Fans of comedy films everywhere rejoice when they get word of a new one coming out filled with some notable actors. Those lovable movies that have complete all-star casts from top to bottom. A lot of the time, they find major success like Anchorman, Superbad, or Bridesmaids.
However, that's unfortunately not always the case. There have been plenty of occasions where a comedy movie drops with a loaded cast only to miss the mark. It could fail because it bombs at the box office or because it gets critically panned. The cast could be filled with great comedic talents or even Oscar winners in some cases.
Updated on December 2nd, 2022, by Kevin Pantoja: In the world of comedy, there are times when a movie doesn't have to be great and it can still be funny because of the talented cast. Certain stars are hilarious no matter what they're given to work with. Despite that, there are still plenty of films throughout history that were loaded with talent, only to end up missing the mark. They might've bombed commercially or been poorly received by critics but either way, they disappointed fans of the stars involved.
Zoolander 2 (2016)
Stream On Paramount+
The original Zoolander is one of those movies that is inherently goofy yet that is a big part of its charm. Fans can't help but laugh at the sheer stupidity of what's going on in the film. Zoolander 2 has a similar vibe but it didn't work nearly as well.
Some of the comedic bits didn't hit, leading to poor reviews and it also struggled at the box office, barely grossing back its budget. That's despite adding Penélope Cruz, Kristen Wiig, and Benedict Cumberbatch to a cast that already included Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell, and Owen Wilson.
The Happytime Murders (2018)
Rent On Vudu
There's no doubt that Melissa McCarthy is a top-level comedic actor. She nabbed an Oscar nomination for her work in Bridesmaids and has led successful comedies like Identity Thief, The Heat, and Spy. Unfortunately, The Happytime Murders was a misfire for her.
The film is set in a world where puppets and humans co-exist and McCarthy's character tries to catch a serial killer alongside her puppet partner. She was joined by Maya Rudolph, Joel McHale, and Elizabeth Banks, yet the movie was widely panned.
Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2015)
Rent On Apple TV
Similar to Zoolander 2, Hot Tub Time Machine 2 was the follow-up to a comedy that exceeded expectations. The idea of traveling through time in a hot tub sounds goofy, yet there was something about the first one that audiences enjoyed.
The sequel couldn't recapture that magic, grossing just $13.1 million and receiving negative reviews. Adam Scott, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Rob Corddry, Gillian Jacobs, Chevy Chase, and Kumail Nanjiani are all quality performers but they couldn't save this.
Gigli (2003)
Rent On Vudu
It's hard to even remember that Gigli was a comedy. The movie arrived at the height of the much-talked-about Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck romance, so it was a big deal. However, the trailer never really felt like it was leading to anything funny.
Those who watched it also didn't find much enjoyment from it as Gigli was a huge flop, grossing just $7.2 million on a budget of over $75 million. Despite having Christopher Walken and Al Pacino in the supporting cast, the film won several Golden Raspberry Awards.
The Adventures Of Pluto Nash (2002)
Stream On Tubi
This is a movie that has gone down in infamy for being a notorious flop. The Adventures of Pluto Nash was supposed to be a huge hit given that it came at a time when its star, Eddie Murphy, was still very popular and it had a budget of $100 million.
Alas, it only made $7.1 million at the box office, making it one of the biggest money losers in history. It was also roasted by critics as even the talents of Murphy, Randy Quaid, Rosario Dawson, Pam Grier, and others couldn't help matters.
Masterminds (2016)
Stream On Hulu
Any film that features the comedic skills of Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, and Jason Sudeikis sounds like a winner. When you add in the premise of telling an absurd true story, this should've worked wonders.
Based on the 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery, Masterminds somehow was a swing and a miss. Critically, it only holds a 34% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 5.8 on IMDb. Commercially, despite the famous names and setup, it only grossed $29.7 million on a $25 million budget.
Wild Hogs (2007)
Stream On HBO Max
The entire appeal of Wild Hogs was based around the cast of performers it brought together. Tim Allen and Martin Lawrence are comedy icons, while John Travolta and William H. Macy have done fantastic things with their on-screen versatility over the years.
They all came together to tell the story of middle-aged best friends hitting the open road on their motorcycles only to get into trouble when they encounter a real biker gang. This was a commercial hit ($253.6 million) but was widely panned for lame jokes and the way it overdid lazy stereotypes.
The House (2017)
Rent On Apple TV
You'd be hard-pressed to find two actors who are funnier than Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell. The two are among the greatest Saturday Night Live alums in all of history. They worked together in the past in Blades of Glory but this time around, they were the leads.
In The House, they play a married couple who opens a casino in their friend's home to help pay for their daughter's college. The supporting cast includes Jeremy Renner, Nick Kroll, and Jason Mantzoukas, yet it failed at the box office ($34.2 million on a $40 million budget) and with critics.
Valentine's Day (2010)
Stream On Tubi
Here's another movie that made a boatload of money ($216.5 million) even though the reviews for it were less than stellar. Valentine's Day brought together one of the most talented combinations of actors you'll find in any movie regardless of genre.
Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Anne Hathaway, Emma Roberts, Julia Roberts, Taylor Swift, and Bradley Cooper are just a few of those stars. The plot tells intertwining tales of couples on the romantic holiday. It scored just an 18% on Rotten Tomatoes for being filled with clichés.
Grown Ups (2010)
Stream On Sling
For the most part, anything released by Happy Madison Productions has been met with disdain from critics. Grown Ups was right up that alley as most reviewers seemed to suggest that this was just a way for Adam Sandler to bring his friends together for a payday.
It worked to the tune of $271.4 million at the box office and a sequel that is just as successful. Of course, the critics were negative across the board. That's despite it featuring Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, Kevin James, Rob Schneider, Salma Hayek, and Maya Rudolph.
Norbit (2007)
Stream On TNT
At one time, there weren't many comedians who could live up to what Eddie Murphy was doing. His stand-up specials were remarkable and he was delivering classic films like Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America. By the time the 2000s rolled around, that had changed.
He seemed to turn the tide with a stellar performance in Dreamgirls but it was rumored that his shot at an Oscar was ruined when Norbit arrived. It follows a tame man married to a bully of a woman (both played by Murphy) who then finds a lady he truly loves. Norbit won three Golden Raspberry Awards despite also featuring talents like Thandie Newton, Terry Crews, and Cuba Gooding Jr.
Your Highness (2011)
Stream On Starz
Not many films disappointed audiences as much as Your Highness did. It came at a time when the incredible cast was all about as red hot as they could be. James Franco was coming off of an Oscar nomination while Natalie Portman had just won one. Danny McBride had done Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder, while Zooey Deschanel was fresh off of (500) Days of Summer.
Throw in director David Gordon Green (Eastbound & Down, Halloween) and this should've worked. Instead, it focused on low-brow jokes that weren't funny. It also bombed hard at the box office, taking in $28 million on a budget of $50 million.
The Love Guru (2008)
Stream On Showtime
Similar to Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers is someone who was at one time a comedy icon. His run on Saturday Night Live and in beloved films like Wayne's World and Austin Powers made him a household name. However, his star fell pretty hard over the years. In 2008, Myers reached his lowest point with The Love Guru.
In it, Myers plays a guru tasked with helping the star player of a hockey team who is struggling. He got the likes of Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Romany Malco, Meagan Good, and Ben Kinglsey to star, as well as a slew of others for cameos. Despite that, this movie was a huge miss thanks to forced gags and plenty of offensive jokes.
Jack And Jill (2011)
Stream On Netflix
It's difficult to find a film more disliked than Jack and Jill. For reference, it holds a 3% Rotten Tomatoes rating, a 3.3/10 on IMDb, and a Metacritic score of 23. Even the casual audience score is only 36% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is Happy Madison Productions at its worst.
Jack and Jill takes a tired comedy trope of making a funny man dress in drag. Adam Sandler plays Jack, a guy who has his life turned upside down when his annoying twin sister (also Sandler) visits. Considering this also stars Al Pacino and has cameos from Johnny Depp, Drew Carey, and so many more, it's a massive failure.
Movie 43 (2013)
Stream On Cinemax
Movie 43 is the definition of a film having an all-star cast. Just to name some of the actors, there's Hugh Jackman, Emma Stone, Halle Berry, Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts, Jason Sudeikis, Kristen Bell, Gerard Butler, Terrence Howard, Julianne Moore, Elizabeth Banks, and Bob Odenkirk.
Even without naming them all, those talents have plenty of Oscar and Emmy wins to their names. Though a mild box office hit, Movie 43 was reviled by critics. Richard Roeper even dubbed it the "Citizen Kane of awful." This anthology film won Worst Picture at the Golden Raspberry Awards.