Marvel fans scream when they get another movie centered around their favorite superhero. Likewise, the Star Wars universe continues to expand to the far reaches of the galaxy with each new film. Even Avatar fans had to patiently wait 13 years to return to Pandora with Jake and Neytiri to even get a second movie. Films ranging from The Hangover to Pitch Perfect to Trainspotting have all gotten sequels. However, many other films probably shouldn’t get the same sequel treatment.
Update September 29, 2023: This article has been updated with even more films that should not get sequels and details on a few movies that are actually getting sequels.
Whether a movie is good or bad, a sequel happens — or is at least considered — if it is a box office success. Some movies are classics in their own right, and no filmmaker should ever consider making a sequel. Yet, fans of these beloved classics are screaming for a sequel to be made. Sometimes, a movie should be left alone and not revisited to stand on it's own. These are movies that don't need a sequel, despite what some audiences may want.
12 Forrest Gump (1994)
Forrest Gump is a magical film that only happens once in each generation. It's a feel-good story filled with magical realism, where a mentally challenged man goes through life having the most unique existence you could think of while being utterly unaware of his role in life. The work by Robert Zemeckis, Eric Roth, and Tom Hanks cannot be replicated despite the multiple rumblings over the years, with people expecting a new entry of this story. This movie is best left alone as it is since it's conceived as a testament to its era.
11 The Goonies (1985)
Please allow us to say in the open what the majority thinks regarding a sequel to The Goonies: there's no Goonies without Richard Donner. Most of the cast of the original is indeed alive and thriving. It also sounds great to have the sons of the original cast having a similar adventure. Still, we don't see it happening unless executive producer Steven Spielberg himself steps in to direct it, and the director seems to be more focused on other projects these days. Sadly, studios are hell-bent on profiting by cannibalizing the franchises he has created.
10 Good Will Hunting (1997)
At least once every five years, the rumor mill in Hollywood wants another chapter of Good Will Hunting to take off. The great news is that we really don't see it happening unless Matt Damon and Ben Affleck go broke, something that is not happening anytime soon. Many people seem eager to see what Will has been up to since he went to California to get together with Skylar and build back his friendship with Chuckie.
We ask: do we need to? Given the current trend of most Hollywood productions of making legacy characters miserable in their old age, we are not so sure we want this. The best version of a sequel was already parodied in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
9 Up (2009)
Many films are conceived perfectly from the script's first page to the final closing shot. Pixar's Up is one of those masterpieces. The story of Carl Fredricksen and how he finds the love of his life is filled with heartfelt moments and explores the value of finding the will to go on despite the never-ending passing of time. It's also a movie full of wacky elements to make it entertaining and leave you laughing for a long time. With that said, we stand by the film as it is.
Carl achieved what his wife asked of him before passing away, so the story is done. The best audiences could hope for was the short film Carl's Date, which seemed to be a proper conclusion. In addition, Ed Asner already passed away, and that would be like changing the voice cast of Toy Story: inconceivable.
8 León The Professional (1994)
Now, this is a sequel that got really close to happening; the good news is that money got in the way, and the story was left alone and untouched (which doesn't prevent Hollywood from running the original by doing a remake). León The Professional is the movie that made Jean Reno an international superstar and launched the career of Natalie Portman. Luc Besson went as far as writing a new treatment for Portman after she gained more notoriety thanks to the Star Wars prequels. Sadly, the actress wanted way too much money to reprise the role, so Besson retooled the film to turn it into the film Colombiana, starring Zeo Zaldaña.
7 The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Shawshank Redemption wasn't the biggest hit when it was released in 1994, but since its release, it has become one of the most popular movies of all time. Some fans want a sequel showing Andy and Red being thrown back into prison for smuggling drugs back over the border. However, due to the movie's legacy and status, filmmakers should leave the film where it is today. There's no need for a remake or a sequel since the movie is a classic.
6 Django Unchained (2012)
Audiences would agree that Django Unchained doesn't need a sequel. Quentin Tarantino isn't a filmmaker who usually makes sequels, which isn't to say that it couldn't happen. Tarantino actually had an idea in mind if he was given the green light to make the movie. Django and Zorro is a comic book that follows the movie and sees the freed slave join together with the masked vigilante. Tarantino was actually working with comedian Jerrod Carmichael to develop the screenplay. While the idea was a fun novelty, with Quentin Tarantino set to retire after his upcoming tenth film this is not a movie we would want without him.
5 Joker (2019)
A second Joker movie isn't something that audiences are technically against, but they are concerned that there's a bigger chance the filmmakers will just screw it up. A sequel is, in fact, in the works, titled Joker: Folie à Deux. The movie will see Joaquin Phoenix reprise his role as Arthur Fleck, and Lady Gaga will step into the role of Harley Quinn. The movie is said to be a musical. This is a film that is moving full steam ahead, and while it sounds interesting, it also seems to go against the creative ethos of the original film as being a stand-alone movie that is now being franchised. One can't help but feel that a sequel sort of feels like a sell out.
4 Inception (2010)
Inception was a mind-blowing sci-fi action movie that has fans wanting more. Some fans thought there was a possibility that Tenet was a sequel to Inception, and Robert Pattinson was actually Leonardo DiCaprio's son from the first film. The reason why fans thought it was a sequel was because the trailers contained time-bending and sci-fi concepts and not much else.
Christopher Nolan is typically known to give subvert expectations and surprise audiences while delivering shocking twists. However, Nolan only ever produces original movies, aside from his Dark Knight trilogy, so creating a sequel would be a waste of his talent and time.
3 Beetlejuice (1988)
The most unique comedy with an original premise describes Beetlejuice perfectly. Fans didn't think they would ever see this character return, even 34 years later. This classic film comes from the mind of Tim Burton and was released back in 1988. Over the years, there have been plenty of rumors that a sequel movie was going to be made, but nothing ever stuck.
Yet a sequel is in the works already. Tim Burton is returning to direct, and Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder are reprising their roles from the first film. Jenna Ortega will join the cast. Beetlejuice 2 just seems like an idea that sounds better on paper.
2 Barbie (2023)
Barbie is the biggest movie of 2023. It has shattered box office records and is now the highest-grossing movie in Warner Bros. history. With all the money and critical acclaim, a sequel is an inevitability. Yet the question is, should they make a sequel? Barbie was such a unique story, one that only really works for one type of story. The movie concluded with a solid ending.
Trying to replicate that formula seems like it is asking for disaster. Making another meta movie can't help but feel like redoing the same joke, but they can't really do a straightforward sequel as that would go against the tone that audiences loved about the original. Barbie's story is over, and this does not seem like the material for a long-running franchise. This is a case of one blockbuster film being enough.
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial is a classic and cherished family flick. A sequel would discredit the integrity of the film and how audience members responded to the first one. A second movie could have earned the studio hundreds, if not millions of dollars. Spielberg fought against the studio about producing a sequel, saying that he didn't want to ruin the original story's purity. Spielberg essentially turned down millions of dollars to protect a movie from the fate and demise that a sequel could do to a movie's reputation.
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