Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone are the hallmarks of Hollywood action movies, and a lot of their projects have proved to be commercially successful. Movies like Terminator and Rocky spawned numerous sequels throughout the years, and every new iteration has its own level of success.
While these films defined Schwarzenegger’s and Stallone’s careers, they also have other movies that deserve more recognition, as well as a much-needed follow-up. If these one-offs do get a sequel, it would definitely liven up the action-movie genre.
7. Judge Dredd (1995)
Sylvester Stallone starred as Judge Joseph Dredd, a law enforcement agent in the crime-infested futuristic metropolis of Mega-City. He was the face of justice until the tables turned, and he was framed for murder.
His enemies will soon discover that the bars of prison cannot hold him back for a long time. The film received a remake in 2012, but it would be nice to see the original and legendary Stallone take on the character again.
6. True Lies (1994)
There had been many controversies surrounding this James Cameron film that if it was made today, it would receive so much more flak than it already had. Arnold Schwarzenegger portrayed Harry Tasker, an ordinary salesman who turns out to be a spy whose mission is to track down nuclear missiles in the possession of Islamic jihadist Aziz.
True Lies was criticized for the negative portrayal of Middle Easterners and female characters, so if a sequel is going to happen, they have to do better this time to redeem the reputation of the franchise.
5. Demolition Man (1993)
This Sylvester Stallone-led film can be considered an old-fashioned prototypical superhero movie. Starring as John Spartan, the actor plays a cop framed for a crime and sentenced to a frozen incarceration known as CryoPrison for 40 years.
Spartan will be revived in the year 2032 to stop Wesley Snipes’ Simon Phoenix from wreaking havoc in the city. With the audience’s fondness for superhero action films, a continuation might be a good idea.
4. Tango & Cash (1989)
At one point, a reboot for this Sylvester Stallone-starrer has been considered, but unfortunately, the plans did not get off the ground. This action-comedy film showcased Stallone and Kurt Russell’s chemistry on-screen as they play two hot-shot detectives forced to work together to bring down a drug lord.
Things went awry after they were framed for killing an FBI agent. There’s no doubt that both actors can still make it possible to whip up another shot at this fun and entertaining movie.
3. The Running Man (1987)
Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in this futuristic science fiction movie based on Stephen King’s novel where dystopian America’s source of entertainment is a game show in which prisoners must run to escape a violent death.
Schwarzenegger’s Ben Richards is a wrongly-convicted man who gets his shot at freedom after participating in a public execution staged as a game show. A sequel, paired with the original film’s socio-political commentary, will definitely work in modern times.
2. Cobra (1986)
Sylvester Stallone has been in a lot of violent films, and this one is absolutely up there on the top list. The movie features the actor as a Los Angeles cop leading the battle against a cult of violent neo-fascist killers.
It is surprising how the studio did not try to make more money out of the commercial success of the franchise. Cobra earned more than six times its budget during its theatrical run. If the producers plan to release a sequel with few modern twists, it might deliver a similar performance.
1. Commando (1985)
This classic movie has a formulaic plot that is typical of an 80s action film, with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character forced to get out of retirement to save his abducted daughter from the hands of his enemy.
A sequel was actually planned to happen, but the actor turned down the script because he did not like it, so the proposed follow-up film became Die Hard. While Bruce Willis’ movies are not direct sequels to the original, there must still be a chance for Schwarzenegger to give Commando 2 a shot.
Which of these classic action films would you like to get a sequel in the future?
