25 Movie Sequels Hollywood Should Have Made
Why do we want sequels at all?
Hollywood's given us sequels to many things, both wanted and unwanted, but some of their choices are mystifying. The following is a gallery of movies that deserved sequels but never got them. If Warner Bros. really does make a "Green Lantern" sequel, it's a financial gamble to try and squeeze some money out of something they've already invested heavily in, and not a creative decision. They almost have to make a sequel, even though this one didn't work.
They hired a writer this week for "Thor 2," and this weekend's biggest movie is "Transformers: Dark Of The Moon," and all of this sequel talk and sequel news has us thinking about all the movies we wish they made sequels to, all the promises Hollywood has made and broken over the years, and we decided to put together a list of some of the films that would have most benefitted from another trip to the multiplex. "Dick Tracy," pictured here, may have just missed our list, but we think there's plenty here to chew on.
Agree? Disagree? Let us hear your thoughts on the subject in our comments section, and since it's 4th of July weekend and a subject near and dear to the hearts of film nerds everywhere, we expect fireworks!
They hired a writer this week for "Thor 2," and this weekend's biggest movie is "Transformers: Dark Of The Moon," and all of this sequel talk and sequel news has us thinking about all the movies we wish they made sequels to, all the promises Hollywood has made and broken over the years, and we decided to put together a list of some of the films that would have most benefitted from another trip to the multiplex. "Dick Tracy," pictured here, may have just missed our list, but we think there's plenty here to chew on.
Agree? Disagree? Let us hear your thoughts on the subject in our comments section, and since it's 4th of July weekend and a subject near and dear to the hearts of film nerds everywhere, we expect fireworks!
Photo Credit: Walt Disney Home Video

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Next 125 CommentsAK
July 4, 2011 at 1:17AM EST Reply to CommentWhat about the Real Rocknrolla?
I AGREEE!!! especially since they tell you flat out in the first one that they are doing a sequel. >:| i've been waiting on that with my fingers crossed for effing ever!!
July 6, 2011 at 12:02AM ESTStan Tehee
July 4, 2011 at 1:52AM EST Reply to CommentWhat about Finding Nemo? I mean Ellen has been saying there should be a sequel for ever!
Statutory Ray
July 4, 2011 at 1:58AM EST Reply to CommentWait, so Conan the Destroyer doesn't count?
drew Not in my house, it doesn't.
July 4, 2011 at 3:35AM ESTKel You are a complete and utter ass Drew
July 8, 2011 at 2:22PM ESTmike
July 4, 2011 at 9:36AM EST Reply to Commentwhat an awful list. Drew, you should consider a career change. I think the sequel to your career is something we'd all enjoy.
Shaun
July 4, 2011 at 10:12AM EST Reply to CommentINCREDIBLES 2!!! Please, Pixar, make it happen. The movie was ahead of the curve in terms of the recent superhero craze, but if it's marketing might that Disney's looking for NOW would seem to be the time to make that sequel. I was at Disney World a couple of years ago, and I couldn't even find much Incredibles stuff there. That could be nearly as big cash cow as Cars merch has been. I'm confident they can come up with another great story idea.
Reboots of The Rocketeer and Lemony Snicket would seem to be in order... Been too long since either one was made to expect to make an actual sequel to the originals. I liked both of those movies though. The Rocketeer still holds up, and the Snicket movie was surreal fun. The only drawback to Snicket, really, is that trying to condense three books into one movie is difficult. I thought they did a reasonably good job though.
Hitchhiker probably needs a reboot too... It was far from perfect, but Freeman was great, Zooey was just yummy (isn't she always?), Marvin was perfectly cast, and the rest of the cast was fine too. The whole Malkovich thing wasn't needed, and I'm not sure any filmed version will ever get it quite right, but I enjoyed it anyhow. Still, I think the only Adams ever makes it to the big screen again is in a reboot, someday.
Galaxy Quest, as much as I love it, doesn't need a sequel. Where do you take those characters next? They lived the "show" for real, came back, and got to revive the show again. I don't see where you take it next without falling into a rut. Let that one stand alone.
Oh, and I don't think anyone should encourage Lucas to make any more Star Wars movies. Once, I would've liked to have seen the story continue after Jedi... But that (star)ship sailed long ago.
Shaun
July 4, 2011 at 10:23AM EST Reply to CommentOne film that could've made this list, even though the movie was pretty lousy:The Golden Compass.
The source material is excellent (Even though the religious right did their best to besmirch it... All the more reason to support it, IMO), and it's some of the best fantasy/YA literature out there. It SHOULD have made for an epic film, but way too many corners were cut, the studio watered down the content too much because of the religious nutjobs,and the movie was a rushed, muddled, often murky, mess.Hard to believe it was the same studio that gave us the LOTR movies.
Having said all of that, however, the casting was pretty much spot on and there were some really nice moments in there. Did I mention ARMORED POLAR BEARS? The sequel's never going to happen, in spite of Golden Compass doing well enough overseas for the movie to make its money back. I think the potential was there to get it right the second time, however. Maybe someday someone will reboot this one too? I honestly hope so.
StanWarnerJr
July 4, 2011 at 11:09AM EST Reply to CommentI've suggested an idea for a Jurassic Park sequel that would mix in two other franchises and people would find over the top insane, good or bad. The title alone I think would be a selling point for studios... JPvAvP! a.k.a. Jurassic Park vs Aliens vs Predators. Since the aliens take traits from the host they are impregnate into imagine what would happen when one is put into a T-Rex or Velociraptor. People would lose their shit just from watching the trailer.
Komkast22
July 4, 2011 at 3:58PM EST Reply to CommentI totally agree on Rodger Rabbit, incredibles, The Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy, Lemon Snicket's series of unfortunate events, And I think 'Finding Nemo' needs a sequel too. Don't you?
guest
July 4, 2011 at 10:21PM EST Reply to Commentgreat list Moriarty!
Will
July 5, 2011 at 12:03PM EST Reply to CommentThe sequel for Buckaroo Banzai was rewritten and turned into Big Trouble in Little China.
drew That is a strange misconception that has become accepted internet wisdom. It is false. The original script for "Big Trouble" was a Western, not the sequel to "Buckaroo." The "Big Trouble" early drafts were by W.D. Richter, who directed (but did not write) "Buckaroo." I'm not sure how this got confused over the years, but you're incorrect.
July 5, 2011 at 9:13PM ESTChris
July 5, 2011 at 2:55PM EST Reply to CommentAirplane 3. Even if that was just what we were expecting them to do.
starsha
July 5, 2011 at 6:15PM EST Reply to CommentI have been saying for years that they should make a sequel to The Incredibles! It's the perfect movie and formula to make one.......Pleaseee!
Romin63
July 5, 2011 at 7:00PM EST Reply to CommentSerenity and The Incredibles. The rest, I can do without.
Tom Augustine
July 5, 2011 at 7:55PM EST Reply to CommentANCHORMAN AND KICK-ASS
SBB
July 5, 2011 at 9:27PM EST Reply to CommentGone Baby Gone... or the whole McKenzie/Gennaro series. Lehane's work translates well to the screen. Mystic River, Shutter Island.
amy_hill
July 5, 2011 at 11:58PM EST Reply to CommentRock and Rolla totally needs an effing sequel since it specifically alludes to it in the first one. damn effing junkie brits and their sexy accents!
John
July 6, 2011 at 2:25AM EST Reply to CommentNone of these movies need a sequel. Good Christ this is an awful article.
drew But at least you took the time to type out those two sentences. Boy, do I feel silly now.
July 6, 2011 at 2:51AM ESTRandy of AFTimes
July 6, 2011 at 3:08PM EST Reply to CommentCan we combine three to make one mega-sequel?
I think THE SHADOW, THE PHANTOM and SKY CAPTAIN can all come together in one insane pulp epic!
Zev
July 6, 2011 at 5:31PM EST Reply to CommentUnless Lucas hires people that will challenge him, no more Star Wars, please.
Billy Dakota
July 6, 2011 at 9:16PM EST Reply to CommentI've heard that JJ Abrams actually pitched an idea for a sequel to "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". Is there any truth to that? Dick Tracy is one of the best comic book movies ever made.
matt
July 7, 2011 at 1:47AM EST Reply to Comment"No, a real sequel. Not a prequel. Don't make me cut you."
Genius.
William Munny
July 7, 2011 at 6:10AM EST Reply to CommentMust Make Sequels: Ford Fairlane, Wedding Crashers, Last Boy Scout, The Italian Job, The Score, Travolta's character in another movie from Basic, Hitman,
Prequels: Backdraft, The Unforgiven (show how the characters got their reputations, especially Clint's),
Remakes: Heartbreak Ridge, The Sting, Grifters,
New Movie Ideas: Thundercats!!!, Vince Flynn's novels, Patrick Robinson's novels,
Tarra Thundercats? Are you frickin' kidding? It was Cats meets He-Man with all the same thin marketing ploys. You saw what utter shite GI Joe, Transformers, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were when you took a 20-minute cartoon with a flimsy one-off plotline each episode and try to stretch it into a 2-hour movie. I only pray no one who writes screenplays ever sees your suggestion.
July 10, 2011 at 8:53AM ESTWilliam Munny
July 7, 2011 at 6:16AM EST Reply to CommentI forgot, a sequel to JUMPER has to be made!!!!!!!
dudeman
July 7, 2011 at 8:21AM EST Reply to Commentyou can't make a gladiator 2 maximus died at the end and who would the little boy fight as the main villian
BearCool
July 7, 2011 at 12:54PM EST Reply to CommentI agree with "Freebie and the bean". Another James Caan movie from the 70's that I'd enjoy a sequel to is "The Killer Elite".
Steven
July 7, 2011 at 1:26PM EST Reply to CommentHow about another cult movie that promised a sequel at the end of the movie: Kung Pow!
jon
July 8, 2011 at 9:51AM EST Reply to CommentGreat list.
My top 10 would be: Galaxy Quest, Devil in a Blue Dress, Buckaroo Banzai, Lemony Snicket, Big Trouble, Incredibles, Serenity, Trues Lies, Flash Gordon and Jedi.
Some would have to be prequels and some would have to be sequels. But given the comic book movies being made, there's a whole slew of characters already out there that are more interesting. Use them already.
Nate
July 8, 2011 at 2:09PM EST Reply to Commentuh... Austin Powers didn't tank at the box office.
Dan
July 8, 2011 at 2:25PM EST Reply to CommentWow, you are an arrogant prick aren't you Drew?
drew And why is that? Because I wrote a list?
July 8, 2011 at 11:01PM ESTMichael H
July 8, 2011 at 3:05PM EST Reply to CommentSome great ideas here -- I would love to see an "Incredibles" sequel -- But whay about sequels to "Blade Runner" and "Eraserhead"?
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