What’s harder to land than a hit movie? Try a hit series of movies. This list of titles is full of movies that, through one reason or another, we’re shocked haven’t become bigger franchises in the Hollywood landscape.
Master and Commander: Far Side of the World
Director Peter Weir’s seafaring epic starring Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany has become a fan favorite over time but somehow didn’t catch fire upon initial release. A Master and Commander reboot is in the works, but missing out on more of this pair is still a tragedy.
Battlestar Galactica
How in the Frak did Caprica not catch on with people? We could have had even more answers into Ronald D. Moore’s reimagining of Battlestar Galactica, and yet people didn’t seem ready for it. Even with the defunct Peacock reboot and an attempted movie adaptation proposed in the past, this sci-fi landmark can’t seem to catch a break, which makes you wonder just what went wrong.
John Carter
The world failed John Carter, but somehow dug straight into Avatar without a question. Holding the record for the longest period of book-to-film adaptation, the legendary Edgar Rice Burroughs’ space opera of Mars finally found itself adapted into a 2012 cult favorite, but failed to turn into a franchise for director Andrew Stanton to call his own.
Dredd
It’s a shame that Dredd’s story of going from a beleaguered production to a fan favorite never paid off with sequels or spin-off series capitalizing on Karl Urban’s time in the role. Even with streaming success boosting the picture’s profile, there’s still no sign of anyone following this 2000 A.D. comic’s second cinematic adaptation with another turn at bat.
Mortal Engines
With the YA adaptation market being what it is, it’s rather surprising that Mortal Engines couldn’t capture the same readers and viewers who made The Hunger Games an enduring success. Even having the pedigree of producer Peter Jackson flexing his post-Lord of the Rings muscles wasn’t enough to lift this inventive dystopian tale into the consciousness.
Akira
There have been several efforts to create a live-action adaptation of author Katsuhiro Otomo’s iconic manga Akira, stretching back for almost as long as the 1988 anime film brought the books to the world’s attention. With major directors like Stephen Norrington, Albert Hughes, and Taika Waititi being drafted over the decades to try and make it so, the reasons for its failure are just as frustrating as not seeing a more accurate portrayal of the manga’s extensive story.
The Nice Guys
You’d think someone would slip writer/director Shane Black a Christmas present by putting The Nice Guys back on the board as a potential franchise. Alas, not even Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe’s comedic chemistry has made it easy to revisit this fan favorite. Plus, a potential female-led TV reboot has also gone MIA, depriving us all of more clever mysteries punctuated by witty, R-rated punchlines.
Warcraft
Much like Pacific Rim, Legendary co-production Warcraft was a long-legged box office success with modest enough results to keep people asking for a sequel. While one could understand why it never happened, it’s baffling that a reboot or even an adaptation of other Blizzard franchises like Starcraft weren’t attempted to try and get people revved up all over again.
Sahara
Even Matthew McConaughey understood that Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt novels could have been something truly cinematic. With follow-ups intended to continue past Sahara’s 2006 theatrical release, that was indeed a possibility. But even with that film failing to catch fire, how has someone not tried to get this potential American James Bond competitor back on the market?
Alita: Battle Angel
With solid box office at its back, a vocal fanbase still pulling for a sequel, and the likes of James Cameron producing, Alita: Battle Angel was always born to be a franchise. Sadly, despite Cameron seeming to confirm an Alita sequel in development, nothing has been set in stone.
Eragon
YA and Fantasy are two realms that always seem to be fresh for mining in show business. Author Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle, kicked off by the novel Eragon, is one such property that touches both of those bases; seemingly destined for future greatness. At least, that seemed to be the case before the 2006 movie adaptation was released, much to the chagrin of fans of the text.
Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
The Fast Saga has never been quiet about its aspirations to become a huge and healthy franchise. That’s practically why Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw was greenlit in the first place. But somehow the Dwayne Johnson/Jason Statham spin-off hasn’t been given much priority, even with its main-line franchise due to say its last farewell at some point.
Tron
While a Tron threequel is in motion, and with a clear finish line in sight, the failure to see this saga entrench itself further in pop culture is a crying shame. Considering how well Tron: Legacy did at the box office, and how Tron: Uprising’s ambitious storyline still remains unfinished, we should have returned to the grid a long time ago.
Bridesmaids
Admittedly, director Paul Feig’s Bridesmaids wasn’t built for a sequel. That hasn’t stopped lightning-hot comedies in the past, and considering this movie was a lightning bolt hit akin to The Hangover films, one wouldn’t be mistaken in thinking that we missed out by not spending more time with Kristen Wiig and the rest of the insanely stacked ensemble from this laugh riot.
Interview With The Vampire
Writer Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles novels eventually saw justice done by them with the start of the AMC series adaptation of Interview with the Vampire. Tom Cruise’s shock at the lack of a sequel proves that he would have been up for more madness as Lestat, and knowing that someone prevented this from happening in the decision-making process really bites.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Considering Ferris Bueller’s Day Off actually landed a TV series that went beyond its source material, you’d think that the John Hughes/Matthew Broderick hit could have secured at least one more movie in its canon. Alas, the closest we’ve ever gotten to such a prospect is a Paramount+ spin-off film, and the Honda Super Bowl ad that returned Broderick to the role in 2012.
Fear Street
Saved from the clutches of non-existence, Netflix snagged director Leigh Janiak’s Fear Street trilogy after the Fox/Disney merger, making the films a streaming hit. And yet, only one follow-up seems to be on the books at the time, even in a world where author R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps saga has turned into a streaming TV hit.
The Baby-Sitter’s Club
Whether you’re thinking of the 1995 film adaptation or either of the TV projects that author Ann M. Martin’s iconic book series spawned, the fact that The Baby-Sitter’s Club never caught on is something that’s perplexing. With the popularity of the long-running series’ literary incarnation as its foundation, there’s still a potential for someone to figure out how to keep Dawn, Mallory, and the rest of the girls telling their stories for generations to come.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Guy Ritchie’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is more than likely the movie that’s helped actor Henry Cavill continue to associate his name as adjacent to the James Bond franchise. This light-hearted and funny action crusher could have been a competition to 007 himself, and still could be if the right studio executives set their minds to making it happen.
The Last Starfighter
It’s almost amazing how The Last Starfighter’s long developing legacy-quel, with Rogue One writer Gary Whitta attached, can’t seem to escape the atmosphere of development hell. If you ask us, we blame the Ko-Dan Empire for this serious lack of progress.
The Mummy
“Lack of effort” isn’t the primary cause that killed The Mummy’s potential third sequel. But at the same time, it doesn’t feel like there was never enough hustle to try and get the series back on the rails with Brendan Fraser and company involved. At best, all Universal has to show for things is a failed reboot with Tom Cruise, and a lot of fans hoping Rick O’Connell and his family will return.
Wanted
Director Timur Bekmambetov still likes to talk about the potential sequel to his 2008 hit Wanted, but that talk seems to be going nowhere. This James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie starring hit still has its fans, but apparently none of them are in positions of power to get a second picture into the works.
District 9
One of Neill Blomkamp’s most promising sequel pitches has to be the follow-up he was planning to continue the story of his breakout hit District 9. As the 2009 sci-fi movie left off on a huge cliffhanger, further exploration of the worlds occupied by Wikus (Shartlo Copley) and “Prawn” Christopher (Jason Cope) just might have expanded this hard-hitting story across the galaxy.
Edge of Tomorrow
If Tom Cruise wants to do something, he tends to get his way on the matter at hand. A potential Edge of Tomorrow sequel is one of the rare cases that, at the moment, proves this isn’t always the case. Perhaps it’s just a matter of time before Tom makes this seemingly impossible feat a reality.
Galaxy Quest
Across the spectrum of movies and TV, the potential continuation of 1999’s Galaxy Quest has been a subject of great work and much promise. While potential successor efforts seem to have mostly halted after the death of Alan Rickman, it’s still somewhat surprising that there weren’t more attempts made closer to the release of the original.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy
While there’s not a “definitive” version of Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the places the 2005 cinematic incarnation could have gone were numerous. That unfulfilled promise could have been realized through the more recent Hulu series that was pitched, but the radio silence on that front speaks volumes about the possibility.
The Rocketeer
Despite its initial box office troubles, The Rocketeer has continued to thrill audiences young and old. There’s been quite a bit of talk over the years involving legacy-quels pitches, but as it currently stands all that’s actually happened is a Disney Junior series that ran between 2019 and 2020.
James Bond
Over 60 years of history is pretty amazing with any film franchise, especially the James Bond series of movies. But with so many potentials for spin-offs and book-accurate adaptations, the most the powers that be have done to branch out this particular brand is the Prime Video exclusive reality series 007: Road to a Million.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Jack Skellington’s exploits in trying to take over Christmas are legendary, even with The Nightmare Before Christmas’ rocky start in theaters. While there is a video game sequel, as well as adjacent adventures in sagas like Kingdom Hearts, no cinematic continuation to Tim Burton and Henry Selick’s perennial favorite has been made.
National Treasure
What’s tougher than stealing the Declaration of Independence? Try making a theatrical sequel to the National Treasure movies. Ending on a cliffhanger that seemed to set up a natural continuation with a third movie, the short-lived Disney+ series National Treasure: Edge of History is the closest we’ve gotten to re-entering the world of Nicholas Cage’s iconic treasure hunter Benjamin Gates.
Sherlock Holmes
There could be hope for a third Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes movie, especially with his Young Sherlock series potentially reinvigorating interest in the IP. The wait for such a prospect has certainly been a killer, but fans of Steven Moffat’s modern adaptation of Sherlock would probably fight for the title of “most disappointed fans on Baker Street,” as that BBC series stopped after four rounds of adventure.
Hocus Pocus
We understand that Hocus Pocus has a sequel movie, and there’s another round that’s looking to get underway. But to be completely honest, it’s surprising that there wasn’t a larger scrum to dig up the Sanderson Sisters a lot earlier, especially when the old days of Disney direct-to-video sequels would have eaten this prospect up, and asked for more.