Movies

10 Sequels That Were Supposed to End Their Franchises But Didn’t

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Franchises never truly conclude; instead, they continue to resurface in different forms. Whether it’s reboots or expansions into multiple universes, you can count on seeing your favorite characters return to the big screen, even years after what was believed to be their final appearance. This phenomenon isn’t new, as studios rarely abandon cherished intellectual properties for good. Instead, they often hold onto the hope of a grand resurgence.

Initially, it was believed that several popular movie series would conclude, with at least one film in each series supposedly serving as the finale. However, unexpectedly, new ideas emerged and more films followed, much to the amusement of fans who later contemplated these movies as the supposed endings. They were envisioned as the conclusion of a harmonious trilogy, the final breath of a fading franchise, or an innovative experiment that gathered everyone for one last adventure. In retrospect, we now know they weren’t any of these things, but it’s intriguing to ponder what would have happened if they had been.

Was it better for there to be more installments following them? In certain instances, yes, given the superior quality of subsequent productions. However, in other cases, we’re grateful they didn’t continue. Some franchises were so successful that another sequel seemed inevitable. On the other hand, others lacked success, leading those in control to rethink their approach or even rewrite the series altogether. Regardless of the reason, these film series persisted despite attempts to end them. Contemplate what our world might look like if they hadn’t carried on.

10 Movies That Were Supposed to End Their Franchises

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

The use of “last” in a movie title, such as “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade“, often implies it’s the final installment. However, as franchises have a tendency to continue indefinitely, “the last” is rarely truly the end. This film was designed to capture the essence of the original “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and conclude the adventures of the hat-wearing hero. As an ending, it was quite satisfactory; the final scene shows Indiana Jones and his companions driving off into the sunset. Originally, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas planned a trilogy for the Indiana Jones series, despite agreeing on a deal for five movies. This film was intended to wrap up that trilogy, but they eventually returned for “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” years later. (Ford reprised his role in “Dial of Destiny” in 2023.)

Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)

The “A Nightmare on Elm Street” series proved to be highly profitable for New Line Cinema, earning it the nickname “The House That Freddy Built.” Following five Nightmare films and other successful franchises, the studio decided it was time for Freddy Krueger to retire. The sixth installment, “Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare,” aimed to permanently conclude the franchise. In this film, Freddy’s victims detonate a pipe bomb that severely damages his mortal body, leaving him dead even when demons attempt to revive him. Three years later, the seventh movie in the series, “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare,” introduced an alternate timeline, implying Freddy Krueger as a character from an in-universe film franchise. Freddy didn’t reappear until over a decade after his supposed demise, in the franchise crossover “Freddy vs. Jason.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

The long-running slasher series often feature films that were initially planned as final installments. For instance, in the Halloween franchise, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (the seventh movie) was initially conceived as the finale but served as a direct sequel only to the first Halloween and its follow-up, Halloween II. It ignored the rest of the series timeline. In this film, it’s revealed that Laurie Strode had faked her death and lived in hiding until Michael Myers found her working as a headmistress at a boarding school. Initially, Jamie Lee Curtis intended to end the series here, but due to a legal clause that prevented the character of Michael Myers from being killed off, the writers had to devise a way for Myers to survive the ending. Footage of this survival was shot during production and used at the beginning of the next film, Halloween: Resurrection.

The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

The latest installment in the Matrix series, titled “The Matrix Resurrections,” acknowledges that the franchise was initially thought to be concluded following the back-to-back releases of “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions” in 2003. The creators, the Wachowskis, were firm about wrapping up everything related to Matrix, despite Warner Bros.’ persistent efforts to keep or rejuvenate it. Originally, “The Matrix Revolutions” was meant to be the final film of the trilogy, concluding Neo’s journey where he uses his powers as the One to end the never-ending struggle between humanity and machines. In a sense, it did—nearly two decades later in 2021, “The Matrix Resurrections” serves as a self-aware sequel that reinterprets the original trilogy while also advancing the story of Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, and Agent Smith after what was believed to be the last chapter. The film is filled with knowing nods to studios overly obsessed with franchises and the exhaustion of sequels.

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

In my critique as a movie enthusiast, I must say that the ominous shadow of “The Last” returns once more in “X-Men: The Last Stand.” This film, technically, is the concluding chapter of the X-Men trilogy, serving as a conclusion to numerous characters initially introduced in the very first X-Men movie – characters we all presumed would have long vanished from our screens (a thought that now elicits a multiverse of chuckles). Despite the fact that “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” was being conceived during the filming of The Last Stand, it was always intended as a standalone prequel. As Director Brett Ratner himself declared at the time, “The Last Stand” marked the end of this X-Men saga – “This is truly the closure for the X-Men series…this is the last stand for sure.” Later, “The Wolverine” emerged as a standalone sequel set post-“The Last Stand,” and the entire continuity was subtly rewritten with “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” a sequel to both “X-Men: The Last Stand” and the soft reboot “X-Men: First Class.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)

In essence, “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” functions independently as an engaging pirate story. The subsequent films, “Dead Man’s Chest” and “At World’s End,” form a single narrative, serving as two halves of a trilogy. Screenwriters Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio initially conceived two ideas for sequels to “Black Pearl,” which were later merged into one continuous storyline, encompassing both films. Filmed together, the second and third movies marked the conclusion of Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner’s romantic saga, as well as the final installments directed by Gore Verbinski before he left the franchise after filming “At World’s End.” A standalone sequel, titled “On Stranger Tides,” was released four years later, while the fifth movie, “Dead Men Tell No Tales,” resumed the storyline where “At World’s End” ended, with some familiar faces reappearing.

The Final Destination (2009)

The prosperity or demise of franchises hinges on their financial achievements and setbacks, and the Final Destination series is one such horror movie franchise that persists as long as audiences continue to purchase tickets for them. Following the box office triumph of Final Destination 3, initially intended to conclude the FD trilogy, plans for a fourth installment in the series emerged, capitalizing on the 3D craze that was prevalent during the late 2000s. This film was publicized as the conclusive final chapter in the series, given its title – THE Final Destination. However, as is often the case with such projects, its significant financial success led to the creation of Final Destination 5 only a few years afterwards.

Saw 3D (2010)

To avoid confusion with “Saw III” and “Saw 3D,” let’s clarify that we’re discussing the seventh film in the “Saw” series, which was initially titled “Saw: Endgame” and was intended to be the final installment. Filmed entirely in RealD 3D (remember, this was the era of 3D movies), it combined the storylines of the planned seventh and eighth films into a single movie due to the series’ dwindling box office returns. It was marketed as “Saw: The Final Chapter,” promising to wrap up the entire series by answering lingering questions from previous films, reintroducing a significant character for one final encounter, and then concluding the franchise—or so we thought. It wasn’t until seven years later that the “Jigsaw” film revived the Jigsaw Killer once more to set new sadistic traps.

Shrek Forever After (2010)

As a dedicated movie enthusiast, I recall how Shrek Forever After was frequently billed as “The Final Chapter,” almost making it an alternate title. Inspired by the classic fairy tale ending “And they lived happily ever after,” this film was undeniably positioned as the conclusion to the beloved Shrek saga. At the time, DreamWorks’ president referred to it as “the final film.” Filled with nods and winks to earlier Shrek adventures, it served as a heartfelt tribute to the entire franchise while also crafting its own unique narrative. Initially, plans for a fifth movie were in the works, but the studio ultimately deemed Shrek Forever After an appropriate conclusion – until they announced that Shrek 5 is slated for release in 2026!

Toy Story 3 (2010)

The first three “Toy Story” films form a cohesive trilogy, where the thrilling escapades of the toys are anchored in the life of their owner Andy. In “Toy Story 3”, Andy’s departure for college signifies the conclusion of this chapter in the series, as his cherished toys are donated to a new young friend (following a close call with a trash incinerator). Whether it was meant to depict the end of a toy’s life cycle or just one stage in a human child’s life, it paved the way for “Toy Story 4” to explore an entirely different theme: the toys seeking purpose beyond merely bringing joy to children.

Great Songs You Forgot Were Originally Written for Movies

“Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson (From The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement)

As a child of the 2000s and an ardent film enthusiast, I vividly remember first hearing Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway” on the Disney Channel, long before it took over global Top 20 lists on radio. The music video premiered ahead of the release of “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement,” and for me, just like Mia Thermopolis inheriting the throne of Genovia, “Breakaway” came to Clarkson by a stroke of luck. Originally co-written by Avril Lavigne, it was deemed unfit for her new album, but was later offered to Clarkson instead. She recorded it for the movie as a temporary offering while she completed her second album, but its popularity grew so much that she not only included it on the album, but even named the album “Breakaway.

“Call Me” by Blondie (From American Gigolo)

Today, you might recognize “Blondie’s hit single” as a song often attempted during karaoke nights after a few drinks, a tune that’s become a classic road trip soundtrack. However, back in 1980, it served as the theme for Paul Schrader’s movie, “American Gigolo,” which catapulted Richard Gere to fame. This film was graced with an original score by disco legend Giorgio Moroder, who also penned “Call Me” for the film’s introduction. At first, Moroder sought Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac to record the theme, but her contract prohibited her from working on the movie. As a result, Moroder approached Debbie Harry instead. Inspired by the opening scene of Gere driving down a California highway in the film, Harry wrote the lyrics from the perspective of Gere’s character, a high-priced escort.

“Exit Music (For a Film)” by Radiohead (From Romeo + Juliet)

Fans of Radiohead might find it intriguing to know that “Exit Music (For a Film)”, the fourth track from their third album “OK Computer“, was initially created for Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Romeo + Juliet”. When Luhrmann asked the band to make a song for the movie, he shared the final 30 minutes of footage with them. Upon watching the scene where Claire Danes holds a Colt .45 against her head, Thom Yorke and the band started composing the song straight away. The song was used in the film’s end credits, but it wasn’t included on the “Romeo + Juliet” soundtrack due to Radiohead’s request.

“Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio (From Dangerous Minds)

In a somewhat stereotypical film where Michelle Pfeiffer portrays a US Marine saving inner-city youth from dangerous situations, “Dangerous Minds” offered the catchy, introspective hit “Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio. This song was the lead single on the movie’s soundtrack album and received multiple award nominations, including two Grammys, a NAACP Image Award, and the MTV Movie Awards Best Movie Song. Antoine Fuqua directed the music video for “Gangsta’s Paradise,” featuring Michelle Pfeiffer and scenes from the film itself. The video won both the MTV Music Video Awards for Best Rap Video and Best Video From a Film. Interestingly, the song interpolates Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise,” making it one of the few Coolio songs without any explicit language, as Wonder reportedly objected to such content.

“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith (From Armageddon)

If you’re not a frequent visitor to the Criterion Closet or a late-night TNT movie enthusiast, you might forget that Aerosmith’s rock ballad “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” had an unusual extraterrestrial beginning. This song is played during the credits of Michael Bay’s disaster film Armageddon, which may seem random at first glance. However, when recalling that lead singer Steven Tyler’s daughter Liv Tyler appears in the movie (much like an Aerosmith song might play at the end of a Lord of the Rings movie), it becomes clearer. The song was co-written by Diane Warren, who drew inspiration from a Barbara Walters interview with James Brolin and Barbra Streisand, surprisingly enough. Warren admitted that she initially envisioned the song being performed by someone like Celine Dion. It’s worth noting that “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” is the only original single Aerosmith recorded for Armageddon; they later re-recorded three more: “What Kind of Love Are You On,” “Come Together,” and “Sweet Emotion.

“Kokomo” by The Beach Boys (From Cocktail)

The Beach Boys might have written one of summer’s earliest anthems with “Kokomo,” a song that surprisingly originated from a less popular Tom Cruise film, “Cocktail.” Although Cruise is a renowned Hollywood star, it’s safe to say that “Cocktail” isn’t as famous as films like “Mission: Impossible.” The movie didn’t receive positive reviews when it was first released, but the single “Kokomo,” with its captivating list of Caribbean islands, became the Beach Boys’ first number one hit in over two decades and their last top 40 chart-topper. Interestingly, Brian Wilson, the only current member of the band at the time, wasn’t involved in the recording, as the other members decided to keep it a secret from him while he was working on his solo album.

Initially, “Kokomo” by The Beach Boys was penned for an obscure Tom Cruise movie called “Cocktail.” Although Cruise is a well-known Hollywood star, “Cocktail” isn’t as famous as movies like “Mission: Impossible.” When it was released, the film wasn’t popular, but the single “Kokomo,” with its dreamy listing of Caribbean islands, became The Beach Boys’ first number one hit in over 20 years and their last top 40 chart-topper. Interestingly, Brian Wilson, the only current member of the band at that time, wasn’t part of the recording as he was busy working on his solo album, and the other members didn’t inform him about it.

In this version, I’ve used simpler language, avoided jargon, and rephrased some sentences for clarity.

“Theme From New York, New York” by Liza Minnelli (From New York, New York)

The iconic tune “New York, New York,” currently used as the theme for “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” and famously associated with Frank Sinatra, actually originated from Martin Scorsese’s 1977 film, “New York, New York.” Interestingly, it was Liza Minnelli who first sang and released this song as a single before Sinatra, not the other way around. Although Minnelli’s version did well, it wasn’t until two years later when Sinatra recorded his own rendition that it became a massive hit, linking the tune inextricably to both the singer and the city for which it’s named. It’s worth noting that Scorsese’s film isn’t typically considered one of his best, which might explain why the song’s origins have been somewhat overshadowed.

“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” by B.J. Thomas (From Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid)

A melancholic Western film that ends as sadly as “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” doesn’t typically require a bubbly pop tune about triumphing over obstacles and living a magical life. However, the addition of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” is among several factors that elevated the movie from being just excellent to one of the best ever made. The song was penned by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and it’s said they attempted to persuade Bob Dylan to perform it before eventually choosing country singer B.J. Thomas. His soothing voice is what gives the song its sunny appeal. At first, many people didn’t understand it—even Robert Redford was among its critics, though he later admitted that linking the movie with a hit song like this one was a smart move.

“Scotty Doesn’t Know” by Lustra (From EuroTrip)

The 2004 teen comedy-drama film titled “EuroTrip” opens with an incredibly embarrassing moment: After his girlfriend Fiona breaks up with him, the main character Scotty is subjected to public humiliation at a graduation party as the lead singer of a band performs a song exposing Fiona’s infidelity in front of everyone. The song, “Scotty Doesn’t Know” by Lustra, which was inspired by an actual incident involving a friend of the band, is sung by a bald Matt Damon in lip-sync. Although EuroTrip didn’t fare well at the box office initially, the widespread popularity of the song that plays frequently throughout the movie transformed it into a hit on home video and eventually a cult favorite.

“X Gon’ Give It to Ya” by DMX (From Cradle 2 the Grave)

The “X Gon’ Give It to Ya” song has been significantly associated with the Deadpool movies, but it’s essential to remember that the track was initially produced for DMX’s movie, the action-heist film “Cradle 2 the Grave.” In this film, DMX collaborates with Jet Li to rescue his kidnapped daughter from a diamond-loving criminal mastermind. The song served as the lead single from the movie’s soundtrack album and was also hidden within DMX’s greatest hits compilation titled “The Definition of X: The Pick of the Litter.” Following its appearance in the first Deadpool film’s trailers in 2016, and later being certified platinum in 2017, it seems that we owe a debt of gratitude to the character Deadpool for its renewed popularity.

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2025-05-16 19:26

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