Box office success is only one metric for judging a movie's longevity and quality, but it does have a major impact on opinion and conversation surrounding a film. When it comes to cult classics of the 2010s, like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, it's hard to imagine that there was a time when people didn't recognize what a visionary work this was. However, it's very common for movies to underperform in theaters only to become beloved and highly sought-after works in the years after they've been released. 4k433b

Though the sci-fi genre lends itself to franchises and sequels, there are many great movies that never got the follow-up installments they deserved. Many of these films had their sequels planned and were well on their way to pre-production when momentum stalled or external forces got in the way of their development. In some cases, the reason these sequels never saw the light of day was because the original movies underperformed at the box office, making the second installment a risky investment no one wanted to attach their name to.

John Carter of Marsand the Barsoom series are brimming with possibilities for more film adaptations, with countless thrilling moments in the books still remaining gatekeptfrom general movie-going audiences today. The legendary Edgar Rice Burroughs, also known for creating the jungle-dwelling Tarzan, is perhaps best known for the Barsoom series, which described the many adventures of human soldier John Carter and his companions on his vision of Mars. Throughout the 11 John Carter and Barsoom books, many incredible scenes unfold that would look amazing on the big screen.

Tom Cruise has been up for many roles throughout his illustrious career, but one cult science fiction film that he campaigned hard for ended up being a box office disaster, despite deserving so much better. Kicking off his career in the early 80s, Tom Cruise has always been one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, with an impressive filmography to boot. Even then, there have been roles throughout Tom Cruise's career that he lobbied for, or was almost cast in, that never ended up working out.

Disney's 2012John Carter movie was initially supposed to be a movie trilogy, but the sequels never happened — here is everything we know about John Carter 2 and 3's unrealized story plans. With Toy Story's Andrew Stanton at its helm, Disney's John Carter movie adapts Edgar Rice Burroughs' pulpy sci-fi novel, A Princess of Mars. The movie does an incredible job at building a rich, mythology-fueled interstellar world where a brooding cosmic conflict becomes the backdrop of romantic developments and promising CGI-fueled action scenes.

Not all movie franchises are made equal, and although these 10 series didn't make it to their intended endings, they are still worth watching. Movie franchises are frequently too ambitious for one story, with many movies using cliffhangers and unresolved storylines in order to set up future sequels. However, these sequels don't always get made, as poor box office performance or negative critical reception can lead to a franchise's early death. While these 10 movie franchises were left unfinished, there is still a lot to get out of them, meaning that they should still be watched today.

Despite Disney having high expectations John Carterwould be a hugely successful blockbuster, it lost the company so much money Disney fired its studio chief. Loosely based on the novel A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, known for Tarzan and other classic pieces of literature, it starred Taylor Kitsch as war-weary military captain John Carter, who finds himself transported to the Red Planet and falling in love with the heroine at the center of Burroughs' book. Princess Dejah's world is on the brink of collapse, and one human man becomes the deciding factor in an epic conflict between Mars' inhabitants.

The John Carter franchise was cut short, but the released details surrounding the canceled sequels revealed that the franchise could have been great if they happened. Released in 2012, John Carter was an action-adventure based on the novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs, following the titular John Carter, a Civil War veteran, as he found himself on Barsoom or Mars. During his time on Barsoom, the Tharks, nine-foot tall green Martians, found and imprisoned him. Eventually, John met Princess Dejah, and they agreed to work together to find the solution to their obstacles.

Taylor Kitsch, star of John Carter, reflects on the film flopping at the box office and the life it has taken on since its release. John Carter was released in 2012, with WALL-E and Finding Nemo director Andrew Stanton at the helm. The film adapted the classic Edgar Rice Burroughs story A Princess of Mars, with Kitsch starring as the hero John Carter. Kitsch's star was on the rise at the time, having appeared in X-Men Origins: Wolverine opposite Hugh Jackman and starring in Friday Night Lights. Kitsch was john by an impeccable cast, which included Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Bryan Cranston, Thomas Haden Church, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciarán Hinds, and James Purefoy.

The titles and synopses for John Carter sequel movies that would have been (had the original not flopped at the box office) have been revealed. John Carter was released in 2012, and focused on the titular Civil War vet who is accidentally transported to the planet of Barsoom (i.e. Mars), where he soon is imprisoned by one of the 12ft-tall aliens who inhabit the planet. When he escapes, he discovers a princess in need of a savior, and embarks on a sci-fi action adventure. John Carter stars Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Willem Dafoe, Samantha Morton, Bryan Cranston, and Thomas Haden Church. It was directed by acclaimed Pixar writer-director Andrew Stanton (A Bug’s Life, Finding Nemo, WALL-E, Finding Dory).