Summary

Sometimes a successful movie spawn a whole franchise , and other time , it may lead to a sequel that no one even remembers a few years subsequently . There is no succeeder formula , butcritical response and corner office numbers do play a huge office in whether the sequel joins the original pic on the pedestal of eonian fame . WhileGrease , starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton - John , continues to be a smasher almost half a century after its release , Grease 2was so critically hatedthat it eventually sank into cinematic limbo . It is a shame that the Maxwell Caulfield and Michelle Pfeiffer - pass follow - up movie never lived up to the resplendency of its predecessor .

isolated fromGrease , there are quite a few examples of authoritative movies with forgettable sequels . The grounds for their want of success incline to rest in the casting changes . The sequel ' nonstarter can also be attributed to hiring a different director or writer , judge to recreate the original film without lend any depth to the tale , or losing the unparalleled spark that made the first photographic film worth watch in the first post . In fact , all three rationality have contributed toStaying Alive , the continuation toSaturday Night Fever , becomingthe previous movie with 0 % on Rotten Tomatoes .

Iconic movies like Titanic and Harry Potter have breed a lot of theories , and even though they have been expose , they still enthrall audiences .

Jack and Rose from Titanic, James Bond from Skyfall, and Harry and Neville from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

10Grease (1978)

Direct sequel: Grease 2 (1982)

Cast

Grease , the beloved musical romantic drollery , told the write up of a young love between T - doll Danny Zuko and Pink Lady Sandy Olsson . The movie was a decisive and commercial-grade hit and promptly link up the ranks of rage classic , propelling John Travolta and Olivia Newton - John toward external fame in the meantime . Grease 2,starring Maxwell Caulfield and Michelle Pfeiffer , never even brook a chance of replicating the success of the original film , even though it had a fresh part - repeal premise and superb acting . In 2023 , Paramount+ loose a television receiver prequel , Grease : ascension of the Pink Ladies , but it was canceled after season 1 and removed from the streaming service .

9Dirty Dancing (1987)

Direct prequel: Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)

Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey may have hat each other off - screen , but their fiery alchemy made for an unforgettable dance flick , asDirty Dancing ’s legacy is still very much live and catch one’s breath today , no thanks to the sequel or prequels . Dirty saltation : Havana Nightswas essentially the same floor but position during the Cuban Revolution , and not even Swayze ’s appearing in the flick could have saved it from itself . The prequel was n’t the only continuation of the strike drama — there were a 1988 telecasting serial of the same name and a 2017 musical adaptation . A direct sequel with Grey reprising her purpose is presently in development , althoughDirty dance 2 ’s releasekeeps getting detain .

8The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

7Donnie Darko (2001)

Direct sequel: S. Darko (2009)

Once upon a metre , Richard Kelly’sDonnie Darkorevolutionized the sci - fi thriller literary genre with a dark take on teen experiences . The movie became a cult classic and give way to a sequel , S. Darko , but Kelly had nothing to do with it . Centering around Donnie ’s baby , Samantha , the film feel like a mere rip - off of the original , which is why it never took off commercially or in the eyes of the public . The initial theater director has late announced another sequel toDonnie Darko , but the plot detail and even the release date are under wraps .

6The Mask (1994)

Direct sequel: Son of the Mask (2005)

The Maskshowcased Jim Carrey ’s comedic abilities to the broad and launched Cameron Diaz ’s vocation . The superhero comedy moving picture established a franchise , although none of the sequels ever achieved its level of success . The quicken series of the same name pull off to stay afloat for three total seasons , butthe direct follow - up movie , Son of the Mask , was a failure all - round . There was supposed to be a continuation with Carrey reprize his role , but since he turn down the offer , the executive had to get creative , which did not pan off out as well as they had ab initio go for .

5American Psycho (2000)

Direct sequel: American Psycho 2 (2002)

Based on Bret Easton Ellis ’s novel , Christian Bale - ledAmerican Psychois a staple of the satirical horror literary genre . The only good matter that came off its ill - received subsequence , American Psycho 2,was that itproved that Patrick Bateman ’s slaying really hap . aside from that , the movie brought nothing new to the mesa . The screenplay was full of plot holes , and the film itself did n’t seem like it was connected toAmerican Psychoat all . EvenMila Kunis , the star of the movie , admitted that makingAmerican Psycho 2was a Brobdingnagian mistakeon her part and everyone else ’s .

4Bambi (1942)

Direct sequel: Bambi II (2006)

Disney’sBambiis one of the company ’s most well - get it on alive moving-picture show , and it is also a movie that has broken the most heart over the years . In 2006 , Bambi ’s devastating fib received a continuation — Bambi II , set during Bambi ’s young years , revolves around the titular part ’s relationship with his founder . It may not be as gripping as the original flick , but it has below the belt been lost in history . The animation was top - notch at the metre , and the plot offer a deeper penetration into Bambi ’s lifespan after his mother buy the farm , and he was leave under his Fatherhood ’s keeping .

3Mean Girls (2004)

Direct sequel: Mean Girls 2 (2011)

Mean Girlsmay be the youngest movie on this list , but it has long earned its cult classic status . The comedy , starring Lindsay Lohan , is quote to this day , which ca n’t be said about the follow - up . Mean Girls 2could have carried on the bequest , but deplorably , it ended up being a cheesy remake with no psyche behind it . Tina Fey , the original film writer of the 2004 cinema , is making a return , and herMean Girlsmusical sequel , which is localise to premier on January 12 , 2024 , might right all the wrongs of the remake once and for all .

2The Lion King (1994)

Direct sequel: The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998)

The Lion Kingis an iconic total - of - age movie that send out lots of important messages about love and family , trust and treachery , exemption and loneliness . Simba ’s story continued in two television serial publication , two sequel pic , and it even received a photorealistic remake in 2019 . None of them change state out to be great hit , but they negociate to fetch out the nostalgia . The lineal sequel , The Lion King II : Simba ’s Pride , wasn’t quite up to the standards set by the original — the main Scar - esque villain was forgettable , and the soundtrack was n’t nigh as catchy . Still , the plastic film is deserving a vigil .

1Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Direct sequel: Staying Alive (1983)

AfterSaturday Night Fever , John Travolta woke up an A - tilt starwho was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor , and rightfully so . The movie re-introduce discotheque into the mainstream and became an instant cult classic . The lead histrion reprised his use as Tony Manero inStaying Alive , but it did n’t save the film from becoming a decisive failure . The sequel did well at the box federal agency , but its deficiency of deepness and weird dance sequences did n’t make a great impression on critics , and the film was condemn to be leave as the days belong by .

A collage image of Luke Skywalker in A New Hope

Denzel-Washington’s-Best-The-Equalizer-2-Scene-Revealed-The-Real-Robert-McCall

Donnie Darko, The Mask, and Danny and Sandy from Grease

Headshot Of John Travolta In The TCM Classic Film Festival Opening Night

Cast Placeholder Image

Headshot Of Stockard Channing

Johnny (Patrick Swayze) and Baby (Jennifer Grey) lean in to kiss each other while kneeling on the floor of a dance studio in Dirty Dancing (1987).

Headshot Of Jennifer Grey

Headshot Of Patrick swayze

Headshot Of Jerry Orbach

Dorothy (Judy Garland) and Friends Watch in Horror as The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) Melts in The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Headshot Of Jake Gyllenhaal

Headshot of Holmes Osborne

Headshot OF Maggie Gyllenhaal

Headshot Of Daveigh Chase

Jim Carrey as the Mask Dances During the Cuban Pete Dance Number in The Mask

Headshot Of Peter Riegert

Headshot Of Cameron Diaz

Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) Swinging an Axe in American Psycho

Headshot Of Jared Leto

Headshot Of Reese Witherspoon In The 49th AFI Life Achievement Award

Headshot Of Chloe Sevigny

Headshot Of Willem Dafoe

Donnie Dunagan as Young Bambi and Paula Winslowe as Bambi’s Mother Walking in the Forest by a River in Bambi

Headshot Of Amy Poehler In The 2024 CinemaCon Big Screen Achievement Awards

Headshot Of Tina Fey

Headshot Of Rachel McAdams In The Premiere of ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’

Simba (Matthew Broderick) Looking Shooked in The Lion King.

John Travolta as Tony Manero Looking Sad in Saturday Night Fever