7 Movie Sequels That Killed Off Key Characters Too Soon

In many long-lasting franchises, the third movie often starts by eliminating a key character who appeared in one or more of the previous films. This move is frequently employed to signal that the third film has greater risks than the earlier ones, and perhaps hint at its potential shortcomings compared to its predecessors. Here’s a compilation of movies where this occurs, some of which execute it effectively, while others fall short. These early character deaths in the third installment are significant events that may or may not contribute to a compelling narrative.

In many long-running franchises, the third movie often kills off an important character from earlier films to signal higher stakes and potentially lower quality compared to the previous movies. Here’s a list of such movies where this technique is used. Some manage it well, others don’t, but they all involve significant early deaths in the third installment.

Avengers: Infinity War

With a powerful impact at the box office and ranked among the top MCU movies so far, the highly ambitious “Avengers: Infinity War” begins with a heavy blow. The moment Thanos snaps Loki’s neck (and later eliminates Heimdall) makes it clear that this journey for the Avengers will be darker and, by the film’s conclusion, several beloved heroes will meet their end.

As a die-hard movie buff, I must admit, it’s no surprise that Loki made his way back into the picture. Not only has he landed his own TV show, but he’s also set to grace the silver screen once more in Avengers: Doomsday. Now, it’s not the same Loki who met his end at Thanos’ hands, but even a different incarnation of him was enough to send chills down our spines. It’s safe to say that those early demises were quite a jolt for us viewers!

Beverly Hills Cop III

Initially, it seemed like the mediocre sequel, “Beverly Hills Cop III,” might have marked the downfall of Axel Foley, following the success of the catchy theme song from the original “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.” However, considering John Landis’ reputation for directing some of the 80s’ finest comedies like “The Blues Brothers,” “An American Werewolf in London,” “Trading Places,” and “Coming to America,” one would expect a more engaging movie. Yet, watching the third installment of “Beverly Hills Cop” feels far from those high-quality collaborations between Landis and Eddie Murphy. It’s surprising how this film turns into such a drag, given their history of creating comedy classics.

The second film, with its action-heavy plot, had a script that wasn’t as strong as the first one’s lively screenplay. However, it was still significantly better than the decline between the second and third films. Murphy appears disinterested in his role, evidently feeling that he’s working on a less impressive project compared to the earlier movies. The character of Axel Foley, as portrayed in this film, is quite different from the one in the first two. He’s more serious and focused, rather than the energetic and humorous character we knew before. In addition, the superior officer who often reprimanded him in the previous movies, Inspector Todd, gets killed by the main antagonist at the start of this film. This tragic event makes Foley even more somber, transforming him into a typical, revenge-driven cop. Unfortunately, this darker character doesn’t fit well with the movie’s theme park setting.

Blade: Trinity

To accommodate Whistler’s daughter in the film “Blade: Trinity”, they apparently decided to write off Kris Kristofferson’s character, Abraham Whistler. The relationship between Abraham Whistler and Blade, portrayed by Wesley Snipes, was a crucial aspect of the first two movies. The makers of “Blade: Trinity” aimed to boost ticket sales by introducing Jessica Biel and Ryan Reynolds, but this strategy didn’t pay off. Instead, it resulted in the production of “Trinity” being one of the more challenging superhero movie productions so far.

As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I’ve always admired the late Kirstofferson for his extraordinary talent that shone brightly on screen. He was skillfully utilized in the initial two movies, but in “Trinity,” his character is unfortunately eliminated almost instantly. In this film, Blade is wrongfully accused of murdering a human acquaintance, prompting FBI agents to storm Whistler and Blade’s hideout. While this plot twist serves as a catalyst for Blade’s actions and gives him a personal motivation to defeat Dracula, it feels more like an empty attempt to intensify the storyline.

To be fair, Whistler didn’t have many new roles to play in a potential third film considering what he accomplished in the first two. However, the way his character was handled seems more about creating space for Biel’s character to join and share screen time with Reynolds.

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers

Absolutely! The movie titled “Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers” is actually the sixth film in the Halloween series, but it has always been a franchise with a complex timeline. In the films “Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers” and “Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers“, Danielle Harris plays Jamie Lloyd, who becomes the main character. However, in “Curse“, Jamie, now a decade older, is recast, gives birth, and is immediately impaled against a wall, leading to an abrupt end for her character. Unfortunately, the rest of the film doesn’t recover from this anticlimactic event, even with Paul Rudd playing the lead role as a young character.

RoboCop 3

Regardless of the general consensus about remakes, many fans view “RoboCop 3” as the lowest point in the series. While some poorly made third films may have redeeming qualities, “RoboCop 3” isn’t one of them, except perhaps for the appearance of CCH Pounder, although her screen time is limited.

In comparison, Pounder’s character outlives Karen Allen’s Officer Anne Lewis in the RoboCop series. A significant figure in Paul Verhoeven’s RoboCop and its 1990 sequel, Officer Lewis was a compelling character who deserved more than what she received in the subsequent film. She played an integral role in both the action scenes and stood by Alex Murphy from the start. Regrettably, she is killed off by Paul McDaggett during her attempt to prevent him and his ruthless security force from targeting impoverished civilians. Similar to many other characters on this list, her death serves primarily as a narrative device to motivate the protagonist against a specific antagonist. Essentially, it concludes what was initially an intriguing, albeit secondary, character arc in an unsatisfying manner.

Scream 3

Liev Schreiber’s character Cotton Weary was merely shown on TV in the first Scream, but his impact was significant. He was the man falsely accused of murdering the main character’s mother, with the Ghostface killers being the actual perpetrators. His chance to truly shine wasn’t until Scream 2, where he persistently encouraged Sidney Prescott to appear on Diane Sawyer’s show with him, positioning himself as a wronged, righteously angry possible suspect.

Weary, who was generally a good man, never donned the Ghostface mask. Instead, he met his unfortunate demise at the start of “Scream 3” by someone wearing the infamous Ghostface mask. Despite some critics finding this third film weaker than its predecessors, Weary’s death effectively set the story in motion.

X-Men: The Last Stand

In the original X-Men trilogy, James Marsden’s portrayal of Cyclops was arguably the most underutilized main character. He shared an entertaining rivalry with Wolverine in the first film, but his character took a turn similar to Loki being hypnotized in The Avengers in the second movie. In Brett Ratner’s X-Men: The Last Stand, his role is significantly reduced, as he is killed off within the first half hour. What makes this more disappointing is that Jean Grey, who was at the heart of his conflict with Wolverine, is the one who ends up killing him. This unfolds when she returns from Alkali Lake with glowing eyes and new red hair, they exchange a few words, share a kiss, and he dies. Essentially, it seems that Cyclops was used merely to confirm Jean’s return, as they had the closest personal connection among the characters.

Fans haven’t had many chances to say goodbye properly to Cyclops after his sudden exit. His brief appearance in X-Men: The Last Stand was helpful, but it’s exciting to think that this gap might be filled now that he’s returning for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday movie.

2025-05-01 23:10