5 Movies That Deserve a Sequel & 5 Franchises That Should Have Stopped After the First Film

MsMojo

We'd gladly trade some sequels for others. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best examples of five films that should’ve become franchises and five that never should’ve gotten the chance.

Transcript

00:00Welcome to MissMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best examples of 5

00:13films that should have become franchises, and 5 that never should have gotten the chance.

00:27It's far from the first movie about an assassin, but it's up there with the greats.

00:40Michael Fassbender plays a professional hitman who blows a job and ends up putting himself

00:44in danger.

00:45The character is played with such precision, and Fassbender deserves all the praise for

00:49his spot-on interpretation.

00:51His character is endlessly intriguing with his many precise methods, and the ending certainly

00:55sets up the potential for more story to come.

01:03David Fincher's direction and the awesome soundtrack don't disappoint either, so let's

01:07hope, if we ever get a sequel, they'll keep those elements intact.

01:19Among the standout films of 2009, Zombieland features smart writing and funny performances.

01:24Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson play an unlikely pair that traverse the zombie

01:29apocalypse.

01:43Many of the first film's best gags come from surprises, including Bill Murray's iconic

01:47cameo.

01:48This doesn't make great material for a sequel, though.

01:51Zombieland Double Tap comes far too late for people to care, failing to seize the moment

01:55during the original movie's popularity.

02:04It also comes in the wake of an oversaturation of zombie content in the media.

02:08While it might be nice to see the old gang back together, their second adventures don't

02:11seem all that interested in trying out anything fresh.

02:28This film operates from a simple formula.

02:31Ryan Gosling drives cars, wears cool clothes, and listens to a killer soundtrack.

02:36For some, the concept could easily produce a dozen sequels.

02:39Under the skillful direction of Nicholas Winding Refn, the story about a getaway wheelman

02:44defies its genre trappings in stylish scenes.

02:57The movie ends on an ambiguous note, setting up a potential series where the driver could

03:02grapple between cruising the straight and narrow path and keeping a foot in the crime

03:06world.

03:07A choice and character that doesn't need much to entertain audiences.

03:10Plus, Ryan Gosling.

03:21Any fans of 1980s comedy will remember Police Academy.

03:31They probably also remember the many sequels of questionable quality.

03:35It's hard to justify the fact that the series eventually took the characters to Russia.

03:45With some fun performances, the original film has enough laughs to carry a normal runtime.

03:50However, it doesn't manage to set up any substantial material, or a running joke for that matter,

03:55that warrants seven films.

03:57Talented performers like Michael Winslow deserved much better than to be thrown into tired plots.

04:02While some enjoyed the absurdity of the later entries, the money could have been put to

04:06better use elsewhere.

04:16The buddy film formula has been around for a long time, but writer-director Shane Black

04:21seems to do it better than almost anyone.

04:31He brought it back for The Nice Guys, and introduced audiences to two fantastic characters.

04:36Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe play two men trying to make sense of a mystery, who also

04:41get on each other's nerves in the process.

04:54Gosling in particular knows how to be a goofball in some hilarious moments.

04:59Unfortunately for fans, this movie didn't quite shine at the box office.

05:02The charisma of the two leads could power tons of future projects together.

05:06With Black writing witty dialogue, this idea has a lot more potential than some multi-million

05:11dollar franchises.

05:17The latter entries of this series focus on bloodshed, but the original takes a hard look

05:33at a veteran with PTSD.

05:36Some people might forget the psychological drama at the heart of First Blood.

05:44Sylvester Stallone plays John Rambo, a desperate man thrust into a terrible situation.

05:50The first movie includes some entertaining action as just one part of a larger character

05:54exploration.

05:56In the fourth and fifth Rambo films, it seems that the hero does nothing of substance other

06:00than take out bad guys.

06:12The beauty of the first entry is that it takes its time and relies on the threat of

06:16violence without showing too much of it.

06:18They manage to keep the follow-ups energetic, but forget what's so riveting about the

06:23initial movie.

06:45Vikas Vandermeer goes from corporate lackey to alien freedom fighter in this inventive

06:51sci-fi film.

06:52Director Neil Blomkamp mixes a documentary style with elaborate visuals, crafting a movie

06:57that's shocking and entertaining.

07:02It's such an inventive concept that you'll likely come away wanting more.

07:05Blomkamp also leaves the plot on a cliffhanger.

07:08The hard-hitting movie tackles heavy themes while also generating plenty of outstanding

07:12set pieces.

07:13In a sequel, the filmmaker could easily expand this universe and the larger implications

07:17of an alien invasion and transformation beyond oneself.

07:21It wouldn't be bad to watch a few more thrilling battles either.

07:39Number 2 should have stopped The Hangover Franchise

07:42After a bachelor party gone wrong, a group of friends search Las Vegas for their missing

07:46groom.

07:47The premise delivers both comedy and mystery in a wildly entertaining film.

07:51Bringing together amazing talent, The Hangover is a fresh take on raunchy humour.

07:56It also features a stellar cast that includes Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, and a cameo

08:00from Mike Tyson.

08:04However, this idea doesn't translate as well to the two sequels.

08:15The gang end up in Bangkok and back in Vegas, but neither adventure can do much other than

08:20build upon the same jokes.

08:35Where the original movie surprised us, Part 2 and 3 felt like overkill.

08:39The blockbuster series might have seemed fun on paper, but it only really works once.

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09:041.

09:05Deserves a Sequel – Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2

09:13While this could easily be considered a franchise, Quentin Tarantino considers them essentially

09:18to be one film.

09:19Regardless, it would be fun to revisit the world of Beatrix Kiddo all these years later

09:24after she reunited with her daughter.

09:26There's ample opportunity to explore the larger world of international killers, and it's been

09:30imagined that Vernita Green's daughter could come looking for the heroine, setting up a

09:34potentially fun showdown.

09:47Tarantino could also explore Kiddo's potential retirement and journey back to violence.

09:52While it might be a long shot, this idea could bring back many excuses to excite audiences.

09:591.

10:03Should Have Stopped – The Matrix Franchise Remember when you first saw this movie?

10:20If you're anything like us, the experience made you completely rethink what cinema could

10:27be.

10:28The story of Neo becoming his ultimate self is extraordinary.

10:31Unfortunately, the sequels failed to capture the same spark of the original.

10:40The first film features groundbreaking visuals and fight scenes, but Reloaded and Revolutions

10:45gets bogged down in overwrought stories.

10:47Only having The Matrix would have preserved the ferocious and one-of-a-kind nature of

10:52the initial concept.

10:53Despite attempts to course-correct with Resurrections, it still feels like the 1999 film should have

10:59been left alone.

11:08Did we forget another movie that should have gotten a sequel?

11:10Let us know in the comments below.

11:14Do you agree with our picks?

11:15Check out this other recent clip from MsMojo, and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell

11:19to be notified about our latest videos.

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