Buzz
Hollywood has a soft spot for sequels. When a movie becomes a smash hit, the chances of a second part become almost certain. Sometimes, sequels are even in the works before the original film proves itself at the box office.
Sequels are designed to capitalize on the popularity of the original, turning the brand recognition into more profits. Yet, despite all the anticipation, there are films whose sequels never materialized.
But in today's era of endless remakes and reboots, it's always possible for something unexpected to happen. Still, here are 10 movies that were once thought to have sequels in the pipeline but ended up without one.
10. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
When Who Framed Roger Rabbit debuted in 1988, it broke new ground by merging live-action with animated characters in a groundbreaking way. The film became a massive hit, prompting the studios to capitalize on its success. Screenwriter Nat Mauldin was brought on board, and plans for a sequel—or rather, a prequel—were set in motion.
The proposed prequel was titled Roger Rabbit: The Toon Platoon. It followed a younger Roger on a quest to find his parents. He enlisted in the army and faced the Nazis, armed with toon-powered weapons and support from beloved characters. Early feedback indicated the script was strong. So, why did Roger Rabbit: Part 2 never come to life?
Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a groundbreaking film that brought together characters from different studios—Amblin, Disney, and Warner Brothers—into a shared universe where animated characters interacted with each other. However, in reality, getting all the studios to cooperate was a far more complex task. Numerous licensing agreements and permissions were required.
The first film had been challenging enough to get all the studios on the same page. A follow-up would have been even trickier, with each studio likely demanding a larger share of the profits. Over time, the script underwent revisions and eventually shifted focus to Roger's journey to stardom, eventually getting rebranded with the title Who Discovered Roger Rabbit?
Further revisions were made, and new talent was added to the project. With the rise of CGI technology, the decision was made to transform Roger into a fully computer-generated character. As more ideas were tossed around, the budget continued to rise. However, in the end, the concept of a sequel faded away.
In 2016, Robert Zemeckis, the director of the original film, revealed that he was still keen on directing a new installment, with a fresh script placing Roger and his wife, Jessica, in the 1950s. Yet, Zemeckis wasn't optimistic about the possibility of the project moving forward at that time.
Whether another Roger Rabbit film will ever make it to theaters remains uncertain. However, for us fans, it's comforting to know there's still a glimmer of hope!
9. Mac And Me
In 1988, a film was released about an alien who, separated from his family and stranded on Earth, forms a bond with a young boy. The premise might sound familiar—it was released just after the success of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
The film that followed was titled Mac and Me. The producers were confident it would be a success. In fact, they were so sure of a sequel that they included a freeze-frame at the end of the movie with the message, 'We’ll be back!'
However, the movie bombed at the box office. It received overwhelmingly negative reviews and earned only about $6 million domestically, a far cry from its production cost of over $13 million. The film also had a profit-sharing agreement with Ronald McDonald House Charities, which added further complexity to the situation.
The concept of Mac and Me 2 quickly disappeared, just like Eric’s wheelchair in the film. While the original is frequently ranked among the worst films ever made, it has since gained a cult following, enjoying a second life thanks to its frequent appearances as a running joke on Late Night with Conan O’Brien.
8. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
To understand how the idea for this unconventional sequel came about, you first need to look at how the original film took shape. Universal Studios had been pressuring Steven Spielberg to follow up on both Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Jaws, but Spielberg made it clear that he wasn’t interested. Still, Universal wasn't ready to give up.
In an effort to appease Universal, Spielberg agreed to write a loose sequel to Close Encounters. The result was a script titled Night Skies, a dark film involving aliens terrorizing a family. For various reasons, the movie never materialized, but elements of it made their way into the script for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
E.T. became a massive success, prompting Universal to push for a follow-up. Spielberg eventually agreed. Drawing more ideas from the Night Skies script, the treatment for E.T. II: Nocturnal Fears was quickly written, and the project seemed to be gaining momentum.
So, what happened?
Well, E.T. II was a much darker version of the original, featuring carnivorous aliens, family abductions, and even the torture of Elliott. Yes, torture. While the treatment could have made for an intense horror film, it completely missed the lighthearted, family-friendly vibe of the original. Ultimately, the sequel was considered too dark, and Spielberg moved on to other ventures.
7. Masters Of The Universe
If you grew up in the early 1980s, you were well aware of the iconic He-Man and The Masters of the Universe and were eagerly anticipating the release of its 1987 movie.
Riding the wave of success from the animated series and the popular Mattel action figures, the executives at Cannon Films thought they had a guaranteed winner. In fact, a script for a sequel had already been penned.
At the conclusion of the first movie, it's revealed that the sinister Skeletor is still alive. Some sources suggest the follow-up film would have been titled Masters of the Universe 2: Cyborg, set again on Earth, but in a distant future where Skeletor has ravaged the planet.
The planned second film was to be made with a significantly reduced budget of $4.5 million, a stark contrast to the original's $22 million. Additionally, Dolph Lundgren would have been replaced by professional surfer Laird Hamilton. With leftover costumes and sets, and a script ready, it seemed like a good idea to move forward. However, the producers disagreed.
The film grossed only $17 million at the box office, and it was met with disappointment from both critics and fans. Production of the toys was nearly halted, and the notion of a sequel was abandoned. Or was it?
Cannon initially hoped that the profits from Masters of the Universe would fund not only a sequel but also a Spider-Man movie. However, due to the urgency of the project, costs for costumes and sets were already incurred. Additionally, they had a script ready for Masters of the Universe 2: Cyborg.
By modifying the script and utilizing the already built sets and costumes, the project was reworked into the 1989 Jean-Claude Van Damme movie Cyborg. With a modest budget of $500,000, Cyborg earned nearly $10 million at the box office. This helped recover some of the financial losses and served as an unconventional follow-up to Masters of the Universe, though the connection was not clear at the time.
6. Forrest Gump
In 1994, the book Forrest Gump was adapted into a film starring Tom Hanks. The film earned just under $700 million globally and took home several Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Tom Hanks, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Given the immense success, a sequel seemed inevitable, especially since the second novel, Gump and Co., had already been published.
The sequel to the novel continues Forrest Gump's journey, even acknowledging that a movie (starring Tom Hanks) had been made about his life. In the story, Forrest faces financial ruin after the collapse of his Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, pushing him into a series of odd jobs and adventures such as playing professional football and promoting New Coke. The book also introduces the spirit of Jenny, who continues to haunt Forrest throughout.
Some argue that the odd storyline was the main reason the sequel never came to fruition. However, the biggest hurdle came from lead actor Tom Hanks. Over the years, Hanks has been outspoken about his reluctance to reprise the role, stating that a sequel would diminish the achievements of the first film.
Aside from the strange plot, casting anyone other than Tom Hanks in the lead role seemed nearly impossible—a sentiment shared by the studio executives. Consequently, Gump and Co. remains confined to its existence as a novel, with little hope for a cinematic adaptation.
5. The Breakfast Club
In 1985, John Hughes gifted us with a film that would become iconic, bridging generational divides and showing that youth struggles are timeless. The Breakfast Club brought together a group of diverse teens who, forced into Saturday detention, had to face the challenges of growing up while stuck in a room together.
The desire to revisit the beloved characters never faded, and neither did the rumors of a sequel. Over the years, ideas ranged from another detention session to a new group of students, or even a storyline where the original club members were now in college. (Is there detention in college?) However, aside from some comments from actor Emilio Estevez in 2005, nothing ever materialized.
John Hughes was adamant about never wanting a sequel. He didn’t see any logical reason why this group of misfit teens would come together again, and he believed that a second film would ruin the sense of magic left by the ambiguous ending of the original. There was also some personal tension between Hughes and actor Judd Nelson that contributed to this decision.
When John Hughes passed away in 2009, he took with him any real chance of a Breakfast Club sequel.
4. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
The Breakfast Club wasn’t the only John Hughes film with sequel speculation. In 1986, he introduced the world to the quintessential slacker, Ferris Bueller, in the hit film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
For years, rumors about a potential follow-up circulated, often fueled by the cast themselves. The ideas ranged from Ferris vacationing in Hawaii, to him navigating college life, and eventually, as time passed, Ferris taking a day off from work. There were even whispers of a screenplay being in development, though not necessarily written by Hughes himself.
Ultimately, the film never materialized, likely due to a lack of a compelling story and the lack of interest from its star, Matthew Broderick. However, in 2012, 26 years after first portraying the iconic Ferris, Broderick returned to the role for a Honda commercial during the Super Bowl. While it wasn't the full-fledged film fans had hoped for, the ad was still a nostalgic tribute to a character that had captured the hearts of audiences over the years.
3. Star Wars
We know what you're thinking. Star Wars has had plenty of sequels. And you're right. But there was one Star Wars film that never came to be. It was called Splinter of the Mind’s Eye, and it was conceived by George Lucas as a contingency plan in case Star Wars underperformed at the box office, serving as a possible backup to The Empire Strikes Back.
Back in the 1970s, studios didn’t map out sequels as meticulously as they do now. But Lucas was so confident in the franchise's future that he hired renowned science fiction author Alan Dean Foster to not only adapt his Star Wars script into a novel but also to create a potential follow-up that could easily be adapted into a low-budget film.
In Foster’s novel, Luke and Leia crash on a swamp planet where the Empire is mining for the Kaiburr crystal. The story kept the cast small, and much of what we now recognize as Star Wars lore was either altered or left out entirely. For instance, Luke and Leia had a romantic relationship, as their sibling connection hadn’t yet been established. Additionally, Vader lost an arm before being thrown into a bottomless pit.
As we all know, Star Wars became a massive success at the box office, forever changing the landscape of cinema and giving George Lucas the financial backing to create the far more ambitious The Empire Strikes Back. Foster's novel was eventually released, but its story was excluded from the official Star Wars canon, instead becoming a curious alternate reality tale of what could have been.
2. Mrs. Doubtfire
In 1993, comedian-actor Robin Williams delivered a memorable performance as a father desperate to stay close to his kids after a divorce. To achieve this, he dresses as the tough but endearing housekeeper Mrs. Doubtfire, creating one of the most iconic characters in film history.
The film resonated deeply with both critics and audiences, and talk of a sequel began shortly after its success. The challenge of keeping the original actors and premise while still maintaining fresh storylines quickly arose, but it wasn’t just the plot that caused issues.
Neither Robin Williams nor director Chris Columbus was thrilled with the direction the sequel was taking. Both made it clear that they were not interested in returning to the Doubtfire universe for another installment.
Despite all the setbacks, Hollywood's persistence paid off. Eventually, a script that seemed promising was completed, and it was reported that Robin Williams had signed on to reprise his role. Everything appeared to be set for a sequel.
Tragically, in 2014, Robin Williams passed away after taking his own life. He had been struggling with depression and various health issues and was deeply affected by the cancellation of his TV series, The Crazy Ones.
Realizing that only Williams could bring the magic of Mrs. Doubtfire back to life, the sequel was ultimately abandoned. It left fans longing for a film that will never come to be.
1. The Nightmare Before Christmas
In 1993, Disney and Tim Burton teamed up to create what would become a beloved cult classic: the stop-motion animated film The Nightmare Before Christmas. Over the years, the characters have only grown more popular, and merchandise sales show no signs of slowing. Naturally, the idea of a sequel seemed like the next logical step.
Disney was eager to continue the adventures of Jack Skellington, but it appears that Tim Burton was not. Despite this, the idea of a sequel gained momentum when Burton's favorite actor, Paul Reubens (better known as Pee-wee Herman), casually mentioned that the director was extremely busy and might be working on another Nightmare script.
When Burton was asked about the rumors, he quickly denied them, putting the matter to rest—at least for a while. However, in late 2017, news broke that Tokyopop, a manga comic producer, would be releasing a 20-issue comic book sequel series titled The Nightmare Before Christmas: Zero’s Journey in 2018 to mark the 25th anniversary of the film. This provided Nightmare fans with a new reason to celebrate.
