Netflix Removes 'Night at the Museum' Trilogy, Disappointing Fans of the Series

Netflix has quietly removed the entire Night at the Museum trilogy, much to the disappointment of Zillenials everywhere.

The first movie came out in 2006, based on a children's picture book from 1993. The premises of the book and movie are the same: a new night security guard at the Museum of Natural History learns that the dinosaurs inside come alive at night. If he thought he could fall asleep on the job, he was sorely mistaken.

The first film was a box office smash despite mediocre reviews from critics. It made $574 million worldwide according to Box Office Mojo, recouping its budget more than five times over. But on Rotten Tomatoes, it only has a 42 percent score from the critics. Even among fans, it sits at a lukewarm 67 percent.

Three years later, Ben Stiller once again starred in the sequel, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian - this time alongside Owen Wilson and Amy Adams. In this one, his character moves locales to Washington, D.C. to prevent the Smithsonian Institution from being taken over by hostile villains. Once again, it was a hit at the box office, making $413 million against its $150 million budget. But once again, the critics didn't care for it. It sits at a similar 43 percent among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and it didn't do that much better among fans either. Its audience score is just 47 percent.

In 2014, the third installment hit theaters: Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb. Stiller's character switches locales once again, this time heading to London to return the ancient Egyptian artifact. Robin Williams and Owen Wilson also return in supporting roles - tragically, Williams died just months before the release. While it didn't do as well as its predecessors at the box office, it still was a hit, making $363 million against its $127 million budget. This one actually has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score among critics: 48 percent. Almost 50!

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 2, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 2:19 PM.