7 Sci-fi Franchises That Should Have Stopped After One Movie

A franchise might sometimes be challenging to validate, especially when one film doesn’t fully capture the story, similar to Star Wars. Alternatively, it may offer multiple exciting journeys, such as in Star Trek. In either case, a series often requires coherent narrative development. Occasionally, this leads to an exceptional sequel; at other times, it doesn’t quite hit the mark.

Generally speaking, if a movie’s initial release performs well financially, studios often find it justified to expand into a franchise, even though subsequent installments might not match the quality of the original or may seem illogical continuations. These seven series, in particular, could have benefited from stopping after their debut instead of prolonging the storyline.

7) RoboCop

In simpler terms, the original RoboCop movie from 1987 is a spot-on satire that humorously criticizes the extravagance of the ’80s and the cold, impersonal effects of corporate dominance. However, the sequels RoboCop 2 (1990) and RoboCop 3 (1993) lack the same charm and critical edge as the original film.

In comparison to the original, RoboCop 2 presents a darker, bloodier, and harsher narrative, devoid of humor. It essentially retreads familiar ground with minimal exploration of the initial film’s depth and political insight. What makes it even less appealing is that RoboCop himself is absent for an extended period, around 30 minutes, while the plot focuses on a less engaging, grittier narrative.

The third version stands out as being notably better – maybe too much so. It’s categorized as PG-13 and showcases a reimagined RoboCop soaring through the air with a jetpack. While jetpacks are certainly exciting, their incorporation seemed more geared towards marketing RoboCop toys in kids’ meals than enhancing the franchise’s appeal. To add to that, we haven’t even touched upon the TV adaptations of RoboCop.

6) The Chronicles of Riddick

In the film titled Pitch Black, we’re introduced to Richard Riddick (portrayed by Vin Diesel), a notorious killer, who possesses an extraordinary ability: he can see in the dark. This unique talent, along with his past as a murderer, proves beneficial when a spaceship carrying him and other passengers crash-lands on a planet experiencing a prolonged solar eclipse, which signals the arrival of lethal, night-dwelling creatures.

In simpler terms, “Pitch Black” was enjoyable due to its compact size, intriguing monsters, and exciting scenes. However, the series took a turn that became quite extravagant, or as some might say, Riddick-ian. The Chronicles of Riddick, the sequel to Pitch Black, brought in the Necromonger death cult, which poses a threat to the entire universe, an air spirit reminiscent of Dungeons & Dragons, and the concept that Riddick is the sole survivor of a lost warrior race. While these elements are certainly intriguing, they work better as standalone concepts rather than as extensions of a film that was largely self-contained in its storyline.

5) Jurassic Park

Since its release in 1993, Jurassic Park created a massive cultural impact and broke box-office records as the highest-grossing film ever made. Consequently, follow-up films were inevitable. However, none have been able to replicate the enchantment, awe, and joy found in the initial installment.

Despite initial reluctance from author Michael Crichton to pen a sequel, the unprecedented success of both the original book and its film adaptation eventually persuaded him to give it a shot. The outcome was “The Lost World,” which kickstarted a series of sequels, some of which, due to various factors, didn’t quite live up to the original’s standards.

Instead of saying it, let me rephrase: The Jurassic sequels, including the Jurassic World series, aren’t so bad that they’re unwatchable, but we could certainly live without them. In truth, our lives would be more enjoyable if we had never witnessed the distressing scene in Jurassic World where a Pteranodon swoops down to snatch the baby Triceratops. That Pteranodon, it’s just plain cruel!

4) Avatar

While some might find it debatable, the 2009 film “Avatar” certainly delivers its message effectively. The thought of a planned series spanning at least five films can seem quite overwhelming.

While it’s important to acknowledge Disney’s significant impact on filmmaking and technological advancements in special effects, especially with its blockbuster franchises, it’s fair to say that their storytelling could use some enhancement. Despite intriguing high-concept, sci-fi settings, the narratives tend to be quite straightforward. The spectacular special effects and the imaginative portrayal of alien worlds are truly captivating aspects that draw audiences in.

Of all the entries on this list, we’re most “okay” with more Avatar movies. But we aren’t excited.

3) The Fly

This write-up delves into two distinct film series. The initial one commences with the 1958 film “The Fly,” while the second is a renowned remake from 1986, directed by David Cronenberg in the genre of body horror. It’s worth noting that experiencing either series once was sufficient for most viewers.

In simpler terms, the scientists who were careless during their teleportation experiment ended up causing chaos in a humorous way. In the 1950s, a minor mix-up happened where their heads and arms switched places. However, in the 1986 version, there was a more grotesque outcome – complete genetic blending. Despite the success of these films leading to sequels being likely, it doesn’t mean that more were needed. This is referring to the movies titled “The Fly.

1958’s movie gave rise to two follow-ups: “Return of the Fly” (1959) and “Curse of the Fly” (1965), depicting further transportation mishaps that, despite being occasionally intriguing, never recreate the fear, tension, or empathy found in the initial film. This can also be said about “The Fly II” (1989), as it forsakes all elements that made the 1986 movie compelling in favor of a gorier monster attack.

2) Highlander

In simpler terms, the slogan for the movie Highlander is, “Only one can remain.” Truly, if only one such immortal existed, it would have been simpler. Highlander portrays the late stages of an age-old war among immortals who encounter and battle each other using swords. The victor is granted a prize encompassing all knowledge and a fantastic soundtrack by Queen. Eventually, Connor MacLeod (played by Christopher Lambert) emerges victorious, planning to lead humanity towards a tranquil future… but more films and a TV series followed afterwards.

Highlander II: The Quickening served as an early indication of trouble. It unveiled that all the Immortals were actually extraterrestrials from the planet Zeist, exiled to Earth for rebelling against their homeworld. Subsequent versions omitted the Zeist scenes, but it’s clear that the original film had a decisive ending. The subsequent sequels seem questionable in light of this definitive resolution.

1) Resident Evil

In the film series of Resident Evil, directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, there are six installments, and as time goes on, they drift further away from the original source material. While we don’t require perfect adherence to the originals, we do expect them to be well-made. The first film, which unfolds within a secret laboratory beneath a mansion, comes closest to mirroring the games, but subsequent productions followed suit.

In these films, a majority of characters from the video games make an appearance, such as Chris and Claire Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Leon Kennedy. The settings are diverse, featuring destroyed Las Vegas landscapes and high-tech virtual reality environments. Creatures from the games appear intermittently, seemingly following a list, while the focus is primarily on making Alice (played by Milla Jovovich) appear stylishly badass. While this might be acceptable in some ways, it doesn’t justify six movies’ length.

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2025-09-06 20:11