Movies That Were Basically Just One Giant Ad

When you're watching television, you expect to still see ads, whether you're checking out a YouTube video, tuning into a network show, or catching your favorite movie on basic cable. Even in the age of streaming video and ad-free plans, commercials are still a necessary evil, and plenty of viewers are willing to sit through an ad for Swiffer or Google's newest phone to access the content they're looking for.

Most films these days feature a fair amount of product placement, whether audiences directly notice it or not. While films like Fight Club make fun of the idea of consumerism and product placement, others lean into it, like A Simple Favor's preference for Aviation Gin, Sex and the City's open display of designer brands, or The Internship focusing entirely on Google. However, the following films seem to only exist thanks to a previous toy, comic, or mythology, serving as one giant ad for something incredibly specific.

In 2012, Hollywood determined that the world needed a movie based on the board game Battleship, starring big names like Liam Neeson, Taylor Kitsch (Friday Night Lights), and Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood, Big Little Lies) alongside models and musicians like Brooklyn Decker and Rihanna. The stars implausibly played a group of soldiers and naval officers who have to defend their fleet against an incoming alien horde, and between the complicated plot and flimsy foundation, the film did not seem destined to be a hit. With a budget of $209 million, Battleship barely fulfilled expectations, and critics weren't fans either, though it was among the more successful films produced by Hasbro, particularly outside North America. In 2013, it was nominated for several Golden Raspberry Awards (including Worst Picture), with Rihanna ultimately taking home the prize for Worst Supporting Actress.

Battleship itself, which dates back to World War I, is a relatively simple game for two players where each one has a fleet that the other is trying to sink, and anyone who has played it likely wouldn't think it would make an excellent feature film. It all feels like a fairly shameless ad, but maybe not for what you would think — some critics pointed out that it actually felt more like a commercial for the armed forces rather than a classic game.

One of the most famous action figures of all time — so famous, in fact, that it literally created the term "action figure" — G.I. Joe hit shelves in 1964, representing all four branches of America's armed services which must fight against the Cobra Command, a terrorist cell trying to destroy the free world. Like many other toy lines, the figure spawned comic books and cartoons, but it wasn't until 2009 that the world saw the first live-action adaptation, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, starring Channing Tatum as Duke (an American soldier) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Cobra Commander.

Despite earning a whopping $302.5 million during its theatrical run and opening at the top of the box office, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra received primarily negative reviews. Naturally, Hasbro launched an enormous toy-centric marketing campaign as well as arranging plenty of product tie-ins, and the 2013 sequel, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, was more of the same — a box office smash that was critically panned, it too came with a new toy line, lest anyone forget that the real purpose of the film was to sell as many action figures as possible.

Created in 1982, Masters of the Universe is one of Mattel's signature toy lines — led by their classic toys He-Man and She-Ra and villain Skeletor, the franchise has led to several different action figure lines and media like comic books, cartoons, a newspaper comic strip, and video games. Thanks to the success of the entire line, it seemed like a no-brainer to make a live-action adaptation, and in 1987, director Gary Goddard did just that, with a film starring Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, and Courteney Cox.

Critics weren't fans of the adaptation, with one reviewer noting that "if you liked the toy, you'll love the movie," and it currently stands at a low 17% on Rotten Tomatoes. It performed so poorly at the box office that all plans for the sequel were completely scrapped, making it an entirely unsuccessful ploy at advertising the Masters of the Universe toy line. Mattel isn't willing to give up just yet, however — a reboot has in the works since 2007, and currently, the film is scheduled for a December 2019 release, meaning Mattel may soon be selling He-Man and She-Ra toys to a new generation.  

A screwball comedy starring legends like Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, and more, Clue shared some similarities with the Hasbro game that inspired it, most notably the fact that it had three separate endings that were screened in different theaters and times. The film performed poorly at the box office, not even recouping its budget, and reviews from critics were decidedly mixed — after that, it looked like the film might end up forgotten.

However, the complete opposite happened — as the years went on, Clue gained a cult following, inspiring costume parties, game nights, and finding life with a new, younger generation of fans. The resurgence and popularity of the film has likely been the best possible ad for this classic game, which has been rebooted a few times, including an unsuccessful 2008 remake as well as re-released versions of the classic that include small tweaks (like a new character, Dr. Orchid, who debuted in 2016 while replacing Mrs. White). Thanks in part to the film's cult status, the board game remains a family favorite across the world, perhaps making Clue one of the most successful movie advertisements of all.

Hasbro is home to some of the most beloved and enduring toy lines and cartoons of all time, and Jem and the Holograms is no exception. The cartoon series, which launched in 1985, told the story of Jerrica Benton, who transformed into her rock-star alter ego Jem with the help of Synergy, a holographic computer. Once she becomes Jem, she leads her band the Holograms, while simultaneously fighting evil record producers and keeping her identities separate.

Thanks to Hasbro's film contract with Universal Studios and the success of both the G.I. Joe and Transformers franchises, a Jem and the Holograms live-action film was announced in 2014. Starring Nashville's Audrey Peeples as Jem, the adaptation also featured Ryan Guzman and Hayley Kiyoko alongside Molly Ringwald and Juliette Lewis in supporting roles. Critics agreed that it didn't have the heart of its source material, and it did so poorly at the box office (with the worst opening of 2015) that Universal actually pulled it from theaters. Beyond all that, the film sparked controversy when the filmmaker used footage of Jem fans without their explicit permission, taking advantage of the people the film was marketed to in the first place. As far as ad movies go, this one certainly didn't succeed, and might have even prevented a new generation from discovering Jem in the bargain.

Since they were introduced to the commercial market in 1980, Ouija boards have been a favorite for kids looking to scare themselves at slumber parties by summoning spirits and gaining access the supernatural. The boards have been featured in a number of film and television projects, including The Exorcist, Paranormal Activity, and even Reba, but in 2014, the board, currently owned by Hasbro, got its own feature film.

Even though a 2007 Filipino release (also called Ouija) had already tackled the board's mysteries, this Universal big-budget adaptation brought a similar story to a larger audience. Starring Olivia Cooke, who previously appeared in Bates Motel and starred in 2017's miniseries Vanity Fair, the film tells the story of a group of teenagers who unwittingly unleash spirits from a Ouija board, and despite completely unfavorable reviews from critics, it was a commercial smash, even beating John Wick during its opening weekend. Thanks to that success, a prequel starring Elizabeth Reaser, Ouija: Origin of Evil, was released in 2016 — and this time, the reviews were unexpectedly positive, proving that sometimes, even a thinly disguised toy commercial can end up being a pretty entertaining film.