectively in a high-profile venture (properly… Excessive-profile for Wiseau and Sestero requirements, a minimum of). In it, when a drifter befriends a unusual mortician, an unlikely enterprise partnership blooms.

Individuals searching for a movie as unbelievably horrible as The Room might be disenchanted, however followers of the cult traditional might be delighted to see this dynamic duo reunited after such a very long time. Greatest F(r)iends is definitely a surprisingly not-awful film (its sequel, Quantity 2, barely much less so), however partly on account of that, it lacks the cult enchantment that may have been needed for it to work as an efficient comeback. Wiseau’s newest venture (additionally starring Sestero), Massive Shark, works loads higher in that sense.

10

‘Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle’ (2003)

Demi Moore’s Comeback

Proper now, Demi Moore is the lady of the hour due to her extremely profitable comeback function within the phenomenal physique horror movie The Substance. That wasn’t the case again in 2003, when the sequel to 2000’s Charlie’s Angels, subtitled Full Throttle, was framed as a comeback function for Moore however did not actually work. On this spy journey, the Angels examine a sequence of murders which happen after the theft of a witness safety profile database.

Moore performed the movie’s antagonist, a former Angel planning to promote delicate data to crime rings. The actress, who was one of many largest stars of the ’80s and ’90s however had been going by way of a brief sequence of flops for some time, was imagined to be returning to her glory days after a short low-profile interval since 1997’s G.I. Jane. Demi Moore steals the film with a seductive efficiency that is method too good for the poor materials she’s given. Ultimately, Full Throttle proved to be simply one other failure in a string of failures that may final for a strong whereas longer.

9

‘3 Days to Kill’ (2014)

Kevin Costner’s Comeback

In 2014, it had been six years since Kevin Costner — as soon as upon a time one in every of Hollywood’s largest main males — had starred in a number one function in a movie. Likewise, it had been even longer since his final actually nice motion venture. 3 Days to Kill was supposed to interrupt that dangerous streak. It is a darkish comedy a few dying CIA agent who, whereas attempting to reconnect along with his estranged daughter, is obtainable a drug that would save his life in alternate for one final job.

As a substitute of re-establishing Costner as an motion star for the twenty first century, 3 Days to Kill is one in every of the dullest motion films of the 2010s. Mediocre motion and boring household drama aren’t precisely a very good combo for a film so targeted on each. Costner has not too long ago been making a little bit of an actual comeback, although, so his followers can relaxation assured that 3 Days to Kill was in all probability simply dangerous luck and let it’s buried among the many actor’s different 2010s bellyflops.

8

‘Terminator Genisys’ (2015)

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Comeback

It was ’80s hits like James Cameron‘s The Terminator that made Arnold Schwarzenegger one in every of Hollywood’s largest motion stars. It was the legacy reboot Terminator Genisys (the misspelling could be very a lot intentional) that introduced him again to his iconic function and was imagined to catapult him again into superstardom. Rehashing the occasions of the primary movie with fairly a number of important detours, it sees Sgt. Kyle Reese transported again in time to 1984 to guard Sarah Connor and safeguard humanity’s future. Nevertheless, an sudden flip of occasions creates a fractured timeline.

The film is not with out its defenders, however total, it was thought of to be a step within the completely improper route for the already-considered-dead Terminator franchise. Likewise, the movie failed its largest star. Schwarzenegger had been starring in a sequence of wannabe comeback roles since his tenure as Governor of California led to 2011, however this one was particular, placing him again within the footwear of his most iconic character. Even nonetheless, Genisys did not actually have a lot of an impact on the actor’s profession. Poorly written, poorly directed, and with motion scenes that are not notably participating, it let down the overwhelming majority of followers of the franchise.

7

‘Coming 2 America’ (2021)

Eddie Murphy’s Comeback

As soon as, Eddie Murphy was one of many largest comedians in Hollywood, starring in a few of the finest comedies of the ’80s and ’90s. That steadily began altering, and within the twenty first century, he is had many extra flops than successes. An try at reinvigorating the general public’s belief in his initiatives, although, got here in 2021’s sequel to Coming to America, titled Coming 2 America. It is concerning the African monarch Akeem studying that he has a long-lost son within the U.S. So, he should return to America to satisfy this sudden inheritor and construct a relationship with him.

Whereas the unique is one in every of Murphy’s most celebrated roles and one of many funniest films of the ’80s, its sequel… is not. It was imagined to be a return to type for Murphy; as an alternative, it is one of many most forgettable comedies of latest years. Murphy and Arsenio Corridor really feel like they’re probably not attempting, and the boring materials they’re given actually would not assist. Whereas the profitable 2019 hit Dolemite Is My Title appeared to be Murphy’s comeback movie, evidently followers should wait slightly longer for one thing to really stick.

6

‘Primary Intuition 2’ (2006)

Sharon Stone’s Comeback

1992’s Primary Intuition is one in every of one of the best erotic thrillers of all time, a style landmark that cemented Sharon Stone as a star to look out for. Sadly, the actress suffered a significant stroke in 2001, which mainly made her vanish from mainstream Hollywood. It wasn’t till 2006 that she tried her hand at a comeback with a sequel to her most legendary movie: Primary Intuition 2, the place novelist Catherine Tramell is as soon as once more in bother with the legislation. Scotland Yard appoints a psychiatrist to judge her, however he is entranced by her and lured right into a seductive sport.

Primary Intuition 2 is the sort of low cost straight-to-DVD-feeling sequel that tries to match its predecessor however fails at each single try it makes. Its plot is totally ludicrous and appears like a predictable remake of the unique, the characters are past boring, and each Stone and David Morrissey ship performances so dangerous and unengaging that they’ve completely not one of the attractive chemistry that made Stone and Michael Douglas so good in Primary Intuition. These craving an awesome erotic thriller with a typically related plot ought to simply watch the unique.

5

‘Pushed’ (2001)

Sylvester Stallone’s Comeback

The nice Sylvester Stallone, one of many largest and best-known underdog tales in Hollywood historical past, wants no introduction to individuals aware of his older work. If somebody solely knew his extra trendy initiatives, however, they won’t have as away from an concept of who this legend is. That was supposed to vary with 2001’s Pushed, a motorsport drama the place a former CART champion is known as in to information a younger hotshot driver coming aside on the seams.

Pushed is certainly not one in every of Stallone’s finest movies. The script, co-penned by Stallone, exhibits promise. Nevertheless, the modifying and Renny Harlin‘s route deliver the entire thing down. Characters really feel undercooked, the story is not participating, the atrocious CGI makes the racing scenes unwatchable, and the inaccuracy of the entire thing will make racing followers need to cease watching instantly. Whereas movies like Creed and Creed II, and exhibits like The Household Stallone and The Tulsa King have undoubtedly introduced Stallone again into the mainstream, followers of his again on the flip of the century might need been much less hopeful.

4

‘The Canyons’ (2013)

Lindsay Lohan’s Comeback

Since her breakout function in Disney’s The Mum or dad Lure, Lindsay Lohan grew to become one of the crucial profitable and beloved younger stars in Hollywood. Like all-too-many baby stars, although, drug and alcohol issues introduced her fame to a halt. It wasn’t till the early 2010s that she began getting greater roles once more. One such function was her first foray into the world of darkish indie cinema in Paul Schrader‘s The Canyons. It is an erotic thriller the place an L.A. trust-fund child with ties to Hollywood learns of an affair between his girlfriend and the lead of a movie he is engaged on. His merciless thoughts video games escalate into an act of blody violence.

Lohan has really had various comeback films over time (together with the latest, Falling for Christmas, an really fairly okay Christmas film by Hallmark requirements), however that is by far her worst and least efficient. As her try at a very totally different sort of function from those viewers had grown used to seeing her in, The Canyons was neatly wrapped up in a comeback narrative for Lohan that finally did not work. Regardless of its nice director, this erotic thriller is neither erotic nor thrilling in any method.

3

‘The Love Guru’ (2008)

Mike Myers’s Comeback

Mike Myers‘s humorousness is actually not for everybody, however the comedic thoughts behind classics as large as Wayne’s World and Austin Powers deserves some credit score even from his detractors. Nevertheless, after 2003’s The Cat within the Hat obtained a (reasonably undeserved) horrible fame, it took the actor 5 years to return to a live-action venture. The Love Guru was meant to be Myers’s return to type, following an American man raised by gurus outdoors the U.S. who has to return residence to interrupt into the self-help enterprise.

As a substitute of redeeming Myers, The Love Guru grew to become his most universally derided movie, which it arguably nonetheless is. Critics and audiences alike hated the juvenile, crass humor; the entire lack of intelligent satire in favor of lowest-hanging-fruit jokes; and an absence of creativity that was fairly stunning by Myers requirements. To this present day, the actor remains to be struggling to recuperate from this absolute bomb.

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2

‘Plan 9 from Outer Area’ (1957)

Bela Lugosi’s Comeback

With regards to the query of who absolutely the worst filmmaker of all time is, the reply that is certain to return up probably the most is Ed Wooden Jr. The grasp of low-budget so-bad-they’re-good B photos, such a cult hit that Tim Burton made a film about him in 1994, Wooden made many pleasant fiascos all through his profession. Universally agreed to be his most ludicrous, Plan 9 from Outer Area is the worst film of all time in accordance with many individuals. It is about evil aliens invading Earth and resurrecting its useless, placing the lives of the residing in horrible hazard.

The consequences and cinematography? Ridiculously dangerous. The story and characters? Past nonsensical. The movie’s abysmal high quality in completely each sense? Completely hilarious and totally fulfilling. And, final however not least, the performances? Among the worst of all time, together with that of horror film icon Bela Lugosi, who performed Common’s Dracula in 1931. Lugosi, a washed-up has-been within the ’50s, was a pricey pal of Wooden, who wrote a bafflingly pointless function in Plan 9 with the only goal of it serving as a comeback automobile for his pal. Partly as a result of Lugosi sadly handed away earlier than the film was accomplished, and celebration as a result of the film is… simply not good, this did not work. Nevertheless, it actually ensured Lugosi’s enshrinement within the annals of cult cinema historical past.

1

‘Peter 5 Eight’ (2024)

Kevin Spacey’s Comeback

If it feels such as you’ve by no means even heard of Peter 5 Eight, that is in all probability as a result of nobody noticed it (it grossed lower than $100,000 USD internationally). A reputation individuals ought to actually be aware of, although, is Kevin Spacey‘s. After each the general public and Hollywood blacklisted him following the allegations of sexual misconduct he was the goal of in 2017 (he has since been acquitted), he disappeared from the display — till this yr, when he starred in Peter 5 Eight. It is a non-thrilling thriller about an actual property agent from a small city with a giant alcohol downside and a darkish secret. Someday, a charismatic man in black exhibits up and begins making her life tortuous.

Whereas it will not be as technically dangerous as Plan 9, its meta feedback on cancel tradition are bafflingly tone-deaf and, in contrast to Ed Wooden’s magnum opus, it has zero leisure — not to mention re-watch — worth. Poor pacing, silly dialogue, hammy performances (together with Spacey’s, which lacks the gravitas and intimidation that made him fashionable), and a tone that very poorly tries and fails to mimic traditional noir B-pictures are however a number of of the weather that make Peter 5 Eight boring and unexciting. So far as actor comebacks go, that is not how anybody desires theirs to go.

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NEXT:The Worst Films of the Final 5 Years, Ranked