Hollywood is no stranger to sequels and reboots. When a film sets the cash registers ringing, it’s put through the sequel churning machine. Out pops reboots and revisits that cash in on the popularity and nostalgia of the original. Some sequels outshine their prequels, others barely manage to maintain the standards of the franchise. However, this is not always the case. There are the infamous reboots that deserve to be EXPUNGED from the franchise altogether.
Either these sequels ditched the good aspects in their originals, or were a halfhearted attempt to recreate success, they ruined the shine of the original. It made fans scratch their heads and ask what the heck were the makers thinking? We take a look at 6 of such films.
1. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)
The superhit Spider-Man franchise, unsurprisingly, has had many installments. Even though the original trilogy ended with Spider-Man 3, Sony came up with the spinoff Amazing Spider-Man Universe. However, the second installment in the series, Amazing Spider-Man 2 was a huge letdown to fans. Whether it was the lackluster storytelling, the failed attempt to create a shared universe with the Sinister Six, or the imperfect interpretation of comic book characters, it compelled the makers to take a fresh approach to the sequel. Thankfully Spider-Man: No Way Home was much, much better.
2. Men In Black: International (2019)
The Men Black series is a cult classic. It captured the imagination of many. So, when Men In Black 3 dropped after a decade from its prequel, it had high expectations. It had excellent storytelling and was thus a success. Alas, the same was not repeated with the next installment, Men In Black: International. It was mediocre in all aspects, save for a few good performances by the cast. Mediocre is not enough anymore. Either a film is good or it is not. There is no in-between.
3. Ghostbusters (2016)
Ghostbusters is a classic, therefore, a good enough sequel was always going to be a tall ask, and as it turns out, it was. Ghostbusters (2016) was a radical, and dare we say, a controversial redesign. The female-centric cast was a bold move and was perhaps the only redeeming quality of this otherwise flop film. The script was bad, the expectations of the audience very high, and so sank Ghostbusters (2016).
4. Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)
The Pirates of the Caribbean series has many, many installments. The first film having been released in 2003, it has been almost two decades since the franchise now. The original still holds as the best of all the installments to follow. The fifth film in the series, Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, was the absolute worst. A sorry end to a long line of good films. It has been described as the complete opposite of what the original films stood for. A combination of boring, colorless characters and uninspired action sequences doomed this film.
5. Total Recall (2012)
The original was a sci-fi classic. A film that influenced and shaped the entire genre. It was completely original and set the tone for upcoming sci-fi flicks. Sadly, the sequel was everything the original was not. Total Recall (2012) adopted the most unoriginal aspects of the original and paired it with a bland script. As is often the case, the only redeeming aspect of the flick was the fair performances of the cast, who, ultimately couldn’t do much with the shoddy script.
6. The Final Destination (2009)
Final Destination, the original was a classic horror film. It was a breath of fresh air in the otherwise saturated genre. Cashing on its popularity came a series of sequels, a total of 5 of them. The fourth installment, The Final Destination (2009) was undoubtedly the worst. A low point for the franchise. Being unfaithful to the film’s core tenants and story, halfhearted use of 3D, and a bad script doomed this film. Thankfully, the follow-up, Final Destination 5 redeemed the series with a solid overall performance.
