10 Movies That Went Woke and FAILED
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VOICE OVER: Patrick Mealey
WRITTEN BY: Holly Hoyt
From failed reboots to disappointing sequels, Hollywood's attempts at modernizing beloved franchises haven't always landed well with audiences. Join us as we examine some notable box office disappointments that prioritized social messaging over storytelling and fan service. Our countdown includes films like the female-led Ghostbusters reboot, Wonder Woman's divisive sequel, and Marvel's latest cosmic adventure. Which movie do you think missed the mark the most? Let us know in the comments below!
Top 10 Movies That Went Woke and FAILED
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the films that crashed and burned despite their noble intentions.
This comedy starring Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson was meant to be a fresh take on the 1988 film Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. But whereas the classic with Steve Martin and Michael Caine was praised for its charm and cleverness, The Hustles reception was overwhelmingly negative. Despite a modest box office return of $97.4 million against a $21 million budget, the movie was panned for its uninspired humor and lack of chemistry between leads. Perhaps well live to see Hollywood absorb this word of advice: If youre going to do a gender swap, at least do it well!
Where Nancy Meyers 2000 film What Women Want explored the thoughts of women from a male perspective, Adam Shankmans 2019 remake reverses this concept. The movie follows a sports agent, played by Taraji P. Henson, who gains the ability to hear mens thoughts, leading her to use this newfound power for both career and personal gain. While the idea had potential, What Men Want was criticized for its heavy-handed approach to gender dynamics, which some felt overshadowed the humor and storytelling. The film performed decently at the box office but failed to leave a lasting impact, with many considering it a forgettable attempt at "woke" comedy.
When this video-game-based series returned to the big screen in 2018, the goal was to give Lara Croft a modern, grounded makeover. Gone were the exaggerated, male-gaze aesthetics of the early 2000s films; this reboot, starring Alicia Vikander[a], sought to present a more realistic and capable heroine. Although some praised the attempt to move away from Lara's over-sexualized image, others felt the film leaned too heavily into gritty realism at the expense of depth. Despite Vikanders committed performance, Tomb Raider received mixed reviews and modest box office results. Reported plans for a sequel stalled, and the reboot ultimately failed to revive the franchise as hoped.
This 2019 installment to James Camerons franchise was meant to rejuvenate the seriesbut instead, the film only served to terminate its continuation. Intended as a direct sequel to the original two movies, Dark Fate underwhelmed both critics and audiences, some of whom believed it sidelined legacy characters and overemphasized its themes. Whats more, it was among the biggest box office bombs of all time, leading to estimated losses of around $122.6 million. Cameron had envisioned "Dark Fate" as the beginning of a new trilogy, but the film's failure resulted in the cancellation of these plans. This time, chances are he wont be back.
#3: Snow White (2025)
Bet you didnt expect to see this one here. Many Disney fans arent thrilled with the live-action remakes of recent years. Were looking at you, Mulan. But seriously, has any movie in history been more vehemently disliked before even hitting theaters? 2025s Snow White was mired in controversy from the start, beginning with the casting of a non-white actress as a character described as having "skin white as snow." It didnt take long for audiences to point out a slew of additional issues with the movies plot, effects, and deviations from its source material. In fact, Snow Whites IMDb rating tanked due to review bombing, prompting a disclaimer about unusual voting activity. Certainly not a contender for fairest of them all.
Because Patty Jenkins 2017 blockbuster was met with thunderous acclaim, expectations for the 2020 sequel were sky-high. And boy, were audiences disappointed. Outside of performances by leading ladies Gal Gadot[b] and Kristen Wiig, viewers found little to enjoy in Wonder Woman 1984. Some felt its messaging was heavy-handed and overshadowed the story, while others criticized its convoluted plot and sluggish pacing. The film grossed around $169 million worldwide against a reported $200 million budget, resulting in major financial losses (not that the COVID-19 pandemic did it any favors). Gadots badassery notwithstanding, lightning didnt strike twice here.
Who you gonna call? Preferably not the female Ghostbusters. This reboot faced backlash long before it hit theaters. The cast including comedic heavyweights Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig brought their A-game, but it wasnt enough to save the movie from criticism over its perceived "wokeness." Many fans saw the all-female lineup as forced, and felt the film leaned too heavily into the feminist factor rather than honoring the original franchise. Ghostbusters also underperformed at the box office, ultimately costing the studio over $70 million. In the end, some argued this beloved 80s classic might have been better left in the afterlife.
Are there any other movies you think went woke and flopped? Let us know in the comments!
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the films that crashed and burned despite their noble intentions.
#10: Men in Black: International (2019)
When you hear Men in Black, you think slick action, well-designed aliens, and plenty of laughs. So when the fourth installment was released, we certainly didnt expect what we got: no Will Smith, no Tommy Lee Jones, and a healthy dose of representation and diversity. Audiences were hardly impressed with this addition to the franchise; in fact, certain critics considered the film a cheap attempt to modernize the series, and the movie offered little else as far as story or humor. If youre a big fan of the original films, you may want to sit this one out.#9: Charlie's Angels (2019)
The early 2000s Angels movies were generally well-received, but certain scenes havent aged well, with some feeling they cater to whats known as the male gaze. Meanwhile, the 2019 reboot, directed by Elizabeth Banks, endeavored to portray the Angels in a more empowered light. But upon its release, the new installment struggled at the box office and received lackluster reviews. Banks later expressed frustration with the marketing, saying it framed the movie as a feminist manifesto; then again, Banks herself had previously described it as having sneaky feminist ideas. These mixed signals didnt help, and audiences largely considered the reboot unnecessary and unwelcome.#8: The Marvels (2023)
If youre a diehard MCU lover, theres a chance you shudder at the very name of this flick. Released in November 2023, The Marvels aimed to unite Brie Larson's Captain Marvel, Teyonah Parris's Monica Rambeau, and Iman Vellani's Ms. Marvel in a cosmic adventure. In spite of these high expectations, the movie grossed only $206 million worldwide, making it the lowest-grossing MCU movie to date. Critics and audiences alike felt the plot was convoluted, and some perceived the film's overt feminist themes as pandering. This combination led to an underwhelming performance and left viewers questioning the franchises next move.#7: The Hustle (2019)
This comedy starring Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson was meant to be a fresh take on the 1988 film Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. But whereas the classic with Steve Martin and Michael Caine was praised for its charm and cleverness, The Hustles reception was overwhelmingly negative. Despite a modest box office return of $97.4 million against a $21 million budget, the movie was panned for its uninspired humor and lack of chemistry between leads. Perhaps well live to see Hollywood absorb this word of advice: If youre going to do a gender swap, at least do it well!
#6: What Men Want (2019)
Where Nancy Meyers 2000 film What Women Want explored the thoughts of women from a male perspective, Adam Shankmans 2019 remake reverses this concept. The movie follows a sports agent, played by Taraji P. Henson, who gains the ability to hear mens thoughts, leading her to use this newfound power for both career and personal gain. While the idea had potential, What Men Want was criticized for its heavy-handed approach to gender dynamics, which some felt overshadowed the humor and storytelling. The film performed decently at the box office but failed to leave a lasting impact, with many considering it a forgettable attempt at "woke" comedy.
#5: Tomb Raider (2018)
When this video-game-based series returned to the big screen in 2018, the goal was to give Lara Croft a modern, grounded makeover. Gone were the exaggerated, male-gaze aesthetics of the early 2000s films; this reboot, starring Alicia Vikander[a], sought to present a more realistic and capable heroine. Although some praised the attempt to move away from Lara's over-sexualized image, others felt the film leaned too heavily into gritty realism at the expense of depth. Despite Vikanders committed performance, Tomb Raider received mixed reviews and modest box office results. Reported plans for a sequel stalled, and the reboot ultimately failed to revive the franchise as hoped.
#4: Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
This 2019 installment to James Camerons franchise was meant to rejuvenate the seriesbut instead, the film only served to terminate its continuation. Intended as a direct sequel to the original two movies, Dark Fate underwhelmed both critics and audiences, some of whom believed it sidelined legacy characters and overemphasized its themes. Whats more, it was among the biggest box office bombs of all time, leading to estimated losses of around $122.6 million. Cameron had envisioned "Dark Fate" as the beginning of a new trilogy, but the film's failure resulted in the cancellation of these plans. This time, chances are he wont be back.
#3: Snow White (2025)
Bet you didnt expect to see this one here. Many Disney fans arent thrilled with the live-action remakes of recent years. Were looking at you, Mulan. But seriously, has any movie in history been more vehemently disliked before even hitting theaters? 2025s Snow White was mired in controversy from the start, beginning with the casting of a non-white actress as a character described as having "skin white as snow." It didnt take long for audiences to point out a slew of additional issues with the movies plot, effects, and deviations from its source material. In fact, Snow Whites IMDb rating tanked due to review bombing, prompting a disclaimer about unusual voting activity. Certainly not a contender for fairest of them all.
#2: Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Because Patty Jenkins 2017 blockbuster was met with thunderous acclaim, expectations for the 2020 sequel were sky-high. And boy, were audiences disappointed. Outside of performances by leading ladies Gal Gadot[b] and Kristen Wiig, viewers found little to enjoy in Wonder Woman 1984. Some felt its messaging was heavy-handed and overshadowed the story, while others criticized its convoluted plot and sluggish pacing. The film grossed around $169 million worldwide against a reported $200 million budget, resulting in major financial losses (not that the COVID-19 pandemic did it any favors). Gadots badassery notwithstanding, lightning didnt strike twice here.
#1: Ghostbusters (2016)
Who you gonna call? Preferably not the female Ghostbusters. This reboot faced backlash long before it hit theaters. The cast including comedic heavyweights Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig brought their A-game, but it wasnt enough to save the movie from criticism over its perceived "wokeness." Many fans saw the all-female lineup as forced, and felt the film leaned too heavily into the feminist factor rather than honoring the original franchise. Ghostbusters also underperformed at the box office, ultimately costing the studio over $70 million. In the end, some argued this beloved 80s classic might have been better left in the afterlife.
Are there any other movies you think went woke and flopped? Let us know in the comments!
[a]ah-LISS-ya vih-KAN-der https://youtu.be/lz6iHGCkw-o?t=31
[b]Gahl gah-DOTE https://youtu.be/-V4XyghZQ-4?t=3