40 Forgotten Sequels to Hit Movies

40 Forgotten Sequels to Hit Movies

This weekend saw the release of Paramount Pictures‘ threequel xXx: Return of Xander Cage, which wound up disappointing with a paltry $20 million domestic take. While it will likely do very well overseas, it will probably wind up on the scrapheap of sequels that failed to make the same mark as their predecessor. In the case of Xander, it is actually the second sequel to 2002’s xXx to disappoint, after the Ice Cube-led xXx: State of the Union. With this in mind, we compiled a list of 40 times big hit movies — and, in some cases, Best Picture Oscar winners — generated forgotten sequels that did not come close to living up to the original. Check out 40 forgotten sequels to hit movies in the gallery below!

This list also comes as Scream Factory releases a pair of such sequels to Blu-ray – Poltergeist II: The Other Side and Poltergeist III. Neither sequel made the same mark as the original 1982 Tobe Hooper/Steven Spielberg hit, but despite being relegated to a footnote, their re-release on home video on January 31 brings about the possibility of reappraisal.

Click the links to pre-order your copies of Poltergeist II: The Other Side and Poltergeist III collectors editions on Scream Factory Blu-ray!

Which of these 40 forgotten sequels below do you think deserve a second look? Are there any sequels that should also be on this list? Let us know in the comments below!

Return of the Seven (1966), Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969), & The Magnificent Seven Ride (1972)

Whether you liked the recent Denzel Washington remake or not, you can't say The Magnificent Seven was a movie unsullied by cash-ins. In fact, United Artists made THREE sequels to the 1960 western classic (itself a loose remake of The Seven Samurai). Yul Brenner reprised his Chris Adams character in the first sequel, then was succeeded by George Kennedy and Lee Van Cleef. 

Rooster Cogburn (1975)

Another western sequel saw The Duke himself, John Wayne, reprise his Oscar-winning role from 1969's True Grit. This time around, Rooster is disgraced and trying to earn back his badge, while also helping an old spinster (Katherine Hepburn) get revenge. The film was followed by a made-for-TV sequel titled True Grit: A Further Adventure starring Warren Oates.

The French Connection II (1975)

William Friedkin's Best Picture-winning cop movie got a barely-acknowledged follow-up with Gene Hackman and Fernando Rey reprising their roles. John Frankenheimer directed the film, which finds the New York cop Popeye Doyle in France looking for the drug dealer from the first movie and also winds up getting hooked on smack.

Futureworld (1976)

Fans of HBO's "Westworld" series might enjoy this sequel to Michael Crichton's original, which features Peter Fonda and Blythe Danner, as well as a cameo by Yul Brenner. It is notable for being the first major motion picture to feature a CGI effect.

Jaws 2 (1978), 3 (1983) & 4: The Revenge (1987)

Steven Spielberg's classic still stands as one of the best thrillers of all-time, yet the three sequels Universal made over the next decade are a mere footnote. Jaws 2 saw the return of Roy Scheider's Chief Brody, but Jaws 3D was hokey at best and Jaws 4 stands as the worst movie Michael Caine ever made.

Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)

In the '70s, producer Irwin Allen was the Jerry Bruckheimer of his day, churning out one hit disaster movie after another including the original Poseidon Adventure. Unfortunately, his follow-up starring Michael Caine trying to salvage the capsized luxury liner was a critical and box office disaster.

More American Graffiti (1979)

George Lucas's first major misstep as a filmmaker was to do a follow-up to his 1973 smash. Instead of focusing on a new group of young teens, he and new director Bill L. Norton decided to follow-up on the original characters (except Richard Dreyfus) and their horribly-depressing lives over four consecutive New Year's Eves, each done in a different cinematic style. The bold idea falls flat, as their stories should have remained epilogues at the end of the first movie.

Grease 2 (1982)

The original musical hit's choreographer Patricia Birch tried to continue the story of Rydell High School two years after the first one with a nearly all-new new cast led by Maxwell Caulfield and Michelle Pfeiffer. The result was a disaster that cancelled plans for a multi-film franchise and a TV series.

Psycho II (1983), III (1986) & IV: The Beginning (1990)

Two decades after Alfred Hitchcock's smash, star Anthony Perkins decided to turn playing Norman Bates into a cottage industry. The first sequel was a moderate success at the box office, but the third (helmed by Perkins himself) crashed and burned. The fourth film, while still retaining Perkins, was made-for-TV. 

The Sting II (1983)

The 1973 Best Picture-winning con man comedy is given a cheap cash-in featuring reconfigured versions of the original characters played by Jackie Gleason and Mac Davis. David S. Ward returned to pen the script, but the grifter magic was gone. 

2010 (1984)

A true insult. If any film didn't need a sequel it was Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. What it especially didn't need was a literal-minded sequel that sought to explain with sci-fi cliches all that was ambiguous and fascinating about the first one. Despite a solid cast including Roy Scheider, Helen Mirren, Bob Balaban and John Lithgow, Peter Hyams' film deserves to be forgotten.

The Jewel of the Nile (1985)

1984's Romancing the Stone was a sleeper hit that thrived on the chemistry between stars Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. Unfortunately, they couldn't capture lightning in a bottle twice, and it didn't help that original director Robert Zemeckis moved on and screenwriter Diane Thomas died. A third film titled "The Crimson Eagle" was developed but never made.

Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) & III (1988)

The combo of Steven Spielberg and Tobe Hooper made the first Poltergeist a haunted house classic. MGM's two sequels were far more grim, focusing on an evil preacher spirit named Kane, who tries to get Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke). The second film featured some gruesome creature designs by H.R. Giger, but the third film in which Kane again goes after Carol Anne in an apartment building felt utterly stale. O'Rourke's untimely death cast a particular pallor over the third film. 

Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988)

Watching Dudley Moore play an eccentric rich guy in the first one was comedy gold. Watching him play an eccentric poor guy in the second is pure torture. 

Big Top Pee-wee (1988)

As The Marx Brothers proved 50 years earlier in At the Circus, putting a wacky funnyman in the wacky setting under the big top is a recipe for comedy death. Paul Reubens learned a similar lesson with this lame follow-up to Tim Burton's Pee-wee's Big Adventure.

Short Circuit 2 (1988)

The friendly robot Johnny 5 made a swift return to the big screen, but he only brought Fisher Stevens' vaguely-unwoke portrayal of the Indian Ben Jahrvi character along with him. Original writers Brent Maddock and S.S. Wilson stay true to the character, but director Kenneth Johnson undermines the script at every turn. 

Caddyshack II (1988)

With MVPs Bill Murray and Rodney Dangerfield gone, producers turned to Jewish insult comic Jackie Mason and a disturbingly-broad Dan Aykroyd and, despite the return of Chevy Chase, could not live up to the anarchic hilarity of the first one. 

Fletch Lives (1989)

Gregory Mcdonald's comedic detective gets another outing, but this time Chevy Chase's disguises and broad gags have run out of steam. 

The Fly II (1989)

Despite a script co-written by the great Frank Darabont, this sequel to David Cronenberg's disturbing 1986 remake died on arrival. Eric Stoltz stars as the son of Jeff Goldblum's tragic scientist, and it relies more on shock gore than the first one. 

Three Men and a Little Lady (1990)

Although the original Three Men and a Baby is by now three decades old and largely forgotten, upon its 1987 release it was the highest-grossing movie of the year. A sequel was inevitable, but even with original trio of Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg and Ted Danson, poor reviews kept it from being more than a minor success. A planned third film, entitled "Three Men and a Bride," has remained unproduced. 

The Two Jakes (1990)

Whatever you might think of him as a person, director Roman Polanski was the main element that enabled 1974's classic Chinatown to rise above its pulpy detective roots. That becomes clear in the sequel, which star Jack Nicholson directed himself from a script by original writer Robert Towne. While not by any means a bad movie, The Two Jakes feels more like a standard noir with a few notable remarks on institutional racism. 

Another 48 Hours (1990)

Director Walter Hill and his stars Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy basically wrote the book on buddy cop movies with 1982's 48 Hours. When the inevitable sequel came along, it seemed like everyone involved decided to kick back and literally remake the first movie, which is a shame given the chemistry between the two leads. 

Young Guns II (1990)

While this sequel's gross was nearly identical to the first one, and featured most of the same cast, today it is mainly remembered for featuring Jon Bon Jovi's hit single "Blaze of Glory."

City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (1994)

Billy Crystal returned to write and star in the sequel to his 1991 sleeper hit, but it's telling that Bruno Kirby decided not to return. In his place Jon Lovitz plays Crystal's wisecracking brother, and Jack Palance reprises his Academy Award-winning role as Curly. A serviceable sequel with some okay gags but entirely unnecessary.

The Next Karate Kid (1994)

Future two-time Oscar-winner Hillary Swank took Ralph Macchio's place as the newest student of Pat Morita's Mr. Miyagi, but a decade after the first one this Boston-set sequel had lost its audience. 

My Summer Story (1994)

Released to theaters under the generic title of It Runs in the Family, this film follows the further adventures of Jean Shepherd's Parker family from A Christmas Story. Even with Shepherd's indelible narration and Bob Clark's direction, this outing stood firmly in the shadow of its predecessor and was roundly ignored. Charles Grodin is a great pick to play the dad, but doesn't hold a candle to Darren McGavin. 

The Evening Star (1996)

Shirley MacLaine reprises her unforgettable, Oscar-winning role of Aurora Greenway from Terms of Endearment, and Jack Nicholson even comes back for what amounts to an extended cameo. However, following up the Best Picture winner without original screenwriter/director James L. Brooks proved a death sentence to this widely-panned sequel. 

An American Werewolf in Paris (1997)

This vague sequel to John Landis's original, featuring the daughter of main character David Kessler, features truly wonky CGI wolves and is only notable as an early cash-in role for great French actress Julie Delpy (Before Sunrise).

Home Alone 3 (1997)

John Hughes originally wanted to bring a teenage Macaulay Culkin back for this third installment, but when Culkin quit acting, Hughes hacked out a clone of the first movie with Alex D. Linz as the new precocious kid lead. The results are broad, tacky, and ultimately a throw-away. 

Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)

Sandra Bullock got swindled into signing onto this sequel before Keanu Reeves decided to pass on returning, and was thus forced to take the lead. Jason Patric takes Reeves' place, and Willem Dafoe hams it up as a bad guy taking a cruise ship hostage, but the slow setting and slapdash direction by original helmer Jan de Bont caused this expensive ship to crash and burn upon release.

The Odd Couple II (1998)

Jack Lemmon's fussy Felix Ungar and Walter Matthau's slobby Oscar Madison are reunited 30 years after the original pairing on a road trip to their kids' wedding, with writer Neil Simon along for the ride. Unfortunately, this final pairing of Lemmon and Matthau is an unfunny disgrace, and was widely ignored upon release. 

Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)

A sequel to the 1980 counterculture classic without John Belushi seemed unimaginable. When said sequel arrived, it was unwatchable. Director John Landis and Dan Aykroyd assembled a great group of musicians to perform the film's numbers, but the studio sadly neutered their script and slashed their budget so the final product feels like an utter waste. 

U.S. Marshals (1998)

Instead of focusing once again on Harrison Ford's exonerated Dr. Richard Kimble from The Fugitive, this sequel put the spotlight on Tommy Lee Jones' Oscar-winning role as United States Deputy Marshal Sam Gerard. This time Wesley Snipes is the one on the run, and Robert Downey Jr. is a special agent with a secret. 

The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999)

Brian De Palma's brilliant adaptation of Stephen King's first novel Carrie just celebrated its 40th anniversary and shows no sign of becoming irrelevant. The same luck did not extend to this misguided follow-up about Carrie White's half-sister. The flop features Amy Irving returning as Sue Snell and archive footage of Sissy Spacek from the original. 

Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)

Patrick Swayze returned, but his presence as an older dance instructor Johnny Castle is bizarre as the story takes place in 1958, making this a PREQUEL to the original Dirty Dancing. English actress Romola Garai's career didn't get much of boost from this poorly-recieved follow-up, but Rogue One's Diego Luna managed to melt some hearts.

Son of the Mask (2005)

Jim Carrey's The Mask was a smash hit, and the conceit of both that film and its comic books basis is ANYONE can wear the mask and obtain its cartoonish powers. However, while the movie and comic book towed the line of being for adults, this sequel was aimed strongly at kids. To add insult-to-injury, comedic non-entity Jamie Kennedy was cast as the lead, resulting in a massive money loser for New Line Cinema.

Be Cool (2005)

Filmmaker F. Gary Gray blamed the failure of this Get Shorty sequel on the studio switching the rating from R to PG-13 at the last minute, thus hobbling the edge of the satire. John Travolta returned as gangster Chili Palmer, this time switching the movie biz for the music biz, but his charm couldn't elevate the diluted material. Dwayne Johnson earned strong praise playing a gay bodyguard.

Basic Instinct 2 (2006)

Sharon Stone spent years and several lawsuits pushing this sequel into production, despite no interest from original star Michael Douglas and a long list of potential co-stars (Robert Downey Jr., Kurt Russell) and directors (David Cronenberg, John McTiernan) ultimately bailing. Her actual co-star, then unknown David Morrissey (later of "The Walking Dead"), packed no star wattage and the sex scenes were laughable, resulting in a high-profile box office disaster.

The Pink Panther 2 (2009)

Steve Martin's turn as Inspector Clouseau in the 2006 reboot was not particularly well-recieved but earned enough coin to warrant a sequel. In classic style, it was throwing good money after bad, as the public had learned their lesson the first time around.

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)

Michael Douglas made a long-awaited return as amoral business titan Gordon Gekko, but for some reason filmmaker Oliver Stone decided it was a good idea to redeem the character. This rubbed audiences the wrong way, especially in the wake of the financial disasters of only a few years before that had been caused by greedy bastards like Gekko.. 

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