Ah, the Golden Raspberries. A nearly 50-year-long tradition of celebrating the best of the worst that we film fans love to hate.
In today’s hyper-online world, where hate is so easy to come by, it can be hard to not look at the Razzies as a cynical exercise in mean-spirited rage bait.
But, at their best, they can be a fun way for film-fans to find the next ‘so-bad-it’s-good’ midnight movie.
So, we thought we’d dive deep into the past 50 or so years of Razzie worst picture winners and multi-award-winners to see what they got right and what they got totally wrong.
1. 1980 – Can’t Stop the Music
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst screenplay
This musical comedy from 1980 was so panned by critics that it is largely credited for inspiring the creation of the Razzies themselves. It would eventually go on to win the award, becoming the inaugural worst picture winner. I guess it’ll always be remembered, right?
2. 1981 – Mommie Dearest
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst actress – Faye Dunaway, worst supporting actor – Steve Forrest, worst supporting actress – Diana Scarwid, worst screenplay
This was a film full of some capital C choices. Over-the-top acting, a soapy script and a strange tone make this one of the more bizarre winners on this list. Especially when you consider the talent involved.
3. 1982 – Inchon
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Terence Young, worst actor – Laurence Olivier, worst screenplay
A massive scale war movie that experienced massive setbacks during production. Call me if you’ve heard that one before. Unfortunately, the reputation of this ill-fated epic hasn’t improved much over time.
4. 1983 – The Lonely Lady
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Peter Sasdy, worst actress – Pia Zadora, worst screenplay, worst musical score, worst original song
Critic Roger Ebert’s savage review just about sums up the sentiment regarding this one. “If The Lonely Lady had even a shred of style and humour, it could qualify as the worst movie of the year” Ebert said. “Unfortunately, it’s not that good.” Woof.
5. 1984 – Bolero
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst actress – Bo Derek, worst director, worst new star – Olivia d’Abo, worst screenplay worst original score
Bolero falls in what we’ll call the Razzies ‘romantic drama’ era, where the top award was usually given to a melodramatic and overwrought dramas that flopped with critics and audiences alike.
6. 1985 – Rocky IV (and Rambo: First Blood Part II)
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst actor – Sylvester Stallone, worst screenplay, worst original song
In a wild year for the Razzies, two Stallone classics landed worst picture noms. While eventual winner First Blood Part II is a notable step down from its predecessor, calling Rocky IV anything other than a classic is an outrage. Neither film belongs in this category, but Rocky IV is one of the best in the whole saga.
7. 1986 – Under the Cherry Moon
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Prince, worst actor – Prince, worst supporting actor – Jerome Benton, worst original song
The first film to share the top award at the Razzies (alongside Howard the Duck), Under the Cherry Moon marked the directorial debut of Prince. It might have flopped on release but the years have been kind to this one granting it the coveted ‘cult classic’ status.
8. 1986 – Howard the Duck
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst screenplay, worst new star – the six guys and gals in the duck suit, worst visual effects
Yeah, this one is hard to defend. In the years since its release, Howard the Duck – you know the one where Lea Thompson has a fling with an anthropomorphic Duck – is one of the stranger entries in both the filmography of George Lucas and Marvel Comics. The weirdness and surreal reality of the film definitely makes for interesting viewing, though.
9. 1987 – Leonard Part 6
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst actor – Bill Cosby, worst screenplay
The less said about this one the better. A misjudged effort that was even denounced by its now disgraced lead upon release. One of a few films to fully deserve their place on this list.
10. 1988 – Cocktail
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst screenplay
Tom Cruise plays a cocky yet shallow man looking to prove himself. It was a role Cruise relished early on in his career, but for every Top Gun and Jerry Maguire there was a Cocktail. That being said, the film is better than its reputation and ended up being a huge hit at the box office, proving Cruise’s undeniable star power.
11. 1989 – Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – William Shatner, worst actor – William Shatner
The first and only Trek film helmed by Kirk himself, William Shatner, The Final Frontier sees the crew of the enterprise infamously take on God. Is it a good film? No, especially coming off the back of the fantastic (and my favourite) Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. But it is still true to Trek in that it explores big ideas, takes bold swings and attempts to tackle big questions, even if it isn’t successful.
We also need to celebrate the fact that without The Final Frontier, we wouldn’t have gotten The Undiscovered Country, arguably one of the best Trek films. Redeemed is a strong word but it certainly didn’t deserve the Razzie.
12. 1990 – The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst actor – Andrew Dice Clay, worst screenplay
A big and brash rock comedy about a metal band and a private eye investigating the music industry. At least the soundtrack features Jimi Hendrix.
13. 1990 – Ghosts Can’t Do It
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – John Derek, worst actress – Bo Derek, worst supporting actor – Donald Trump
Another joint winner and another Bo Derek romantic comedy, Ghosts Can’t Do It has the distinction of featuring a certain US president who won Worst Supporting Actor for his role in the film.
14. 1991 – Hudson Hawk
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Michael Lehmann, worst screenplay
Comedy often finds itself in the crosshairs of the Razzie’s Worst Picture Awards, which is why it make sense that Bruce Willis cult slapstick action flick landed the least coveted award in Hollywood. In the years since, however, it has found an audience. So maybe Willis got the last laugh with this one.
15. 1992 – Shining Through
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – David Seltzer, worst actress – Melanie Griffith
Shining Through represents the apex of a pretty rough year for all involved. Melanie Griffith was nominated twice for worst actress alongside Michael Douglas, who also picked up a nomination for Basic Instinct. 1992 was a year to forget for the whole Shining Through crew, even if the film isn’t actually that bad.
16. 1993 – Indecent Proposal
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst supporting actor – Woody Harrelson, worst screenplay
Indecent Proposal is one of those films most people would be surprised to find on this list. It’s not a masterpiece but its cultural legacy goes to show that there’s more here than meets the eye. Interesting central performances from a talented cast and an exceptionally ’90s tone make this well worth a watch. Plus, it gave us the classic Simpsons episode “Half-Decent Proposal”, so there’s that.
17. 1994 – Colour of Night
Razzie Wins: worst picture
Another Bruce Willis flick and another erotic thriller given the top Razzie. Colour of Night has become a cult classic in the years since its release thanks to its bold look and a few particularly notable moments. One such scene went on to win an award from the magazine Maxim, so you can probably guess what that particular sequence involved.
18. 1995 – Showgirls
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Paul Verhoeven, worst actress – Elizabeth Berkley, worst screenplay, worst screen couple, worst new star – Elizabeth Berkley, worst original song
The film so infamous it derailed the careers of almost everybody involved. Paul Verhoeven’s erotic thriller about Vegas showgirl Nomi Malone, played by Elizabeth Berkley, was such a bomb critically and commercially that it was considered one of the worst films of all time upon release.
However, as the years have gone on to show, Verhoeven’s satirical take on show business was misunderstood in its time and, while its far from perfect, it definitely didn’t deserve the Razzie.
19. 1996 – Striptease
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Andrew Bergman, worst actress – Demi Moore, worst screenplay, worst screen couple, worst original song
The Razzies followed up Showgirls’s infamous win with a worst picture trophy for Demi Moore’s Striptease. The film blends genres and features a brave performance from Moore that once again deserved more credit than it received.
20. 1997 – The Postman (and Waterworld)
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Kevin Costner, worst actor – Kevin Costner, worst screenplay, worst original song
Despite being one of the most high-profile filmmakers in Hollywood during the early ’90s, Kevin Costner had a string of flops that nearly tanked his career. Both Waterworld and The Postman had a presence at the Razzies with the latter winning. However, both films are ambitious and exciting in their own way, with Waterworld in particular being a favourite of this writer.
21. 1998 – An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst actor – Ryan O’Neal, worst supporting actor – Joe Eszterhas, worst screenplay, worst new star – Joe Eszterhas, worst original song
Ironic that a film about a man named Alan Smithee, a pseudonym usually employed by directors looking to distance themselves from a film, should win worst picture. The film would lead to the US Directors Guild retiring the Alan Smithee name for good, robbing us of many future masterpieces from the much-loved fake director.
22. 1999 – Wild Wild West
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Barry Sonnenfeld, worst screenplay, worst screen couple
How can a film featuring a bespoke Will Smith rap song that comes hot on the heels of both Independence Day and Men In Black bomb so badly? It might have something to do with that weird choice to include a giant mechanical spider in the films last act. A giant mechanical spider once destined to feature in Tim Burton’s unmade Superman film, as it happens.
23. 2000 – Battlefield Earth
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Roger Christian, worst actor – John Travolta, worst supporting actor – Barry Pepper, worst supporting actress – Kelly Preston, worst screenplay, worst screen couple
Not even John Travolta, Oscar nominee, or future Oscar winner Forest Whitaker could save this infamous space opera. Based on Scientology creator L Ron Hubbard’s sci-fi opus, the film was a huge flop at the box-office and is widely considered worthy of its Razzie winning status.
24. 2001 – Freddy Got Fingered
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Tom Green, worst actor – Tom Green, worst screenplay, worst screen couple
Loud, brash and unashamedly dark in its humour, there are many who would argue that Tom Green’s comedy was misunderstood upon its release. It has gone on to experience a cultural reappraisal, becoming a cult film in the years since. Is it good? We’ll leave that one up to you.
25. 2002 – Swept Away
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Guy Richie, worst actress – Madonna, worst remake or sequel, worst screen couple
Guy Richie is a great director. Madonna is pop royalty. Swept Away is neither person’s crowning achievement. It was widely panned upon release with many critics being particularly disapproving of Madonna’s performance in the film. That being said, there is still some of that signature Richie flair on show making it worth checking out for fans of his particular filmmaking style.
26. 2003 – Gigli
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Martin Brest, worst actor – Ben Affleck, worst actress – Jennifer Lopez, worst screenplay, worst screen couple
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez both suffered in the fallout from this box-office bomb. Somehow costing $75 million to make, Gigli would go on to only gross $7.3 million.
27. 2004 – Catwoman
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Pitof, worst actress – Hallie Berry, worst screenplay
Hallie Berry is a fantastic actress. She won the Oscar for Monster’s Ball in 2001 and embodied the iconic mutant Storm in three fantastic X-Men films (and X-Men: The Last Stand). And then there’s Catwoman. A neutered (sorry) attempt at adapting the DC anti-hero for the big screen that fails everyone involved.
28. 2005 – Dirty Love
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – John Mallory Asher, worst actress – Jenny McCarthy, worst screenplay
Starring Jenny McCarthy and American Pie’s Eddie Kaye Thomas, Dirty Love is about a photographer on the hunt for true love after she learns her boyfriend is cheating on her. The film was savaged by critics upon release beating out both Son of the Mask and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo to win the worst picture award, no mean feat if you’ve seen either of those films.
29. 2006 – Basic Instinct 2
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst actress – Sharon Stone, worst screenplay, worst prequel or sequel
The first Basic Instinct wasn’t exactly a critical darling, earning Michael Douglas a worst actor nomination, but the response to the long awaited sequel was even more vicious. The return of serial killer Catherine Tramell, once again played by Sharon Stone, failed to capture the box office spark of the original and lacked the bite that made the original so controversial.
Still, Stone is undeniably magnetic in the lead role and David Morrissey and director Michael Caton-Jones do an amiable job of living up to both Douglas and Verhoeven.
30. 2007 – I Know Who Killed Me
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Chris Sivertson, worst actress – Lindsay Lohan and Lindsay Lohan, worst screenplay, worst screen couple, worst remake or rip-off
Before her comeback in last years underrated Freakier Friday, Lindsey Lohan endured a fallow period in her career. I Know Who Killed Me might be notable for winning worst picture, but the years have been kind to this giallo-inspired horror, which, alongside its star, deserves a lot more credit than it gets.
31. 2008 – The Love Guru
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst actor – Mike Myers, worst screenplay
Mike Myers playing multiple characters in heavy make-up. What could go wrong? If the Razzies are to be believed, a lot. To say The Love Guru wasn’t well loved upon release would be an understatement. And its reputation hasn’t improved much in the years since.
32. 2009 – Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Michael Bay, worst screenplay
Full disclosure, I’ve always had a soft spot for Bayhem, particularly in a Transformers context. That being said, this film is a bit of a mess. Made during the writers strike, the films story feels scattered and its characters lost in a sea of explosions and metal mania that never really amounts to anything more than visual noise.
That being said, this was also the year the Razzies nominated Jennifer’s Body, a stone-cold classic, so that does undermine their validity significantly.
33. 2010 – The Last Airbender
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – M Night Shyamalan, worst supporting actor – Jackson Rathbone, worst screenplay, worst eye-gouging mis-use of 3D
M Night Shyamalan is a misunderstood genius. At his best, films like The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and even The Village are atmospheric and masterful. The early career Spielberg comparisons feel particularly apt when watching Signs, with its complicated family dynamics and expert camerawork.
It’s a shame that he became a perennial punching bag for the Razzies, because even at his worst (and The Last Airbender is him at his worst) there’s still something interesting about his work. Unfortunately, Shyamalan’s stilted adaptation of one of the best animated series of all-time is a perfect example of a bad pairing of filmmaker and source-material.
34. 2011 – Jack and Jill
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Dennis Dugan, worst actor – Adam Sandler, worst actress – Adam Sandler, worst supporting actor – Al Pacino, worst supporting actress – David Spade, worst screenplay, worst screen couple, worst screen ensemble, worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel
Alongside a few notable names, Adam Sandler is a bit of a mainstay at the Razzies. Despite racking up 3 wins and 12 nominations for worst actor, Jack and Jill marks one of the actor’s only worst film wins.
35. 2012 – The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Bill Condon, worst actress – Kristen Stewart, worst supporting actor – Taylor Lautner, worst screen couple, worst screen ensemble, worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel
Twilight was the franchise everyone loved to hate in the 2000s. The reality is, these films meant a lot to a whole generation of young women who were at best forgotten by pop culture and at worst derided for the things they cared about. They may vary in quality (though the original Twilight is a classic) but the hate is so wildly overblown and misplaced.
36. 2013 – Movie 43
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Various, worst screenplay
Notable for being the one that put balls on Hugh Jackman’s chin, Movie 43 is a largely unfunny mixed bag that represents career lows for many of the stars involved.
37. 2014 – Saving Christmas
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst actor – Kirk Cameron, worst screenplay, worst screen combo
Holding a 0 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes is probably a bad sign. This painfully unfunny attempt at a Christmas film was panned by critics and audiences, thanks to its controversial messaging.
38. 2015 – Fantastic Four
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Josh Trank, worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel
Studio interference and a desire to make Marvel’s first family darker led to a film that squandered a talented cast. However, there is some good stuff in there – it’s just buried among reshoot wigs, meme-worthy lines and a Dr Doom design that makes anything that comes afterwards look instantly better.
39. 2015 – Fifty Shades of Grey
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst actor – Jamie Dornan, worst actress, Dakota Johnson, worst screenplay, worst screen combo
It might shock you to know that box-office phenomenon Fifty Shades of Grey wasn’t beloved by critics. Continuing the Razzies tradition of celebrating the erotic drama, Fifty Shades of Grey holds a unique distinction of being one of only a few films to also receive an Academy Award nomination.
Despite its reputation, the film is a relatively tame attempt at depicting its subject matter (especially compared with earlier films on this list). Still, the film has a massive audience that shouldn’t be overlooked and both its leads have gone on to have great careers in the years since.
40. 2015 – Jupiter Ascending
Razzie Wins: worst supporting actor – Eddie Redmayne
Despite not actually winning the 2015 award, Jupiter Ascending picked up multiple nominations, which is arguably unfair. This gonzo blockbuster is colourful, weird and has everything we love about big, sci-fi spectacles.
Like Speed Racer before it, The Wachowskis continue to make deeply imaginative and visually spectacular films that are misunderstood in their time. Razzies, you’re wrong here.
41. 2016 – Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Dinesh D’Souza, worst actor – Dinesh D’Souza, worst actress – Rebekah Turner, worst screenplay
This is a political documentary about presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and a critique of the Democratic Party.
42. 2017 – The Emoji Movie
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Tony Leondis, worst screenplay, worst screen combo
Is The Emoji Movie perfect? No. Is it the worst film ever made? No. Sure, it doesn’t live up to the high bar of The LEGO Movie or Ralph Breaks the Internet in its attempt at subverting audience expectations in a corporatised world, but it definitely doesn’t deserve the vitriol levelled against it. Few films do.
43. 2018 – Holmes & Watson
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Ethan Cohen, worst supporting actor – John C Reilly, worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel
This relatively inoffensive comedy take on the classic detective is not the best film in the world, but Ferrell and Reilly are always fun together.
44. 2019 – Cats
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Tom Hooper, worst supporting actor – James Corden, worst supporting actress – Rebel Wilson, worst screenplay, worst screen combo
Weirdly not the only cat themed Razzie winner, Tom Hooper’s attempt to adapt the famously weird musical of the same name was doomed from the moment early trailers dropped. The unsettling human-cat hybrid creatures looked like they felt more at home on the Island of Dr Moreau than a Christmas family musical.
45. 2020 – Absolute Proof
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst actor – Mike Lindell
Absolute Proof is a documentary that promotes the conspiracy theory that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election instead of Joe Biden.
46. 2021 – Diana: The Musical
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Christopher Ashley, worst actress – Jeanna de Waal, worst supporting actress – Judy Kaye, worst screenplay
Widely disliked by critics and audiences, the filmed version of the stage musical did little to live up to the legacy of its subject.
47. 2022 – Blonde
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst screenplay
Another of those rare films that received both an Oscar nod and a Razzie, Blonde is the controversial take on the life of Marilyn Monroe. This one divided critics, with some praising its lead performance by Ana de Armas and others suggesting it exploited the legacy of Monroe.
48. 2023 – Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Rhys Frake-Waterfield, worst screenplay, worst screen couple, worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel
The first in a glut of horror films based on classic children’s characters that have entered the public domain, Blood and Honey is a weird one. The fact that Winnie-the-Pooh is such a beloved character doesn’t exactly endear you to the film. But subsequent entries in the Twisted Childhood Universe have actually turned out pretty well, including this years puppet slasher Pinocchio Unstrung.
49. 2024 – Madame Web
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst actress – Dakota Johnson, worst screenplay
If you didn’t have fun watching Madame Web then you’re lying. Due to behind-the-scenes issues, Madame Web never gets a chance to feel like a real movie. Despite a talented and charismatic cast, the film fails to move beyond badly re-dubbed dialogue and a frustrating lack of Spider-Man himself.
50. 2025 – War of the Worlds
Razzie Wins: worst picture, worst director – Rich Lee, worst actor – Ice Cube, worst screenplay, worst prequel, remake, rip-off or sequel
Ice Cube’s screen-life take on the HG Wells classic was an immediate cultural phenomenon when it debuted on Prime Video. A truly bizarre lead performance by Ice Cube, who was dealt a pretty rough hand from the off, and a third act that feels like an Amazon Prime advert make this an easy contender for entry into the rarified territory of the ‘so-bad-it’s-good’ film.
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