10 Movie Franchises That Just Kept Getting Worse

It says a lot about Christopher Reeve's iconic portrayal of the Man of Steel that he remains the definitive version of the character, even after suffering through the ignominy of the Superman franchise's final two instalments. You'll still believe a man can fly, but you won't believe that Milton Keynes can convincingly double for New York.

Despite all of the famous behind-the-scenes troubles, both Superman and Superman II still managed to set a benchmark for the superhero genre that wouldn't be bettered for a decade. Anyone wondering who should take the credit for that saw their fears assuaged when Richard Lester directed 100% of Superman III, essentially a slapstick Richard Pryor vehicle that happened to feature Superman as a supporting character and sent the series on a downward spiral.

Superman IV is still regarded as one of the worst comic book movies ever made. Made by the notoriously frugal Cannon Films, everything about it looks cheap and shoddily-made, with action scenes that are more unintentionally hilarious than anything else. The Quest for Peace was such a disaster that it would be almost 20 years before the Big Blue Boy Scout was seen on the big screen again.