8 Perfect Movies Ruined by Becoming Franchises

It’s frustrating when a great, self-contained movie gets turned into a franchise. Whenever a film tells a complete and satisfying story, someone in Hollywood inevitably wants to make more money by creating sequels, prequels, or spin-offs that fans didn’t even request. Truly original hits that aren’t overextended are surprisingly rare.

Many movie franchises build successfully on earlier films, but just as many end up damaging the originals. Sometimes a great, character-focused movie gets turned into a series simply because it was popular, or a classic film is spoiled by terrible sequels. These movies would often be better left as single, standalone stories.

There Isn’t a Good Ghostbusters Sequel

It’s a bold statement, but none of the Ghostbusters sequels or reboots – not even the follow-up to the reboot – quite measure up to the original 1984 film. That first movie was a uniquely perfect combination of elements that hasn’t been recaptured since. Even Ghostbusters II (1989), while a sequel, doesn’t live up to the original, often relying on jokes that don’t work and repeating familiar character moments.

Most fans agree that the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot didn’t live up to the original, and even the newer films with a younger cast haven’t captured the same spark as the 1984 classic. With each disappointing new movie, the Ghostbusters brand loses some of its appeal, but there are no indications the franchise will end anytime soon.

Jurassic Park Is Succeeded by a Litany of Underwhelming Sequels

Released in 1993, Jurassic Park revolutionized filmmaking with its groundbreaking visual effects. Over thirty years later, it remains a hugely popular film and a highlight in director Steven Spielberg’s career. However, its sequels, The Lost World and Jurassic Park III, haven’t achieved the same success. While some enjoy them, both are generally considered disappointing follow-ups that failed to recapture the original’s magic.

The sequels to Jurassic Park, particularly the Jurassic World films, haven’t lived up to the quality of the 1993 original. They focus more on big action sequences and appealing to fans’ memories than on the emotional core of the first movie. While the newer films can be entertaining as pure escapism, they ultimately highlight just how unique and exceptional the original Jurassic Park remains. The only standout content since 1993 has been the animated series and Chaos Theory.

Joker Is Followed By One of the Worst Sequels Ever Made

The 2019 film Joker sparked a lot of debate, but it was widely acknowledged as a thought-provoking movie that stood out from typical superhero films. Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as the Joker was critically acclaimed, earning him an Academy Award – making him only the second actor to win an Oscar for the role, following Heath Ledger’s win for The Dark Knight. However, that wasn’t the final chapter.

The movie Joker was a huge financial success, earning over $1 billion despite being rated R, which led the studio to approve a sequel. This decision was surprising, as the first film felt complete on its own. However, Joker: Folie à Deux, which attempts a musical style and focuses on a romantic relationship, has been widely criticized. Many believe the sequel actually diminishes the quality and impact of the original 2019 Joker film, undermining its original story.

The Hangover Became the Most Unnecessary Trilogy Ever

In 2009, the comedy The Hangover, featuring Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, and Ed Helms, became a huge success. Both audiences and critics liked it more than expected, which led to significant ticket sales. Because the first film earned so much money, Warner Bros. decided to make two sequels: The Hangover Part II in 2012 and The Hangover Part III in 2013.

The sequels don’t come close to matching the humor of the first movie. They simply repeat the same formula in different settings, and each one feels less fresh than the last. By the third film, audiences were completely burnt out on the series, which also diminished how fondly people remembered the original.

The Crow Should Have Never Been Continued

The story of The Crow is sadly marked by tragedy, both within the film and in real life. Brandon Lee, son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, starred as Eric Draven in the 1994 movie based on James O’Barr’s comic book. Although the film isn’t considered a timeless masterpiece, Brandon Lee’s portrayal of The Crow is now forever linked to his tragic death on set, caused by an accidental shooting with a prop gun that contained a real bullet.

After Brandon Lee tragically died, people haven’t really been eager for more The Crow films. But that hasn’t stopped Hollywood from making them every so often. The original 1994 movie has been followed by three sequels, but none of them were very successful.

The latest attempt to restart the Crow movie series came out in 2024, but it was almost universally disliked by both critics and audiences. With so many previous efforts failing, it might be best for Hollywood to stop trying to revive the franchise.

Every Matrix Movie Is Worse Than the Last

The Matrix is a hugely important and groundbreaking sci-fi action movie that has inspired countless similar films in the years since its release. However, it also spawned a series of sequels, each one less well-received than the last. Following the original, there were two sequels that completed a trilogy, and then a more recent continuation, The Matrix Resurrections, released in 2021. None of these later films have achieved the same level of success or critical acclaim as the first one.

While some enjoy The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, they don’t quite capture the magic of the first film. Those sequels get bogged down in complicated details about the world, leaving audiences puzzled instead of engaged. The Matrix Resurrections feels different – it’s a typical sequel designed to revive the franchise, but doesn’t really add anything new to the story.

Die Hard Gets More Ridiculous With Each Film

Die Hard essentially created the modern action hero with Bruce Willis’s portrayal of John McClane, an ordinary cop thrown into extraordinary circumstances. Released in 1988, the film revolutionized the action-thriller genre, inspiring countless copycats and even establishing its own unique style – often referred to as the “Die Hard scenario.” Despite all the films it influenced, the original Die Hard remains a favorite among action movie fans.

I absolutely loved the original Die Hard, and it kicked off this whole series following John McClane! While a few people still have fun with Die Hard 2, honestly, the sequels just weren’t the same. It’s sad to see Bruce Willis’s character, who felt so relatable in the first film, turn into just another invincible action star. For me, the magic of Die Hard was gone well before the fifth movie, which felt like a final goodbye to McClane – though I’m sure someone will try to reboot it eventually!

Jaws Is a Perfect Movie Followed by the Worst Sequels of All Time

When Jaws premiered in the summer of 1975, it profoundly impacted a whole generation of filmmakers. This groundbreaking thriller also launched the career of Steven Spielberg, who became one of cinema’s most important directors. Even over fifty years later, Jaws is still widely considered a cinematic masterpiece, though its legacy has been somewhat diminished by a string of poor sequels.

After the huge success of Jaws, a sequel was expected, but Steven Spielberg chose not to direct it. Jaws 2, released in 1978, wasn’t well-received, becoming a predictable monster movie with a weak storyline. Jaws 3 didn’t make much of an impression either, and by the fourth film, the series had lost its appeal.

For a long time, Jaws: The Revenge had a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though it’s now at 2%. The film was so poorly received that it effectively ended the Jaws franchise, and even today, Hollywood hasn’t considered revisiting it with a new sequel.

2026-02-10 04:10