In an age where all popular entertainment properties seem targeted as potential franchises via spinoffs, sequels, prequels, reboots, etc., not all films get a followup, even if they deserve one.
We've gathered quite a few examples of films that we at Screen Rant would love to see get another installment, many of them which were profitable and seem designed with sequels in mind. Many of these could one day have a sequel get the studio greenlight.
Keep in mind: This is not a ranking of what deserves a sequel the most since that's impossible to quantify. We simply want to see them all, but we do also want to hear which you're most interested in and if there are others not on this list that deserve sequels as well. Without further ado here are 30 movies that deserve a sequel.
30. District 9
Original Release Date: August 14, 2009
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Cast: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James, Vanessa Haywood, Mandla Gaduka, Kenneth Nkosi, Eugene Khumbanyiwa, Louis Minnaar, William Allen Young
Studios: QED International, WingNut Films, TriStar Pictures
After their Halo film adaptation fell apart, producer Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings) and up-and-coming director Neill Blomkamp decided to instead adapt on of Blomkamp's short films into a gritty, unique sci-fi found footage film. It launched Blomkamp's career (and that of his star actor Sharlto Copley) but the director hasn't delivered a project that's lived up to District 9 - a film that ends with an epic cliffhanger.
Blomkamp may be busy planning Alien 5 but one day we hope he can tell the next chapter of Wikus Van De Merwe's story and potentially visit the homeworld of the alien "prawns."
29. Dredd
Original Release Date: September 21, 2012
Director: Pete Travis
Cast: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Wood Harris, Lena Headey
Studios: DNA Films, IM Global, Reliance Entertainment, Lionsgate
The Screen Rant Staff saw Dredd at a special San Diego Comic-Con premiere screening a few months before it released in theaters, and like the rest of the audience in attendance, were blown away by its ruthless, true-to-the-comic action and visuals. It was so faithful in fact that it was not only rated R but Urban never once took off his helmet as the titular Judge.
Dredd's use of 3D and slow-motion effects for the story's MacGuffin (a dangerous drug aptly called Slo-Mo) was spectacular. This movie was perfect in delivering what it was trying to deliver and it's a crime a followup hasn't been made. Here's producer Adi Shankar's explanation of the business realities behind financing Dredd 2.
28. Eastern Promises
Original Release Date: September 14, 2007
Director: David Cronenberg
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel, Armin Mueller-Stahl
Studios: Focus Features
In early 2009, David Cronenberg said he was moving forward with Eastern Promises 2 but nothing ever came of it. We saw annual updates from the director and cast up until 2013 when - according to Cronenberg - Focus Features CEO James Schamus canned the project much to the chagrin of everyone working on it.
The original was critically acclaimed and won many awards but didn't make big bank at the box office. Its cast and gritty exploration of Russian Mafia in London was incredible though and we hope Focus changes their mind. Cronenberg, Cassel, and Mortensen were all set to return and we hope one day they still do.
27. Ender's Game
Original Release Date: November 1, 2013
Director: Gavin Hood
Cast: Harrison Ford, Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Viola Davis, Abigail Breslin, Ben Kingsley
Studios: Summit Entertainment, Lionsgate Films
Ender's Game adapted the first of five novels in the Ender Saga but even with the help of an A-list ing cast, the box office results barely covered its production budget so there was little hope for a fast-tracked followup. It didn't help that the controversial views of creator and author Orson Scott Card were making headlines, potentially souring interest in the brand.
Still, Asa Butterfield delivered a solid performance and hit the emotional beats when needed, and the story's ending and twist left us anticipating an exciting followup and the launch of a new, ongoing sci-film series. We hope Summit and Lionsgate see value in more Ender stories in the future now that Twilight and The Hunger Games have completed.
26. Eragon
Original Release Date: December 15, 2006
Director: Stefen Fangmeier
Cast: Edward Speleers, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Guillory, Robert Carlyle, Djimon Hounsou, Garrett Hedlund, Joss Stone, Rachel Weisz, John Malkovich
Studios: Davis Entertainment, 20th Century Fox
Director Stefen Fangmeier was quoted saying Fox was "modestly happy with the worldwide box office" of Eragon which earned $250 million and performed well on home video, but the fantasy franchise focused on dragons wasn't to be. Eragron was crushed by critics but something about it stuck with us. It sort of worked despite its flaws, perhaps because of its action and special effects, how it handled dragon lore, and its cast.
Like Ender's Game, it ended on an epic cliffhanger which begged an (improved) followup. With The Hobbit out of the way and Game of Thrones as popular as ever, maybe it's time Fox looks back towards the age of dragons once again.
25. Galaxy Quest
Original Release Date: Decembe 23, 1999
Director: Dean Parisot
Cast: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, Daryl Mitchell, Enrico Colantoni, Justin Long
Studios: DreamWorks Pictures
Loved by critics and moviegoers, Galaxy Quest was a surprise gem, one that successfully riffed on the Star Trek phenomenon, pop culture, and geek fandom. It delivered perfectly on what it was trying to do, bolstered by a stellar cast. It didn't see impressive numbers in theaters though, but that hasn't stopped talk of a sequel over the years.
And now, Paramount is attempting to adapt Galaxy Quest to the small screen but it's unclear if it'll see the return of any of the original cast. We hope it does though because Galaxy Quest deserves to continue.
24. Hancock
Original Release Date: July 1, 2008
Director: Peter Berg
Cast: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Eddie Marsan
Studios: Relativity Media, Columbia Pictures
Before Will Smith signed on as Deadshot for Suicide Squad, he played another questionable superhero, a vigilante who drank hard and didn't care much about (expensive) collateral damage. Eventually he discovers his true calling and destiny, and becomes the hero his city needs - long before DC and Marvel covered the same themes in their cinematic universes.
Hancock made a massive $624 million at the box office even as an original IP and it's a shocker a sequel wasn't quickly developed. According to Berg, Smith himself had an idea for a followup in 2012 and while the director was confident a sequel was going to happen, it still hasn't. If Smith's not too busy playing Deadshot going forward and making a run at more Oscars, we hope he can headline Hancock 2 although it may have a challenge in dealing with an all-powerful, immortal superhero.
23. I Am Legend
Original Release Date: December 14, 2007
Director: Francis Lawrence
Cast: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Dash Mihok, Charlie Tahan, Salli Richardson, Willow Smith
Studios: Village Roadshow Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures
Another highly profitable Will Smith starrer - and one that earned more positive reviews than Hancock - I Am Legend was the subject of talks for a sequel/prequel that could bring back Smith, but it didn't happen. Co-writer/producer Akiva Goldsman revealed in 2014 that they had written both a prequel and a sequel but never got the official studio greenlight.
Clearly, Warner Bros. has other, big franchises currently on tap, but we think they should fit in another I Am Legend. There's an interesting story in there that can compete with World War Z.
22. Inception
Original Release Date: July 16, 2010
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger, Michael Caine
Studios: Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures
Outside of his Batman movies, Christopher Nolan hasn't worked on any prequels/sequels but Inception is one we hope to see him return to. After all, the visionary director spoke quite a bit about developing an Inception video game, but there's been no movement on that front.
Instead, we'd love to see another story embracing the ideas and visual concepts of Inception. The film made an incredible $825,532,764 without even tacking on 3D so its super-lucrative property with easy franchise potential, but we want to see it done right, with Nolan in charge. And the cast is already signed for sequels...
21. Inside Man
Original Release Date: March 24, 2006
Director: Spike Lee
Cast: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Studios: Imagine Entertainment, Universal Pictures
An all-star, Oscar caliber cast working to craft and deal with a bank heist. Perhaps the time has past to capitalize on a direct followup but there were talks of Spike Lee crafting a sequel for Inside Man for a few years before the director said it was dead in 2010. The R-rated hit marked the fourth time Denzel and Spike worked together and made a respectable $184 million at the box office on a mere $45 million budget.
If there are going to be more twisty heist films in the future, we'd like to see this crew back again.
