10 Movie Franchises That Started Great And Then Fell Off A Cliff

6. Superman

Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell no Tales
Warner Bros.

Audiences could definitely believe a man could fly when Richard Donner's Superman revolutionized blockbuster cinema in 1978, but what they couldn't believe was that in less than a decade the Man of Steel was headlining one of the worst movies ever made.

The first two Superman movies are great, no matter which version of the sequel you prefer, but reducing the title character to a supporting role in what was essentially a comedy vehicle for Richard Pryor saw the reception to the third instalment generally being one of confusion, before The Quest for Peace killed the franchise stone dead.

The plot, dialogue, acting, sets and visual effects are some of the worst that you'll ever see in a major Hollywood release, with the production cutting corners at virtually every turn and making it pretty obvious that this is Kal-El on a shoestring budget. Superman is too much of a big name to deserve the bargain basement treatment, although there's some morbid enjoyment to be taken from Superman IV based on how much it sucks.

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