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The 10 worst films of 2024 – and Gladiator II is one of them

We gave you the best films, now here’s the worst. Is it a surprise half of these are sequels?

Jim Gaffigan, Jerry Seinfeld, Fred Armisen and Melissa McCarthy in Unfrosted. Photograph: John P Johnson/Netflix
Jim Gaffigan, Jerry Seinfeld, Fred Armisen and Melissa McCarthy in Unfrosted. Photograph: John P Johnson/Netflix


10

Unfrosted

Directed by Jerry Seinfeld. Does Seinfeld’s eulogy to the Pop-Tart mark the death of the brandopic? Don’t bet on it. Read the full review.

9

Firebrand

Directed by Karim Aïnouz. How did this creaky Katherine Parr biopic escape from 1970s Sunday-evening telly?

8

Deadpool & Wolverine

Deadpool & Wolverine
Deadpool & Wolverine

Directed by Shawn Levy. Nauseatingly self-satisfied endoscopy of the Marvel Universe’s large intestine. Read the full review.

7

The Fall Guy

Directed by David Leitch. Supposed to be huge. You’ve already forgotten it ever existed. Lucky you. Read our review Read the full review.

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6

The Union

Directed by Julian Farino. This and all the other terrible Netflix action movies. This is the one that had Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry apparently working for Visit London. Read the full review.

5

Gladiator II

Paul Mescal as Lucius in Gladiator II. Photograph: Aidan Monaghan
Paul Mescal as Lucius in Gladiator II. Photograph: Aidan Monaghan

Directed by Ridley Scott. Let’s throw a bunch of Gladiator tropes in the air and see where they land. Read the full review.

4

Rebel Moon Part 2

Directed by Zack Snyder. You thought Rebel Moon was incoherent? Zack Snyder asks Zack Snyder to hold his beer. Read the full review.

3

Drive-Away Dolls

Directed by Ethan Coen. Coen somehow managed to make the worst ever rip-off of a Coen brothers film. Read the full review.

2

Madame Web

Directed by SJ Clarkson. Great snitty press tour by Dakota Johnson. Bad, bad film. Read the full review.

1

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Ernie Hudson and Bill Murray in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Photograph: p Buitendijk
Ernie Hudson and Bill Murray in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Photograph: p Buitendijk

Directed by Gil Kenan. Even in an age of endless appalling sequels, Frozen Empire stood out for its tedious prioritisation of lore over plot, character, action... Read the full review.