5 Disliked Sequels You Won’t Admit Added Key Things to the Franchise’s Lore

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I’ve always loved how some sequels don’t just continue a story, they enhance it with brilliant additions. Take the Terminator films – turning the T-800 into a hero was such a smart move, and they kept building on that in later movies like Genisys and Dark Fate. And Aliens? The way Ripley became a mother figure, even a biological one in the deleted scenes, added so much depth. Then there’s The Empire Strikes Back – that Vader reveal! It completely changed everything. And The Winter Soldier… discovering HYDRA had infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn’t just a plot point for that movie, it resonated throughout the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. These additions weren’t just fun surprises; they genuinely made the franchises richer and more compelling.

Many franchises have sequels that add to the story but aren’t as popular as the original. These installments often get overlooked, but they still play a significant role in the overall narrative. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable cases.

5) Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers

We first see Dr. Terence Wynn in the original Halloween – briefly, as one of the doctors at the hospital when Dr. Loomis leaves to go to Haddonfield. He wasn’t the mysterious “Man in Black” at that point. A lot of fans believe he would have been better left as a minor character appearing only in that one scene.

The movie Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers really leans into the strange storyline about the Cult of Thorn, but the groundwork for that plot was actually laid in Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers. In a surprising and sudden turn of events, a man named Wynn breaks into the Haddonfield jail, kills the guards, and frees Michael. This introduces the idea that there are people actively helping Michael commit his murders. It turns out Michael isn’t just acting on his own; he’s being manipulated by a cult. Many fans felt the series was more frightening when Michael Myers was simply a silent, motiveless killer, rather than a weapon used by others.

Stream Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers on AMC+.

4) Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines feels very similar to Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Despite Arnold Schwarzenegger’s return, the film lacks the same impact and feels like a typical, unremarkable action movie.

Despite its flaws, this film introduced two elements that unfortunately carried over into the even weaker Terminator Salvation. First, it featured the character of Katherine Brewster, portrayed by Claire Danes here and later by Bryce Dallas Howard. Second, it presented Judgment Day as an unavoidable fate. The original two films showed that Judgment Day could be prevented, though with great difficulty. Salvation abandons that idea, leading to the depiction of a full-scale war.

3) Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom feels like two separate films awkwardly combined. While flawed, it’s still significantly better than Jurassic World Dominion.

The film also featured three new characters – Maisie Lockwood (played by Isabella Sermon), Zia Rodriguez (played by Daniella Pineda), and Franklin Webb (played by Justice Smith) – who later appeared in Dominion. Maisie’s choice to release the dinosaurs played a significant role in Dominion, and arguably should have been even more central to the plot, considering the film oddly spent so much time on giant insects.

Stream Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom on Peacock.

2) Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Despite being a love letter to classic Godzilla films, Godzilla: King of the Monsters is the weakest entry in the Monsterverse so far. It tries to do too much, suffers from a poor script, and its human characters aren’t very compelling – a common issue for these films, but particularly noticeable in this one.

The film successfully showed us what motivates the monsters in the Monsterverse. They clearly respect and follow the biggest and most powerful among them – a dynamic reflected in the sequel’s title. This pattern continued in Godzilla vs. Kong and seems to be an ongoing characteristic, which is great because it adds depth and personality to these creatures.

Stream Godzilla: King of the Monsters on HBO Max.

1) Predator 2

It took a long time to figure out how to successfully continue the Predator series. While Predator 2 wasn’t as good as the first movie, it’s aged better than people remember. Later films like Predators and The Predator, along with the two Alien vs. Predator movies, proved that the franchise could actually be much worse.

This sequel arguably expanded the Predator universe even more than the first film. It introduced new weapons for the Yautja, like the glaive, spear, and a net for capturing prey. It also revealed that the Yautja honor humans who successfully fight one of them. Most importantly, it confirmed that the Alien and Predator movies take place in the same shared universe.

Stream Predator 2 on Hulu.

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2025-11-23 02:11