No one ever sets out to make a bad movie, especially if it is set to continue a first film that was generally well received by critics and audiences alike. While it is easy to view all sequels as entirely cynical affairs intended only to make money, the truth is thatthere are many excellent follow upsthat are worthy of the added investment; films such asThe Godfather: Part II, The Empire Strikes Back, Before Sunset, Aliens,andTerminator 2: Judgment Dayare generally considered to be all-time classics.
While there are certainlymore than a few franchise films that fell massively short of expectations,some sequels were so poorly received that audiences turned on the entire franchise. These sequels are credited with destroying the reputation of an entire series, actor, or even genre. Here are ten movie sequels so bad that they hurt the originals’ reputation.
10‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ (2024)
Directed by Todd Phillips
Joker: Folie à Deuxwas seemingly destined for success,as the firstJokerfilm fromTodd Phillipswas a surprise smash hit that became the highest grossing R-Rated film of all-time (before it was passed this year byDeadpool & Wolverine), and earned eleven Academy Award nominations, including a Best Actor win forJoaquin Phoenix’s terrifying role as Arthur Fleck.
Unfortunately,the secondJokerfilm didn’t have anything new to say about the character, as a majority of the story was centered around dull scenes in prison and a courtroom. The revelation that Fleck himself was not actually the Joker as he is known in theBatmanlore was equally confusing, as Phillips’ attempt to be subversive and shocking resulted in a complete mess thatdidn’t seem to have a clear audience in mind.The waste ofLady Gagawas equally distressing.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Joker: Folie à Deux explores Arthur Fleck’s ongoing struggle with his dual identity as he unexpectedly discovers love and unleashes his hidden musical talent. Set against a backdrop of societal unrest, Arthur’s journey intertwines personal transformation with chaotic encounters, leading to profound shifts in his life and the world around him.
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9‘Speed 2: Cruise Control’ (1997)
Directed by Jan de Bont
Speed 2: Cruise Controlmanaged to screw up the trajectory of what could have been a great movie franchise, as the first film starringKeanu Reeveswas generally considered to beone of the best action films of the 1990s.Reeves infamously turned down the opportunity to appear in the sequel, which should have keyed everyone in early on that trying to make a secondSpeedfilm was never going to be a good idea.
Speed 2: Cruise Controlwas simply a laughable affair, as it failed to capture the same mastery of tension that had made the first film such a richly compelling thriller. WhileSandra Bullock’s career did manage to survive,Speed 2: Cruise Controldid halt the trajectory of the series; in the over two decades that have passed since its release, there has still been no firm word on whether or not a thirdSpeedfilm is in the works.
Speed 2: Cruise Control
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8‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ (2023)
Directed by David S. Goyer
Shazam! Fury of the Godswas a notable step down from the firstShazam!, which had been heralded as one of the better films to emerge from the cataclysmic DC Extended Universe. The firstShazam!film worked because it lacked the gritty tone and pretentious writing of the DC films fromZack Snyder; instead of focusing on cameos, it just tried to tell a good story.
Shazam! Fury of the Godsmade all the classic “sequel mistakes,” as it tried to get much bigger with its story, despite not necessarily having a firm grasp on the character arcs. In addition to an unneeded cameo fromGal Gadotas Wonder Woman,Shazam! Fury of the Godsfeared a pointless post-credit scenethat seemed to tease a third installment in the series, which is now quite unlikely to ever come to fruition.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
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7‘Caddyshack II’ (1988)
Directed by Allan Arkush
Caddyshack IIwas a sequel so disastrous that it seemingly ruined the brand of National Lampoon, which had previously been regarded as one of the most successful comedy innovators in the business. The firstCaddyshackfilm certainly came together due to the boisterous chemistry between the cast, but sadly it was impossible for the sequel to capture the same charm.
Caddyshack IIignored the heartfelt nature of the first film, as it delved into an entirely cynical escalation that feltlike just another sports comedy.WhileDan Aykroydcertainly deserves some credit for trying to fill the void left byBill Murray,Caddyshack IIwas the type of disaster that seemed to soil the name of its predecessor because it was so disappointing. It would unfortunately be the first of many disappointing comedy sequels that seemed to be made out of corporate greed alone.
Caddyshack II
6‘Independence Day: Resurgence’ (2016)
Directed by Roland Emmerich
Independence Day: Resurgencewas asequel two decades in the making, but managed to let down everyone that had lovedRoland Emmerich’s first film from 1996. While the originalIndependence Daywas a fun, exciting disaster movie with a cheeky sense of humor,Independence Day: Resurgencewas overtly dour, depressing, and in no ways triumphant.
Independence Day: Resurgencesparked some serious doubts about Emmerich’s track record as a director, as the “good film” in his career like the originalIndependence Dayfelt fewer and far between. It didn’t help thatWill Smithdid not return to reprise his role as Captain Steve Miller, and that new cast membersMaika Monroe,Liam Hemsworth, andJessie T. Usherdid not have the charisma needed to lead such an ambitious science fiction spectacle. Plans for a thirdIndependence Dayfilm seemed to disappear overnight.
Independence Day: Resurgence
5‘Staying Alive’ (1983)
Directed by Sylvester Stallone
Staying Aliveis a “once in a generation” level disaster, as it managed to erode all the good will that the originalSaturday Night Feverhad going for it. Although it is now generally best known for its iconicBee Geessoundtrack, the originalSaturday Night Feverisa much darker New Hollywood filmthan it is often remembered as being; the film examines the feelings of a disenfranchised youth population, and even earnedJohn Travoltaa Best Actor nomination at the Academy Awards.
Staying Aliveopted to be a generic “dance movie,”and contained none of the subtext that had made the first film such a classic. WhileSylvester Stallonehas proven himself to be a talented director with his work on theRockyandFirst Bloodsequels, his direction ofStaying Aliveindicated that he may not have been the best choice for this sort of sensitive material.
Staying Alive (1983)
Staying Alive follows Tony Manero, five years after his rise to fame on the dance floor, as he pursues a new challenge by aiming for success on the Broadway stage. Battling personal and professional obstacles, Tony must confront his aspirations and relationships while striving to achieve his dreams.
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4‘Zoolander 2’ (2016)
Directed by Ben Stiller
Zoolander 2is a comedy sequel that just came too late, as the world had evolved rapidly since the first film had debuted back in 2001. While the firstZoolanderhad been fairly groundbreaking in how it satirized elements of the media coverage of fashion, the second film reported making obvious jokes that simply felt derivative.
Zoolander 2seemed to mistake what audiences had liked about the first film, as there didn’t seem like there was a ton of affinity for the characters of Derek (Ben Stiller) or Hansel (Owen Wilson).Stiller himself has expressed regretabout the way thatZoolander 2was received by fans of the first film; admirably, he has managed to turn his back on big screen comedy entirely, and instead devoted his time to developing the acclaimed Showtime thriller seriesEscape at Dannemoraand the Emmy-winning Apple TV+ science fiction dramaSeverance.
Zoolander 2
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3‘Exorcist II: The Heretic’ (1977)
Directed by John Boorman
Exorcist II: The Hereticwas such a colossal misfire thatthe originalThe ExorcistdirectorWilliam Friedkinessentially disowned itbecause he felt that it was a significant insult to the work that he had done on the original film. It’s easy to see why Friedkin was so offended; there are a lot of things going on inExorcist II: The Heretic, but none of them are even remotely scary.
Exorcist II: Hereticreplaced all the grounded terror of the first filmwith a strange, globe trotting adventure that wasted the talents of bothRichard BurtonandLinda Blair. The film managed to kill the trajectory of the franchise for nearly a decade, as it eventually took the originalThe ExorcistnovelistWilliam Peter Blattyto write and direct the third filmExorcist IIIin order to redeem the series.
Exorcist II: The Heretic
2‘Weekend at Bernie’s II’ (1993)
Directed by Robert Klane
Weekend at Bernie’s IImay besomewhat enjoyable as a guilty pleasure, but there haven’t been very many comedy sequels that have stretched an original premise so thinly. Although the first film certainly had some element of shock humor that hasn’t held up as well today, it did giveAndrew McCarthythe opportunity to show the star power that had made him one of the biggest breakout stars of the “Brat Pack” generation.
Weekend at Bernie’s IIsimply makes no sense, and feels much more mean-spirited than it had needed to be. Considering that the 1990s saw the rise of new comedic stars likeJim CarreyandAdam Sandler, who seemed to be pushing the genre forward in an exciting new direction, the antiquated mannerisms and “frat boy humor” ofWeekend at Bernie’s IIfelt even more antiquated in comparison.
Weekend at Bernie’s II
Larry and Richard use a voodoo-revived corpse to track down hidden money to clear their names.
1‘Blues Brothers 2000’ (1998)
Directed by John Landis
Blues Brothers 2000was always going to be a bad idea, as part of the magic of the first film was the amazing chemistry between Dan Aykroyd andJohn Belushi. Following Belushi’s death, it seemed unlikely that directorJohn Landiswould ever attempt to move forward with a followup that united the original characters.
Although he is certainly one of the best actors of his generation,John Goodman was not a good replacement for Belushi, as the consistency of characterization made it difficult to invest in what the sequel was going for. Despite an impressive soundtrack,Blues Brothers 2000jumped the shark so thoroughly that it felt like an insult to fans of the first film, and effectively put an end to Landis’ run as a relatively successful comedy director.Blues Brothersmay have been more celebrated today if it wasn’t for the colossally disappointing sequel.
