Sony Pictures Animation Movies Ranked
20. Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018)
Budget: $35million
Worldwide Box Office: $93.3million
Starring: Jeremy Ray Taylor, Caleel Harris, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ken Jeong
Despite a relatively positive start in adapting the world famous “Goosebumps” children’s books for the big screen with Goosebumps in 2015, Sony Pictures Animation’s follow-up suffered a significant drop in appeal when lead star Jack Black chose not to return.
The gravitas of Black’s persona was sorely missing from Haunted Halloween, but it didn’t help that the live-action elements of the production looked not-too-dissimilar from your typical Nickelodeon children’s show. Why take the family to see something if they can get the same quality thing at home for much cheaper?
Of course the studio wanted to make this, but they probably shouldn’t have.
19. Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017)
Budget: $60million
Worldwide Box Office: $197.2million
Starring: Demi Lovato, Danny Pudi, Kelly Asbury, Julia Roberts, Michelle Rodriguez, Gordon Ramsay
Smurfs: The Lost Village tops Sony Pictures Animation’s mini-table of Smurfs movies, this 2017 entry being just as underwhelming and disappointing to general audiences as most movies in this portion of the list, only slightly improved on its predecessors in almost every conceivable way; mostly in how it appeals to children.
This isn’t a movie that will cross age boundaries like a lot of animated fare, but it is one that will please children with its simple, hearty and inoffensive story and vastly improved presentation.
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18. Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015)
Budget: $80million
Worldwide Box Office: $474.8million
Starring: Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Adam Samberg, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, Mel Brooks, David Spade, Molly Shannon, Keegan-Michael Key, Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, Rob Riggle, Jon Lovitz
Despite a relatively strong start to the Hotel Transylvania franchise in 2012, Hotel Transylvania 2 seemed somewhat devoid of new ideas in comparison, Sony Pictures Animation clearly taking the safest route possible for their animated sequel.
Hotel Transylvania 2 wasn’t bad, but it was far from original and failed to capitalise on the unexpected buzz that the first movie had received, almost derailing the franchise altogether.
It’s not like you have to miss this out if you’re going to watch the trilogy back-to-back, but it’s hardly the one you’ll remember most fondly after all is said and done.
17. Open Season (2006)
Budget: $85million
Worldwide Box Office: $197.3million
Starring: Jane Krakowski, Martin Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, Billy Connolly, Jon Favreau, Gary Sinise, Debra Messing
Inspired by the work of cartoonist Steve Moore and directed by the people behind The Lion King (Roger Allers and Jill Culton), Open Season looked set to be Sony Pictures Animation’s game-changing introduction to the world of animated feature film, but what came to pass was much less exciting.
This 2006 release, starring the likes of Ashton Kutcher, Martin Lawrence, Iron Man director Jon Favreau, and Jane Krakowski, was entertaining enough but lacked in creative visual set pieces, featured only a mildly interesting narrative, and is probably one of the most dated of Sony’s animated features, despite holding a certain charm to those who grew up on it.
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16. The Star (2017)
Budget: $20million
Worldwide Box Office: $62.8million
Starring: Zachary Levi, Gina Rodriguez, Steven Yeun, Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Oprah Winfrey, Gabriel Iglesias, Keegan-Michael Key, Ving Rhames, Tyler Perry, Anthony Anderson, Christopher Plummer, Tracy Morgan
Telling the tale of Jesus’ birth from the perspective of the animal kingdom, The Star surpassed the relatively low expectations of being an animated feature suitable only for audience members with devoutly Christian beliefs to become something of a heart-warming and funny take that was suitable for the whole family to enjoy.
While many of the jokes crashed and burned, and the concept itself seemed like an outdated one for a major studio to tackle as recently as the 2010s, The Star at least vaulted into mediocrity, landing it in this spot on our list.
