20 Movie Sequels Everyone Knew Were A Huge Mistake (But Still Got Made)

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Disney took a lengthy six years to develop and release the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Dead Men Tell No Tales, by which point it seemed like wider mainstream interest in the IP had dried up.

But more than that, production was beset by innumerable issues which suggested that nobody really believed in it beyond the obvious financial incentive to get it made.

The film's release was delayed by two years to iron out script and budget problems, with the prolonged development causing the budget to balloon to more than $300 million.

Elsewhere reports emerged pre-release of Johnny Depp's unprofessional behaviour on set, suggesting he wasn't taking it much seriously, all while Disney had serious doubts about his ability to still draw an audience after The Lone Ranger flopped in 2013.

And while Dead Men Tell No Tales grossed almost $800 million globally, that still made it the least-financially successful film in the series since the original, such that there's been little urgency to get a sixth film before cameras in the near-decade since.