Not every movie needs to become a franchise. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the sequels that completely missed the mark and alienated the fans of the previous installments.
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00:00 "What killed the dinosaurs?
00:03 The Ice Age!"
00:06 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the sequels that completely
00:10 missed the mark and alienated the fans of the previous installments.
00:14 Spoilers will be mentioned, so this is your official warning.
00:17 "That bad, huh?"
00:20 Number 10.
00:21 Alien 3 While the monster was the main draw of this
00:22 series, fans still found themselves drawn to the human characters.
00:26 "I've laid us in order, you hear me?"
00:29 "I read you, the answer is negative."
00:31 Various members of the Sulaco crew were beloved, particularly Corporal Hicks and Newt, a child
00:36 they had saved.
00:37 When it seemed like they and Ripley would be the only survivors following aliens, viewers
00:41 were excited to see a story focused on the trio.
00:43 That fell through when the third movie began, revealing that Ellen was the only one who
00:46 had lived following a pod crash.
00:48 "What's the matter?"
00:49 "Where is she?"
00:50 "In the morgue."
00:53 While the other two sudden deaths were shocking enough, having them occur off-screen and with
00:57 little fanfare was like salt in the wound.
00:59 As a result, the audience was turned off by Alien 3 before the first act had even ended.
01:04 "And now I've made another mistake."
01:07 Number 9.
01:08 Transformers Revenge of the Fallen The first iteration in this contentious franchise
01:11 was everything a blockbuster should be, eye-catching and engaging.
01:15 "Can you talk?"
01:16 "XM satellite radio."
01:17 "Physical cable for a tube."
01:18 "It's a broadcast system."
01:19 "So you talk to the radio?"
01:23 The visuals were widely praised, and critics agreed that despite the outlandish concept,
01:27 it still felt somewhat grounded in reality.
01:29 That praise was taken and run with in the entirely wrong direction.
01:33 "Uh, Leo, bad news."
01:35 Transformers Revenge of the Fallen leaned heavily on the action sequences, prioritizing
01:39 them over the actual plot.
01:40 It became a stream of constant battles which soured the viewing experience as a whole.
01:44 "We just want to talk."
01:45 "I've no time to talk.
01:46 I'm on a mission."
01:47 In an attempt to escalate the intensity of those scenes, they lost sight of what had
01:51 made the first one so charming in the first place.
01:53 Ultimately, it gave the property a reputation it could never quite come back from.
01:57 "Let's roll."
01:59 8.
02:01 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
02:03 Suspension of disbelief can be a powerful thing, but it's still possible to take it
02:06 too far.
02:07 Indiana Jones has always walked the line between historical and fantastical, and enthusiasts
02:11 have been able to wave away the more unrealistic aspects.
02:14 "Don't look me in the eye and keep your eyes shut!"
02:19 When it came time for the fourth installment, it was clear that they had bitten off more
02:22 than they could chew.
02:23 "First light."
02:24 "Oh, that can't be good at all."
02:28 Some moments were so far-fetched that they took the viewer out of the experience, from
02:32 the infamous fridge-nuking to the inclusion of aliens.
02:34 "No more!"
02:35 "Go!
02:36 Go over it!"
02:38 If it had the heart of the previous three, then this could have been forgiven, but it
02:44 seemed lifeless in comparison.
02:46 It ended up coming across as a parody rather than a continuation of the narrative.
02:50 "Brutal couple of years, huh, Charlie?"
02:54 7.
02:55 Independence Day - Resurgence
02:57 Will Smith was undoubtedly one of the biggest draws of the larger-than-life original.
03:04 His portrayal of Captain Hiller helped turn Independence Day into a widespread cultural
03:08 phenomenon.
03:09 He was going to reprise his role in the long-awaited sequel, but ended up dropping out due to other
03:13 commitments.
03:14 Instead of pausing the project, the studio decided to move forward without him.
03:17 "You got a better idea, Charlie?
03:19 From where I'm sitting, it looks like it's our only damn chance!"
03:21 The script had to be reworked to remove Hiller, leading to an unsatisfying conclusion for
03:25 the hero.
03:26 "Captain Hiller, considering he died during a test flight, how do you feel taking off
03:30 for the moon from a hangar named after your father?"
03:33 "He would have loved it."
03:35 It also had a ripple effect on the rest of the production, leading to a drop in quality.
03:39 Had they been able to use the first version, maybe it could have had a better chance of
03:42 holding up.
03:43 Instead, it was panned universally.
03:45 "I forgot how much I hate this."
03:48 6.
03:49 Terminator Genisys
03:50 Although the timeline is constantly changing, some rules have remained constant throughout
03:53 the tumultuous series.
03:55 "Get down!"
03:57 The following additions became bolder with the use of the device, and for the most part,
04:01 people were able to follow along with the changes.
04:03 They flew too close to the sun with Terminator Genisys, wherein the protagonists attempted
04:07 to stop the events of the first film.
04:09 "If the past can change, then so can the future.
04:14 We can stop Judgment Day from happening.
04:17 Ever."
04:18 "Kill Skynet before it's born."
04:23 While that was bizarre enough, the questionable decisions didn't stop there.
04:26 The nail in the coffin was when John Connor was revealed to be not just a villain, but
04:30 a Terminator himself.
04:31 "Skynet's made John into a Terminator."
04:34 "Yes, Cal Reiss."
04:36 This was contradictory to everything that had been previously established.
04:39 The twist was unearned and unnecessary, leading to more bewilderment than minds being blown.
04:44 "I'm old, not obsolete."
04:47 "I think you hurt his feelings."
04:50 "It doesn't have feelings!"
04:52 Number 5.
04:53 Son of the Mask
04:54 Jim Carrey used the original to showcase his physical comedy and wide berth of impressions.
05:01 The titular mask was the perfect vehicle to show that particular skill, and he was able
05:05 to transform the slapstick comedy into something truly special.
05:08 He was on track to appear in a direct continuation, but ended up withdrawing before it could come
05:12 to fruition.
05:13 This led to it being scrapped and Son of the Mask being born, with a new cast and new storylines.
05:18 "Mommy loves you so much.
05:21 Okay?"
05:22 "Mommy loves you, too."
05:25 "Mommy, I can't do this."
05:27 While the lead tried his best, he couldn't come close to Carrey's natural fluidity,
05:31 and as a result, his movements were noticeably stiff.
05:33 The plot wasn't much better, becoming so cartoonish that even its predecessor looked
05:37 unrealistic in comparison.
05:38 "I'm the god of friggin' mischief.
05:40 What did you expect?"
05:41 Number 4.
05:42 The Matrix Revolutions
05:43 While it could have been another drop in the bucket for the sci-fi genre, the inclusion
05:47 of different philosophical ideas, such as the red and blue pills, helped carve out its own
05:51 permanent place in pop culture.
05:53 "Remember, all I'm offering is the truth.
05:57 Nothing more."
05:58 The first two introduced several questions, and it seemed that the third would finally
06:02 answer them.
06:03 The focus was centered around the special effects rather than the writing, which led
06:06 to none of those mysteries being resolved.
06:08 "I know it's difficult to understand.
06:10 No, it's not.
06:11 You're out of your goddamn mind."
06:13 At the time, this was going to be the final part, and so the lack of a true conclusion
06:16 bothered fans to no end.
06:18 As if that wasn't enough, the theoretical concepts were placed on the back burner, turning
06:21 it into the antithesis of what it had once been.
06:24 "If you can't win, it's pointless to keep fighting."
06:27 Number 3.
06:28 Speed 2 Cruise Control
06:29 The insane concept could have made this a complete flop, but the natural intensity of
06:32 the situation and chemistry between the leads helped make it into a genuinely unique picture.
06:37 "So you're a cop, right?"
06:39 "That's right."
06:40 "Well, I should probably tell you that I'm taking the bus because I have my driver's
06:43 license revoked."
06:44 "What for?"
06:45 "Speeding."
06:46 The Keanu Reeves-led project had the perfect combination of action and tension, with the
06:51 stakes remaining high the entire time.
06:53 He wasn't able to commit to the eventual follow-up, which led to extreme changes to
06:57 the cast and setting.
06:58 "What?"
06:59 "Smell that?
07:00 It's sulfur."
07:01 "What do you mean there's sulfur?"
07:02 "I swear I am never leaving the house again."
07:05 Taking place on a cruise liner caused it to lack any of the innate danger found in speed.
07:09 "Annie, I don't think your boyfriend appreciates the logistics involved in ranting the most
07:14 automated ship in the world into a loaded fuel tanker with no set anchor pattern."
07:19 The lack of Reeves' charisma only exacerbated the unfortunate shift.
07:22 They attempted to recreate the magic, but the changes were so dramatic that their efforts
07:26 fell flat along with the audience's enjoyment.
07:28 "But hey, it could have been worse.
07:31 Not sure how exactly, but it could have been worse."
07:34 2.
07:35 Jaws the Revenge
07:36 To say Jaws was a cultural reset is an understatement.
07:38 "You're gonna need a bigger boat."
07:42 The impact it created affected the entertainment industry as a whole.
07:45 Everything from the shark itself to the citizens of Amity Island helped create a classic tale
07:49 that is still considered to be iconic.
07:51 The sequels haven't been able to create the same effect.
07:53 They tried expanding upon the premise, which only made each subsequent film more cheesy.
07:57 "Holy shit!"
08:03 Soon it went off the rails, and many hoped that the ridiculous Jaws 3D would be their
08:07 final attempt.
08:08 However, Jaws the Revenge proved they could go even lower, removing several principal
08:12 roles and introducing a laughably fake shark model.
08:15 "Is that what I think it is?"
08:20 "Huh?"
08:21 By that point, the legacy formed by the original was all but tarnished.
08:25 "It's not a shark!"
08:28 Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
08:31 Superman IV The Quest for Peace
08:32 For this is the day that a super-franchise died.
08:35 "You'd risk worldwide nuclear war for your own personal financial gain."
08:38 "Nobody wants war.
08:39 I just want to keep the threat alive."
08:42 Zoolander 2
08:43 This fashion-based comedy was all style and no substance.
08:46 "Please accept my apologies, Derek."
08:49 "Not taken."
08:50 Highlander 2 The Quickening
08:52 This unneeded follow-up reduced the hero to nothing more than a joke.
08:55 "You're nothing but a tired old man."
08:57 "More than you know."
09:00 Dark Phoenix
09:01 Hugh Jackman's absence helped end this franchise on a sour note.
09:04 "I told you to stay away."
09:05 "That's never gonna happen.
09:08 Please, stop."
09:12 Caddyshack 2
09:13 It being rated PG took away all the edge of the original.
09:16 "Interesting club.
09:18 What would you call that?"
09:19 "It's a 12-gauge."
09:20 "12-gauge?"
09:21 "12-gauge."
09:22 "12-gauge."
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09:37 #1.
09:39 Batman & Robin
09:40 Tim Burton's rendition of the caped hero helped give him some credibility amongst general
09:44 viewers as a serious force rather than a campy joke.
09:47 "What are you?"
09:48 "I'm Batman."
09:49 The stunning visuals and darker tone were some of the biggest standouts of the era.
09:54 He manned the first two, but was replaced with Joel Schumacher for the other two.
09:58 The new director took it in an entirely new direction, attempting a tongue-in-cheek attitude
10:02 that ended up coming across as a mockery of Batman rather than a return to his cartoon
10:06 personality.
10:07 "I want a car.
10:10 Chicks dig their car."
10:11 "This is why Superman works alone."
10:15 The sudden shift also delayed any development he had experienced in the previous iterations.
10:20 "Hey, freeze.
10:21 The heat is on."
10:26 The adjustments were so severe that they forced the crusader into retirement until Christopher
10:30 Nolan was able to revive him almost a decade later.
10:32 "It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me."
10:41 Which sequel do you think was the biggest disappointment?
10:43 Let us know in the comments below.
10:56 Thanks for watching.
11:03 "