12 Movies In 2016 That Should Have Flopped (But Didn't)

We’ve mentioned the unlikelihood of successful horror sequels with The Conjuring 2, but whereas that movie had the strength of its well-received predecessor movie to bolster its appeal, Ouija: Origin of Evil – technically a prequel not a sequel, but still the second film of its franchise – didn’t boast such sturdy beginnings. Its predecessor, 2014’s Ouija, was commercially successful but absolutely abysmal and earned some deservedly scathing reviews. Let’s just say its 7% Rotten Tomatoes rating speaks volumes of its quality.

In a surprising turn of events, Ouija: Origin of Evil turned out to be a vast improvement on the original movie. It wasn’t quite the box office success of its predecessor, possibly because moviegoers weren’t willing to shell out for another Ouija-shaped disappointment, but it definitely charmed critics despite the legacy of the original scoring an 82% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A marked upswing in terms of the franchise’s critical response and one that could spell future sequels and/or prequels if producers Blumhouse have anything to with it.