Films Better Off Without Sequels

The rule is, always leave 'em wanting more.



Some stories are actually damaged by their sequels. Let's face it, Star Wars is damaged goods now. And Game of Thrones crapped the bed so badly in the end that it made a lot of people hate what they used to love. And even if you get one good sequel out of a film, it's hard not to wind up a victim of your own success and riding those diminishing returns with worsening entries.



In most cases, films you loved that didn't get a sequel are probably better off without them.



I propose that Buckaroo Banzai, for example, is better off without a sequel. The whole thing was out of left field and was arresting in being so quirky. I don't know how you make a sequel without the quirk wearing itself out with familiarity. How do you do it again and keep it weird? Best that this stayed a small cult movie.



Dredd is better off without a sequel. They just would have botched the sequels. Ditto for Constantine. Great entry. Just let it go there.



For longer form story telling (the limited series, or mini-series), streaming services offer a better platform (e.g., True Detective season one is great. True Detective wouldn't work as well as a 90 minute movie, but then again, did we need Season 2?).



What is a good film (or film you like) that you are GLAD did not get a sequel?

I haven't seen the sequel to '2001 A Space Odyssey' and I don't intend to, but did they really think it was needed? God knows what Kubrick thought of that decision.

There are hundreds of films I'm glad have no sequels. Imagine Ron Howard making a sequel to Tarkovsky's 'Mirror'. Actually I'd probably go and watch that for the lols.

I'd rush to see a Greta Gerwig sequel film called 'Four Colours: Pink'.

Or perhaps 'Casablanca 2' Directed by David O'Russell. That would be wonderful.

'Apocalypse Now 2 ; Return to Hell' - a film by Sam Mendes

2010 wasn't bad, but it wasn't 2001. Clarke wrote the book and so the film has roots in the big brain of the famous sci-fi writer. The film explores why HAL went bad and also offers more monolith mystery. There are some great sequences (e.g., aerobraking and boarding the Discovery to recover her), but it's a kind of timely and preachy cold war ("please don't destroy the world USA and USSR") message (although, we were close to ending the world, so not a bad message). 2001 was so good and the sequel came so late and was so comparatively forgotten that it really didn't blemish the original.

The original Highlander (1986) is such stylish fantasy fun, but everything in that brand that followed was awful - especially Highlander II: The Quickening (1991) as it just completely ***** on the established rules and world of the first flick.

The good news is that most beloved movies with incongruous in-name-only sequels made for a quick cash-grab are usually very quickly forgotten. Caddyshack runs on TV constantly, but we are rarely pestered with Caddyshack II. I often site The Sting II as one of the very worst sequels ever made, but most people aren't even aware it exists.

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It's really the original trilogy that's damaged goods by now. Even then, 3 and 7 were fine for the most part. But there are indeed films that never needed sequels, like Darkman, Lost Boys, Robocop, etc. On the subject of Highlander, seeing the unique universe expand was necessary for fans, but they didn't do it right (although the Renegade version of II cut the alien olot out and fixed some things. OK movie).

I think the 2010 debate is an interesting one as you're likely to end up with egg on your face when making a sequel to a bona fide masterpiece - and ground-breaker. A bit like The Godfather III, it's actually a decent film, it's just overshadowed by what came before it.

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Apart from the Discovery these films feel like they're in different worlds entirely. The aesthetic of 2001 is a very elegant 60's futurism. Smooth, white, curvy, glossy. The people in it are the epitome of NASA stoicism. Calm, collected, calculating. Man merged with machine. 2010 clashes strongly. Roy Scheider offers an entirely different Heywood Floyd than that of William Sylvester's cerebral bureaucrat who subtly dances around Soviet Scientists and orchestrates secret missions. Scheider shoots from the hip in a very East-coast no-nonsense fashion. You almost expect him to say "Yowzer!". Floyd goes from cool master mind (2001) to plucky everyman (2010). The lighting is darker and the color palate is Earthier. This future is the grittier future that Lucas and Scott imagined in response (and opposition) to 2001. It is dirty and lived in. And it is very 1980s. It's like cracking open an old OMNI magazine. 2001 is a classic Rolex. 2010 is the tacky futurism of a glowing red Timex LED watch with big rubber wristbands and nobby buttons.

I remember it actually being good (not as good as the original, of course). I don't know how widely known it is, but there are actuall three sequels of the book!

And again, not reading the thread, people already brought that up!

2010 is a good movie. I don't think it infringes on the greatness of 2001 at all. It is it's own self contained thing.

I don't think the original Poltergeist (1982) needed any sequels or a remake!

Supercop. It was perfectly fine. It didn't need a sequel.

Saw that one in the theater. As I recall, I was quite entertained by the experience.

Yeah, didn't care for the second film at all. The Poltergeist III isn't great either but I do have a soft spot for it. Something to do with it being setting in a skyscraper I think. The early scene with the psychiatrist in his office and the demon spirit appearing in the mirror always gives me chills.

The only reason I liked the second one is because Julian Beck is a SPECTACULAR villain. The dude looks like walking death and he devours scenery.

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I personally think that the Police Story movies should've stopped at New Police Story.

The Home Alone series was just a cash grab starting from 4. It should've ended at 3.

the Disney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies were originally going to be a TV show and I think that would've turned out better then making us wait 343 days for the next movie to be even worse.

Drunken Master is going to get a 4th movie, and there's literally only ONE video on YouTube about the 3rd movie. It's the trailer. Shows you how nobody even cares about the movie. I think the series should've ended with Drunken Master 2. Dance of the Drunk Mantis, Story of Drunken Master, drunken master PART 2, all money attempts to cash in of the fame of Jackie Chan.

Rush Hour is another good series but the 3rd film had no point at all. I guess the filmmakers were bored and decided they'd make another movie. I just don't think it had to be RUSH HOUR 3. With horrible writing, bad action.. ugh.

Project A and Project B (PROJECT A PART II) was a pretty good duology until you find out there's going to be a Project P (PROJECT A: PART III). I personally think Jackie Chan is falling off and bringing back Project A, one of his most anticipated movie series is just a sad attempt for more money and fame. The film will most likely be missing Biao Yuen ,Sammo Hung, Tai Po and Cheung-Wing fat so it's just a waste of time.

i agree they should leave originals alone

Smokey And The Bandit - Reynolds and Field didn't have the same chemistry in II and were clearly genuinely bitter at each other, and the third one was a disaster.

Ice Age - The Meltdown is fine, but anything after that shouldn't have been made. The original is the only legitimately good movie.

Chicken Run - I don't want to see the sequel with half the cast replaced and a villain that's alive even though it makes no sense.

Bad Santa - Another one where I have no enthusiasm about checking out the second one. In fact this one looks way worse since they pretty much seem to undo all of Willie's character development and destroy the sweet happy ending his arc got.

My Girl - My Girl 2 is a boring disappointment only elevated slightly by Anna Chlumsky's performance. Aykroyd and Curtis are still great, but scaled back too much.

Jingle All The Way - Once again, don't want to see the follow-up.

American Graffiti - More American Graffiti had its moments, but overall it wasn't super necessary to make.

ThanksKilling - The first one is ridiculous, yet funny. The second is more ridiculous, but unfunny.

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I have heard good things about the newest season of True Detective. I haven't seen anything after my father's season (), but I know a lot of people believe it fell off after that. Part of me is interested in the newest season if only to see Jodie Foster in a detective role again.

My brain is a movie universe unto itself, if I want to omit a sequel, I will. It has never been a problem for me.