Movies

10 Sequels That Ruined Beloved Franchises Forever

BBG News

Over numerous years, Tinseltown has relied on sequels as a method for prolonging the popularity of cherished films, such as transforming “The Godfather” into a trilogy or continuing the boundless escapades of James Bond. Although some of these result in fantastic films with audiences yearning for more, others serve as clear indications of Hollywood overstaying its welcome. As production companies grow accustomed to the success of franchises, it can become simple to neglect talented writers and directors, instead transforming sequels into uninspired money-making ventures.

Sequels can encounter numerous challenges, from misconstruing the original content to damaging well-liked characters. Some of these films fade into obscurity, while others become notorious for their low quality, sometimes hindering the success of subsequent installments. Though some franchises eventually recover, it’s challenging to overestimate the detrimental effect a truly poor sequel can have on an intellectual property.

Directed By McG

Since 1984, it has been one of Hollywood’s top sci-fi action kings, telling the story of a time-spanning war between humans and machines. Following three movies about people and machines traveling from the future, the fourth installment, titled “Salvation“, delved into the epic struggle between Skynet and the human resistance. Though the concept seemed promising, it resulted in one of the most uninteresting and poorly-executed action films of its era; even more disheartening given the franchise’s outstanding reputation.

In essence, Terminator Salvation picked up from where the original storyline left off, but it was so underwhelming that the production team chose to deviate from a continuous narrative and start anew with a fresh timeline. The fifth movie, Genisys, added to this disappointment by portraying John Connor as a Skynet agent, further damaging the franchise. It’s difficult to argue that it was the letdown of the fourth film that threw off James Cameron’s vision for the series – and since then, it hasn’t quite regained its former glory. Despite some flaws, Rise of the Machines remains the final film in the series worth watching.

Directed By Roland Emmerich

In 1996, Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich created one of the most awe-inspiring blockbusters of the ’90s with the alien invasion war film “Independence Day”. The movie featured a diverse group of heroes uniting to battle an alien armada, culminating in a triumphant ending typical of Hollywood. Although there were requests for a follow-up, it wasn’t until two decades later that Emmerich provided a sequel, titled “Resurgence”. However, when it was announced that Will Smith would not reprise his role, interest among audiences waned – and the movie’s quality indeed fell short of expectations.

It’s not just that Independence Day Resurgence was released too late as a sequel; the film felt disjointed and overly reliant on nostalgia from the original, while unceremoniously eliminating established characters without a compelling reason. If it had capitalized on Will Smith’s return, as suggested by Emmerich, it could have sparked a more expansive narrative. However, its poor critical reception and underperformance at the box office left many fans lamenting that it was ever produced in the first place.

Directed By Joseph Sargent

The initial film version of Peter Benchley’s Jaws, directed by Steven Spielberg, marked an influential milestone in the annals of Hollywood, essentially establishing the concept of the summer blockbuster. The story revolves around the town of Amity and its struggle against a menacing shark. The franchise became incredibly popular, but unfortunately, each sequel that followed failed to live up to expectations. This trend reached its peak with the fourth movie, which was so poorly received that few connected to it are willing to vouch for it. In this installment, the Brody family faced a revenge-seeking Great White in a manner reminiscent of slasher horror films; a storyline so ludicrous it falls short of the original source material.

Should any franchise ever have maintained an unblemished reputation by ceasing at a single installment, it would undoubtedly be Jaws. The deteriorating quality of subsequent films serves as a stark reminder of this fact. In contemporary times, the film stands out as an example of when production companies fail to recognize the right moment to end a franchise, and since then, no such series has emerged in the thirty-eight years that followed, even though sequels have become a staple of the movie industry.

Directed Sylvain White

1997 marked the release of “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” a film that significantly shaped the slasher genre for a decade. It follows four graduates who, on their graduation night, are involved in a hit-and-run incident. To keep silent about it, they make a pact and lead seemingly normal lives, but the following year, they start receiving enigmatic letters, and are hunted by a mysterious fisherman-killer. In 2006, Columbia Pictures introduced a third installment to the series, focusing on different characters and introducing supernatural elements, thus creating a storyline that bears little resemblance to the first two films in the franchise.

The initial two movies in the series were representative of a specific era and aesthetic within the horror genre, leveraging popular actors such as Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. In contrast, the third movie lacked the appeal or stardom of its predecessors, appearing more like an amateur production that tarnished the series’ reputation. Despite subsequent attempts to revive the franchise, the disappointing performance of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer across all aspects made it difficult to continue the series cinematically, particularly since the main actors had moved on from it.

Directed By Jan de Bont

In the 90s action movie scene, the original “Speed” undeniably left its mark, drawing inspiration from the legendary “Die Hard,” and pushing the genre’s boundaries with fresh twists. Following Keanu Reeves’ portrayal of Jack Traven, director Jan de Bont attempted to continue the storyline, casting Jason Patric as Alex Shaw and bringing back Sandra Bullock as Annie. This time, the high-stakes drama unfolded not on city streets, but aboard a hijacked cruise ship, held hostage by a ruthless terrorist.

Speed 2: Cruise Control wasn’t merely a flop without Keanu Reeves; it was a film that earned infamy for being poorly made. Many laughed at the concept of an uncontrollable cruise ship rather than a speeding bus. With Willem Dafoe adding a deliciously over-the-top performance as the villain, the movie became synonymous with the notion that when a lead actor departs, studios should think twice before proceeding with the project. Even if Reeves had stayed on board, it’s hard to envision a plotline as preposterous for the Speed series as what ultimately came to pass.

Directed By Peter MacDonald

In 1982, Ted Kotcheff, the director, brought to life an outstanding adaptation of David Morrell’s “First Blood,” with Sylvester Stallone portraying John Rambo, a Vietnam veteran. Initially, Rambo was depicted as a man yearning for solitude and seeking justice for fellow Vietnam vets. However, as the story progressed, he transformed from a sympathetic, troubled character into an over-the-top stereotype, particularly when rescuing Colonel Trautman from Soviet forces in Afghanistan.

When Rambo III was released, the studio seemingly overlooked the franchise’s core values, as they chose to have Rambo collaborate with a group that eventually transformed into the Taliban. This decision, looking back, turned out to be highly controversial. The film may have been financially successful, but it was panned by critics so severely that Sylvester Stallone didn’t reprise his role for another 18 years, and since then, it hasn’t received any recognition.

Directed By Shane Black

The Predator film series, launched in 1987, has long been a cherished action movie saga within Hollywood, featuring characters like Dutch Schaeffer’s final stand and a group of soldiers battling for survival on an alien planet. In 2018, Shane Black directed a new Predator film focusing on Quinn McKenna, a U.S. Army sniper who teams up with former soldiers to battle a Yautja in his hometown. However, as Quinn becomes entangled in a Yautja conflict, he struggles to protect his family from both predators and black ops forces. Despite the concept having potential, the movie’s execution unfortunately fell flat, resulting in unintentionally humorous scenes.

Regrettably, despite striving hard to deliver a top-notch Predator action flick, The Predator frequently felt more like a Saturday Night Live sketch than a serious franchise installment. From its rudimentary plot to the overly cheesy and clichéd dialogue, the 2018 sequel was rightfully considered the weakest in the series. Despite attempting to establish a broader narrative, the film’s poor quality led the studio to effectively discard almost every element of the production.

Directed By John Moore

1988 marked a turning point in Bruce Willis’ career and the action genre with John McTiernan’s “Die Hard.” This film introduced audiences to John McClane, a hardworking cop who became a hero by rescuing hostages from a group of thieves. After three more installments, Willis reprised his role as McClane for the final time in “A Good Day to Die Hard,” where he found himself in Russia, working alongside his CIA agent son to foil a nuclear threat. Regrettably, the movie’s unappealing synopsis and its 98-minute long action sequence failed to impress even die-hard fans of the franchise.

In its day, A Good Day To Die Hard faced similar issues as numerous action sequels, losing the charm that made the franchise stand out by opting for a generic, underwhelming film that seemed to forget what truly defined McClane. Fans didn’t embrace the initial movie for spectacular explosions, but rather for the opportunity to follow a down-to-earth action hero in a realistic scenario. As the series advanced, the narratives grew more fantastical and absurd, with the fifth film serving as the pinnacle of this transformation. Since then, there’s been little interest in further Die Hard productions.

Directed By John G. Avildsen

Ever since its debut in 1976, I’ve been the embodiment of inspiring sports cinema, portraying a once-amateur boxer chasing his dream to become heavyweight champion. The subsequent films, from Rocky II to Rocky IV, saw me battling opponents like Apollo Creed and Clubber Lang. Following my intense, patriotic fight against Ivan Drago in Russia, fans eagerly anticipated what the next chapter would bring. Unfortunately, in 1990, I let those same fans down with Rocky V, a film that depicted the once-great hero struggling with brain damage, PTSD, and estrangement from his son, all while training an arrogant fighter named Tommy.

In the annals of cinema, it’s rare to find a fall from grace as dramatic and disheartening as Rocky V, a movie that seemingly depleted all optimism and motivation from its narrative in a single release. Watching the Italian Stallion stumble through one misstep after another, it took both Sylvester Stallone and fans an entire sixteen years to restore the franchise’s luster, which they successfully achieved with 2006’s Rocky Balboa. Since then, the series has branched off into the Creed films, where fans prefer to focus on inspiring tales rather than the fifth movie. The film was so tone-deaf that even Stallone himself admitted to its flaws.

Directed By Lana Wachowski

In the year 1999, the Wachowskis presented the globe with “The Matrix”, launching the tale of Neo, a character who escaped a simulated reality and developed abilities to aid in freeing mankind from mechanical dominance. Following widespread criticism of the third film, Warner Bros. sought to revive the franchise in 2021, enlisting Lana Wachowski for a reboot. The fourth chapter finds Neo working as a game designer with no recollection of his former life, gradually regaining consciousness of the Matrix once more.

Lana Wachowski was famously hesitant to revisit her work, returning only when Warner Bros. confirmed that The Matrix Resurrections would be made regardless of her involvement. In the movie, it appears difficult not to interpret the film as the director’s commentary on Hollywood’s obsession with franchises and sequels a sentiment that resonated with viewers. However, due to unfavorable audience, critical, and box office response, the franchise has been in hiatus since then, serving as a reminder that…

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2025-05-28 18:23

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