Leaving the audience wanting more isn’t always a bad thing, and some stories have been doing it for a long time—even years or decades. A well-executed cliffhanger can build excitement for the next installment in a film series. However, not all movies actually follow through with a sequel as promised.
For years, filmmakers have hinted at exciting continuations by ending movies on unresolved cliffhangers. Unfortunately, due to cancelled sequels or studio delays, many of these stories have been left unfinished, leaving viewers with unanswered questions that likely won’t ever be addressed.
District 9 Promised a Return That Never Happened
The sci-fi film District 9, directed by Neill Blomkamp, concludes with a hint that the story will continue, even suggesting a timeframe for a sequel. The film ends with the alien mothership leaving Earth, but with a promise to return within three years – a sequel that, unfortunately, never materialized.
For more than fifteen years, a potential sequel tentatively called District 10 has been in development. However, it’s consistently stalled, and it’s possible the opportunity for a District 9 sequel has passed, meaning the aliens’ hinted return may never happen.
Planet of the Apes (2001) Mimics the Original’s Ending With No Payoff
I have to say, Tim Burton’s take on Planet of the Apes really struck me as a loving homage to the classic. It follows a very similar path to the original 1968 film, right down to the shocking reveal at the end. I remember being completely stunned when Charlton Heston discovered he was on Earth all along, facing that ruined Statue of Liberty. And the 2001 remake? It mirrored that moment perfectly! Seeing Mark Wahlberg’s character seemingly return home, only to find the Lincoln Monument defaced with an ape face… it was just as impactful and brilliantly unsettling.
While the ending of the 2001 Planet of the Apes film is more amusing than scary, it doesn’t have the same lasting impact as the famous Statue of Liberty reveal in the original. The movie definitely hinted at a continuation, but a sequel never materialized. Over two decades later, fans are still left wondering what happened to Mark Wahlberg’s character and what the meaning was behind the changed monument. The Planet of the Apes series has since shifted its focus to different storylines, leaving this particular ending unresolved.
Star Wars Still Hasn’t Resolved Solo’s Darth Maul Cliffhanger
Solo: A Star Wars Story faced a challenge because it told an origin story for a well-known character, Han Solo. This meant there weren’t many unexpected plot twists it could use. However, the film did surprise viewers with a final reveal: Darth Maul, a former Sith apprentice, had been secretly manipulating events and could become a threat to Solo in future installments.
Sadly, Solo was the first Star Wars film to fail at the box office, ending plans for any sequels. Since then, Lucasfilm has largely ignored the movie, avoiding any discussion of unanswered plot points. The new animated series might address some of these, but it’s unlikely to confirm whether Han Solo and Darth Maul ever crossed paths.
Dawn of the Dead Leaves Its Characters’ Fates Ambiguous
Zack Snyder’s 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead is considered one of his strongest films and a nearly flawless example of a zombie movie for today’s viewers. However, the film can be frustrating because it doesn’t clearly show what happens to the main characters. After they seemingly escape on a yacht, the movie shows found footage from a camera that implies they all still met terrible ends.
The ending of Dawn of the Dead probably wasn’t designed to lead into another movie; instead, it likely aimed to show that there are no easy or happy resolutions when dealing with a zombie outbreak. However, many viewers might find it unsatisfying to be left wondering what happened to the characters – or even if they survived. This ambiguous conclusion is likely to spark debate, as it doesn’t offer any clear answers.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Ends a Hero’s Story at the Wrong Time
While The Amazing Spider-Man 2 isn’t considered one of the best Spider-Man films, its ending hinted at a possible return for the hero. After the tragic loss of Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker, played by Andrew Garfield, stops being Spider-Man. He’s inspired to become the hero once more after hearing a recording of her graduation speech. The movie famously concludes with Peter swinging off to fight the Rhino, leaving the outcome of the battle unknown.
The plan wasn’t originally to finish Andrew Garfield’s time as Spider-Man, but rather to start fresh with a new Spider-Man within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Luckily, Garfield returned in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and even hinted at a fight with the Rhino. However, fans never actually got to see that battle, and Spider-Man hasn’t had a proper showdown with the Rhino on the big screen yet.
Eternals Ends With World-Ending Stakes That No One Has Mentioned Since
The movie Eternals tried some bold new things for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but many of those attempts didn’t quite succeed. The film centers on the Eternals, a team of powerful beings who protect Earth from a dangerous threat: a massive creature rising from the planet’s core. At the end of the movie, Arishem, a powerful cosmic being, appears and takes three of the Eternals – Sersi, Kingo, and Phastos – away for judgment. If they fail to prove their worth, Arishem threatens to destroy Earth.
The ending of Eternals left audiences with huge questions – the fate of three key characters hung in the balance, there were hints of larger cosmic adventures to come, and even the possibility of Earth being destroyed. Despite this dramatic setup, Marvel Studios decided not to pursue any further films in the Eternals series. Since then, many Marvel movies and shows have been released, but none have offered any answers or continued the storyline left dangling at the end of Eternals.
The Divergent Saga Infamously Ended With a “Part 1”
Young adult dystopian stories were hugely popular in the 2010s, but many series didn’t quite live up to expectations. Following the success of The Hunger Games, the Divergent series aimed for a similar two-part ending with the third book, Allegiant. However, dividing Allegiant into two movies was a major mistake, and the story remains unfinished.
The fourth Divergent movie, originally called Ascendant, was planned to finish the story started in Allegiant. But because the third movie didn’t do well in theaters, the fourth film was cancelled. Plans for a TV series to wrap up the story also fell through. Fans hoping to find out what happens to Tris, Four, and the other characters will have to read Veronica Roth’s novels instead.
The Italian Job Ends on a Literal Cliffhanger
The movie concludes with a dramatic and precarious situation. The main characters, a group of thieves, crash their vehicle, leaving it dangling dangerously over a cliff edge. The weight of the stolen gold threatens to tip them over, while the crew tries to counterbalance it. Just as the credits start, Michael Caine’s character announces he has a plan, leaving the audience on a suspenseful cliffhanger.
The movie The Italian Job playfully leaves viewers hanging with Michael Caine’s character revealing a clever plan, fully aware that we’ll never find out what it is. It’s arguably the funniest unresolved cliffhanger in film history, and even after over fifty years, it’s still a bit annoying! We’ll never know if his idea would have saved the team and their gold, or if he was just planning to ditch the loot and find a new heist.
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2026-02-21 03:13