For many, when there’s a world and characters that they fall in love with, they just want to spend more time in that world. Whether it be re-watching the film several times, or getting to enjoy a new story in a sequel. However, we’ve all heard someone say (and have said ourselves), “The first one was better.” With the first film, there’s likely lots of anxiety on the filmmakers and actors’ side because they don’t know if the idea will “stick” or resonate with viewers. But with that also comes a more authentic experience, a certain magic that is hard to replicate.
When the creatives are unsure of what viewers will connect to, they often lean more into their vision and not try to cater to and please the masses. And as another famous adage states, “When you try to please everyone, you please no one.” While there are plenty of sequels that get it right, offering new plotlines to keep audiences engaged or introducing new characters that are just as exciting, oftentimes others fall flat. Here are 20 sequels that absolutely should never have happened.
20 Another Cinderella Story
Another Cinderella Story could’ve been a decent follow-up to the 2004 rom-com A Cinderella Story, which has developed a strong cult following. The sequel starred Selena Gomez, who was one of Disney’s darlings at the time, as well as Drew Seeley, who voiced the singing voice of Troy Bolton in the original High School Musical series.
The Cinderella Story franchise puts a modern twist on Cinderella. In Another Cinderella Story, our “Cinderella,” Mary, loses her iPod-like device. This film was weirdly paced, with the two leads getting together early on and contrived drama splitting them apart later on. Add to it a lackluster final sequence, villains that were cartoonishly bad (and not in a fun way), and numerous plot inconsistencies, and this series should’ve ended with the first one.
19 After We Collided
The After series is based on the novels by Anna Todd. Unlike many of the films on this list, the original isn’t seen as a particularly “good” movie. Look up reactions and commentary online, and most of what you’ll find are people making fun of the acting and plot, as well as dissecting some of the unhealthy behavior it portrays. However, After We Collided fell even further than the original due to how frustrating it was.
Many romance fans know that sequels often introduce a new rival love interest who in many ways is better than the first love interest. Fans also understand that despite all the drama, the main character will go with the less-than-ideal first choice. After We Collided followed that, but made it insufferable due to how toxic Hardin was, as well as how he and Tess brought out the worst in each other. A constant question throughout the film is: why do these two even like each other? And the film never manages to give a believable answer.
18 The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star
The Princess Switch series might be in the “so bad it’s good” category. As the name suggests, we follow a woman named Stacy who finds out she’s identical to a princess named Margaret, and the two switch places. In the second film, the two do it again, and it’s even more ridiculous, but in a way that’s fun and lighthearted. The third, however, takes this idea and beats it into the ground until it ceases to make sense.
The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star stars Vanessa Hudgens, Vanessa Hudgens, and Vanessa Hudgens, and really tests viewers’ abilities to extend their disbelief. While we can maybe accept that two unrelated women can look alike, now we have a third mysterious doppelganger in the form of an over-the-top villain named Lady Fiona. The entire film feels like a joke that’s gone on way too long.
17 Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde isn’t as bad as the direct-to-DVD spin-off, yet still isn’t much to write home about in its own right. Millions fell in love with Elle Woods in the original Legally Blonde movie and her tenacious spirit, but this may be a case of a movie that didn’t need to happen. The first film ended the characters’ arcs nicely, showing where everyone was headed after graduation and a nice sense of completion.
Now, in the sequel, we watch… the same lessons she learned in the first movie of acceptance, grit, and self-worth. These are lessons people battle throughout their lives, but in a film with the same character can feel repetitive. It also didn’t have nearly as many iconic moments as the first, making it forgettable at best.
16 Return to Halloweentown
Halloweentown and Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge are staple spooky season watches and a love of most Disney fans. In the first film, we follow Marnie (played by Kimberly J. Brown) as she and her siblings discover they are witches and that their grandma Aggie (played by the iconic Debbie Reynolds) lives in a magical place called Halloweentown. The film is fun and smothers you with the best fall and Halloween vibes. The second film is a little darker but still fun, building off a villain from the first movie, and is surprisingly just as good, if not better, than the first.
There’s a third movie in the mix, Halloweentown High, that is just okay, but the final movie Return to Halloweentown commits a cardinal sin: recasting the main character. Sara Paxton played Marnie and not only are the two actresses vastly different appearances distracting, Paxton just didn’t encapsulate Marnie.
15 Daddy Day Camp
Daddy Day Care was the first movie in this series starring Eddie Murphy. It followed him and a few of his “dad friends” as they started up their own daycare. This film had lots of humor, perfect for adults and children, while also flipping gender roles on their heads. Sure, they played into stereotypes that fathers don’t know how to take care of their own children, but also showed the men being competent, nurturing, fun, and attentive caregivers.
The sequel, Daddy Day Camp, has a 1% score on Rotten Tomatoes and is viewed as one of the worst sequels, and films, ever. The main character of Charlie was recast from Murphy to Cuba Gooding Jr. and followed him as he ventured to start a day camp for kids. Simply put, the film just wasn’t funny. While the first film also had some predictable humor, it benefited from Murphy’s impeccable comedic timing and his chemistry with the other dads, both of which the sequel lacked.
14 The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
The Princess Diaries is a book-to-screen adaptation of a novel by Meg Cabot. It helped solidify Anne Hathaway’s career as she portrayed high schooler Mia when she discovers she’s a princess. Coupled with Julie Andrews, the chemistry and charming moments made it a success.
The sequel lost most of the charm with a played-out and cliché plot and romantic leads that don’t captivate on screen. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement introduces a new law to add stakes, something that was never mentioned in the first, and felt flimsy at best. Hathaway and Andrews dazzled as always, and a potential third film could work, but ultimately this one was a dud.
13 The Purge: Anarchy
The Purge is a dystopian horror series that poses the question: what would happen if all crime was legal for 24 hours? The first film was quite contained, showing a family trapped inside their house fighting off potentially murderous strangers and neighbors.
The sequel, The Purge: Anarchy, widens the scope, bringing viewers and the main characters outside as they navigate the danger-laden streets of Los Angeles. While viewers appreciated getting out of a confined space, the characters in this one fell flat and the slow start to the action sucked a lot of tension out of the film. This one could be remedied with a few tweaks.
12 Highlander II: The Quickening
Highlander II: The Quickening is another film that won the wrong kind of titles. Worst film ever made? Highlander II is often awarded that title. Unlike some of the other entries on this list, this epic sci-fi film and world had a lot of directions it could have gone in after the first. And they chose the one that made the least amount of sense.
So many continuity errors and inconsistencies exist in the second film, it’s as though those behind it had never watched the first. Perhaps they didn’t think fans would notice, but they did. The movie bombed at the box office and many fans do pretend Highlander II never happened.
11 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
The Transformers series is criticized a lot for lacking in character development and prioritizing big bangs and loud noises. That’s ever-so-apparent in the second installment, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Even fans of high-impact action movies would agree that this one was just. too. long. The jokes never managed to be creative, always going for the simplest or most obvious. Attempts were made to add some lore and history to the plot, but it felt shallow and tacked on. Shia Labeouf and Megan Fox have great chemistry with one another, but even that can only go so far.
10 Space Jam: A New Legacy
In many ways, Space Jam: A New Legacy was a victim to the diehard nostalgia crowd who didn’t want to see their childhood favorite Space Jam touched in any way. The original didn’t have the best acting, but seeing one of the greatest American athletes, Michael Jordan, on-screen with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck was endearing. The original also suffered from not great acting, but also on the voice-acting side from those who voiced the Looney Tunes.
Filmmakers went wrong with a movie aimed toward children but leaning heavily on cartoons and a previous film that isn’t part of their wheelhouse. The plot, at nearly two hours, couldn’t hold the audience's interest. Unlike its predecessor, A New Legacy will not become a classic basketball film.
9 Grease 2
Michelle Pfeiffer is a decorated, talented actress, so one may think her first starring role was a knockout film that helped put her on the map. On the contrary, Grease 2 is among her most uninspired works, as it falls flat where its predecessor sang. The movie is set in the infamous halls of Ryder High School fans became acquainted with in the first film, but focuses on a new cadre of students.
The acting is fine, the singing is quite good, and most of the actors at least look like they could be high schoolers, which is a change from the original. Where this movie suffers is the lack of catchy songs. Even those who aren’t fans of the original probably recognize the melodies from Summer Nights or Hopelessly Devoted to You. The sequel’s music doesn’t hit the same chord.
8 Jaws: The Revenge
Jaws revolutionized the horror genre with its simple but effective plot. In this conclusion, Ellen Brody believes a shark is back and is seeking revenge against her family in particular. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 0% rating, with the critical consensus citing, “Illogical, tension-free, and filled with cut-rate special effects.”
Despite centering on a character present in the much-loved first two installments, Jaws: The Revenge flopped due to its own rushed production. According to the Los Angeles Times, director and producer Steven Spielberg shot this film in 54 days versus 155 for the original. Sadly, the last installment in the series is a dark spot on this otherwise great franchise.
7 Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is a classic movie with surprising staying power. With only an $18 million budget, the movie grossed over $222 million. It worked because the people felt so real. The parents, the children, even the one-off roles that only got a few lines. It touched on topics like family expectations, work-life balance, and more while remaining fun for the whole family.
The sequel, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid leaned more into the silliness, feeling less believable and not as clever. In the original, viewers understood why it was taking so long to solve the problem, whereas, in the sequel, many are stuck wondering why Wayne Szalinkski didn’t use his invention from the first movie to shrink his son back.
6 Mulan II
Mulan excels in its original form, but fails to captivate in either this animated sequel or the 2020 live-action adaptation. Many people aren’t even aware that a sequel to the original even exists, and to be frank, maybe it shouldn’t. In Mulan II, Mulan and Li Shang are facing differences in how they see their future, and Mushu (originally voiced by Eddie Murphy, but now voiced by Mark Moseley) is incentivized to break them apart.
We get more familiar faces with three of the soldiers, and now they are trying to woo three princesses whom they are escorting across the country. The stakes in this film are watered down compared to the original, the personalities of the characters we grew to love feel extremely different, especially with Li Shang. This is another example on this list of a sequel that wanted to capitalize off the first film’s success, rather than being a necessary story on its own.
5 The Kissing Booth 2
In some ways, The Kissing Booth 2 is a better movie than its predecessor. After the financial success of the first movie, the production quality skyrocketed, adding more special effects, and cool filming techniques. Overall, it’s clear a higher budget went into it. Yet in the ways that matter to viewers, The Kissing Booth 2 showed that a high budget does not always equal a good film.
The sequel overall felt different tonally from the first. You got the sense that the actors and director wanted to dial everything up to make “meme-able” moments rather than it being authentic. In all its ridiculousness, the first film felt like they were having fun while the second felt like they were trying to look like they were having fun. The two new romantic interests meant to cause jealousy in the main couple didn’t have enough tension to justify the two-hour runtime.
4 The Divergent Series: Allegiant
According to some more scathing critics, the entire Divergent series should never have happened. Divergent is a young adult book-to-screen adaptation series trying to cash in on the same mass hysteria that made Twilight and The Hunger Games into global phenomenons. Ultimately, Divergent lacked originality and a dynamic cast to propel it to those levels.
Still, the final installment of the series, Allegiant, highlighted what the series lacked. The ending of the film sparked much outrage from fans who did stick with the film, but more than a controversial ending is to blame for its poor theatrical performance and canceled fourth film. The plot and stakes weren’t interesting enough to warrant a third or fourth movie, and characters changed motivations to fit what was happening, making for an unsatisfying watch.
3 Son of the Mask
The Mask had a fun premise and good writing, but most would agree that Jim Carrey’s performance made the film what it was. Anytime you take away a beloved lead it’s a risk, and with Son of the Mask, it's a risk that didn't pay off.
Similarly to other entries on this list, Son of the Mask lost much of its charm by seemingly targeting a younger audience. It’s more apparent here, as the one with the abilities of The Mask at the start is the main character’s infant. The visual effects and jokes leaned more juvenile, and even actor Jamie Kennedy who has ample comedic experience couldn’t save the movie from itself.
2 Home Sweet Home Alone
Home Alone starring Macaulay Culkin is a quintessential Christmas film. Not only did Culkin have impressive acting chops at such a young age, but the plot was fast-paced, fun, and funny. Everything you need in a great family film. Again, what some filmmakers fail to realize is that simply having the same name as its predecessors isn’t enough to tap into the same magic well that made the original a hit.
Home Sweet Home Alone isn’t the first film in the Home Alone series not to star Culkin. In fact, only the first two do. Home Sweet Home Alone, released in 2021, came nearly 10 years after the previous installment and was quite uninspired with a main character who was unlikable and not fun to follow.
1 Mean Girls 2
Mean Girls baited a potential sequel with the shot of younger Plastics strutting out of school before a near-death encounter with a bus before main character Cady broke the fourth wall and said, “Just kidding.” Over the years, fans appreciated that the original could stand in its glory alone. But, of course, Hollywood couldn’t help itself.
Mean Girls 2 lacks the sharp writing, comedic timing, layered plot, and nuanced characters of the first. It’s just a trite rom-com looking to drag in the nostalgia crowd. Besides the return of Tim Meadows as Principal Duvall, this film feels completely separate from the original. The acting isn’t the greatest, the plot is disjointed, and the characters are one-dimensional. This “sequel” definitely never should have happened.
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