Nowadays commercialization is overthrowing value proposition to a great degree. Filmmakers are more focused on cashing out money than on the story. We are no stranger to how movies and TV series are getting stretched unnecessarily even after they have concluded the main plot. No one wants to give up on the cash cow that easily. For instance, the showrunner of “Supernatural”, Eric Kripke, had departed the show after finishing the prime storyline in the fifth season. But the producers continued the series for 10 more seasons with new showrunners on board. Similarly, some films had teased a franchise but the plan couldn’t be executed for both external and internal reasons. Find out the 10 times movies announced sequels that never happened.
Freddy Vs Jason
Fans were unable to control their euphoria when they heard about the slasher genre legends coming together on the big screen. It was hard to root for either of the parties given their harrowing nature. The majority of the audience was at the edge of their seats while watching Freddy and Jason wounding each other mercilessly. A three-way crossover with Ash from “The Evil Dead” was also on the cards for the future. But it was put on hold as the studio is still struggling to make up for the reboot flops. Moreover, the legal rights battle over “Friday the 13th” halted any further releases.
Green Lantern
DC and Warner Bros. were too positive about the future of “Green Lantern”. The movie had also added a post-credit scene to tease a sequel by showing Sinestro putting on the ring. Despite having Ryan Reynolds as the protagonist, “Green Lantern” failed to impress the audience and critics with poor writing and messy CGI. Warner Bros. had no option but to flush out the franchise after witnessing the box office response.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Rebooting the Spider-Man franchise turned out to be a good call for Sony as it received positive reviews for “The Amazing Spider-Man”. The franchise was also set to bring the Sinister 6 onboard by teasing the bad guys in the post-credits of the second instalment. But before the productions for the third part could begin, Sony went through a major change. It was approached by MCU for joint ownership over Spider-Man. The dwindling returns and the growing differences with Andrew Garfield forced Sony to take up the offer.
Batman & Robin
Tim Burton and Michael Keaton held Batman’s brand name pretty high for two instalments. “Batman” and “Batman Returns” are the most admired classics of the DC character that inspired many new-age directors. When Keaton left the franchise following Tim Burton’s exit, the studio was confident that they’d survive without these icons. They replaced them with Joel Schumacher and Val Kilmer, followed by George Clooney. Warner Bros. and Joel Schumacher had plans for the fifth part as well. But Batman and Robin was not just a flop, it was a legendary disaster that became a joke in the history of cinemas.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Everyone’s beloved character, Ferris Bueller was set to return after decades. Both Matthew Broderick and Alan Ruck were ready to come on board for Ferris’ second off as a life coach. Sadly, the plan was discarded after director John Hughes passed away.
Godzilla 1998
Many directors have attempted to reimagine the famous monster’s storyline but only a few have succeeded. The 1998 version was more disastrous than the events in the movie. It had ended on a cliffhanger by showing a baby Godzilla hatching out of an egg and thus teasing a sequel. Unfortunately, the poor reception discouraged the producers to invest in a second instalment and forced them to sell the rights.
Forrest Gump
After the critical and commercial success of “Forrest Gump”, Winston Groom had written the sequel to the novel. It was titled “Gump and Co.” and had brought Tom Hanks, director Robert Zemeckis, and screenwriter Eric Roth on board. Roth didn’t follow the novel completely and took the liberty to add his vision to it. He had submitted the final script a day before 9/11. They decided to drop the idea after the tragedy of 9/11. According to them, America wasn’t the same and the movie made no sense anymore.
E.T. Extra – Terrestrial
Steven Spielberg had optimistic plans for “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” which would have established a franchise like “Home Alone” and “Harry Potter”. It was named “E.T. II: Nocturnal Fears” and followed E.T. rescuing Elliott from a spaceship full of hungry aliens. But Spielberg ditched the idea after finding the story too dark for children.
Casablanca
Warner Bros. Pictures had envisioned building a franchise of the iconic “Casablanca”. They wanted to preserve the original essence of romantic drama while also serving the new generation. But recreating such a masterpiece with an equally talented cast and writer was like a dream. So, they decided to leave this film alone with dignity.
The Breakfast Club
There is a special joy in revisiting some classics that can’t be explained. The beautifully captured teen drama “The Breakfast Club” by John Hughes was on the verge of getting a sequel 10 years later. Making its sequel would have been a lucrative idea but the director wasn’t keen on reuniting the characters. The ’85 film had ended when the detained kids went their separate paths with a hope to change. It left an open ending for the audience to imagine the future of these teens however they wished to. In spite of getting plenty of offers to write a sequel, Hughes rejected the idea by saying “There isn’t anything in their lives after high school relevant to that day.”
