20 Horror Movie Box Office Bombs EVERYONE Saw Coming

While it has absolutely hamstrung plenty of movies in the past, and will do so in the future, poor reviews aren't bound to affect box office performance every single time. What it can ensure, though, is that any sequel that follows will have an uphill struggle from the start.

Take a look at the recent Strangers trilogy. Chapter 1 released in May 2024 and, despite an awful reception, earned an impressive $48 million against an $8.5 million budget. The poor reviews didn't hurt that initial release, but they certainly did hurt the sequel.

Knowing exactly what to expect, since all three films were shot back-to-back, the turnout for The Strangers - Chapter 2 was significantly less 18 months later, bringing in just $21 million against the same budget. 

Now, it wasn't exactly difficult to spot the trend here. Most were smart enough to give up on the trilogy after the first dreadful chapter, while those who gave it a second chance were burned by that. Audiences weren't about to make the same mistake twice, and it was arguably the least surprising news of the year, particularly with there only having been six months since the previous installment, that The Strangers - Chapter 3 was a massive bomb, bringing in just $9.6 million.