Random Movie Sequels Came Out So Long After Original That No One Cared Anymo (13 items)

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  (#1) Zoolander 2

  • Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson

  Sequel to: Zoolander (2001)

  Year released: 2016

  Gap: 15 years

  Hot off his Meet the Parents success, Ben Stiller directed and starred in Zoolander. The film received mixed reviews, as is the case with many comedies, but favorable critics praised the satire for being a purposely silly film that knew how to have fun with itself. It performed well at the box office, and Stiller's "Blue Steel" pout was a genuine pop culture moment.

  However, Zoolander 2 wasn't able to achieve the same purposely dumb fun, even with a slew of celebrity cameos. The film's failure showed at the box office - it was barely able to make back its budget.
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  (#2) The Rage: Carrie 2

  • Mena Suvari, Zachery Ty Bryan, Rachel Blanchard, Amy Irving, Jason London, Charlotte Ayanna, Emily Bergl, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Dylan Bruno, J. Smith-Cameron, Justin Urich, Robert C. Treveiler

  Sequel to: Carrie (1976)

  Year released: 1999

  Gap: 23 years

  Carrie is a landmark pop culture film, with the image of Carrie covered in pig's blood serving as the grimmest representation of being a high school outsider. Not to mention it was the first Stephen King book adapted into a movie. The film was a box office success and critically acclaimed, even receiving Academy Award nominations for Sissy Spacek's and Piper Laurie's performances.

  Critics and audiences alike widely panned the sequel, The Rage: Carrie 2, which lost money by making just $17.8 million on a budget of $21 million. All in all, it was a bomb. Critics even commented that the film was painful to watch because the entire time, the sequel reminded them what a masterpiece the first film was. The 2013 reboot didn't fare much better than the sequel, either.
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  (#3) Dumb and Dumber To

  • Jim Carrey, Kathleen Turner, Jeff Daniels, Laurie Holden, Rob Riggle, Carly Craig, Rachel Melvin, Steve Tom

  Sequel to: Dumb and Dumber (1994)

  Year released: 2014

  Gap: 20 Years

  The year 1994 belonged to Jim Carrey. He starred in Dumb and Dumber, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and The Mask. So it's safe to say 1994 audiences were responding to Carrey's cartoonish, theatrical brand of comedy. Specifically, critics praised Dumber and Dumber for being a "relentlessly dumb comedy," and it was a huge box office success.

  The 2003 prequel, Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, didn't have the original's stars and involved almost no one who made the first film. The true sequel came in 2014 and didn't fare much better than the prequel. Critics noted the brand of comedy wasn't as refreshing as it had been in 1994, and audiences mostly ignored the film during its time in theaters.
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  (#4) Independence Day - Resurgence

  • Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Jessie Usher, Maika Monroe, Travis Tope, William Fichtner, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Judd Hirsch, Brent Spiner, Sela Ward

  Sequel to: Independence Day (1996)

  Year released: 2016

  Gap: 20 years

  Independence Day was the highest-grossing film of 1996, bringing in a reported $817 million at the box office. It was also the film that cemented Will Smith as a blockbuster powerhouse. It was an odd choice to make a sequel 20 years later without Smith. Both Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman reprised their roles, but it wasn't enough to save a sequel without Smith. The 2016 film made $389 million at the box office. That sounds decent, but the original outearned it even before being adjusted for inflation.
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  (#5) Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

  • Charlie Sheen, Shia LaBeouf, Susan Sarandon, Carey Mulligan, Michael Douglas, Josh Brolin, Oliver Stone, Eli Wallach, Frank Langella, Vanessa Ferlito, Austin Pendleton, Natalie Morales, John Bedford Lloyd, Julianne Michelle, Erin Wyatt

  Sequel to: Wall Street (1987)

  Year released: 2010

  Gap: 23 years

  Wall Street seemed to embody the high-energy, high-stakes mood of New York City's Wall Street in the '80s. While 2013's The Wolf of Wall Street replicated this, too, it would be hard for a film to feel as authentic as 1987's Wall Street. The film had mostly favorable reviews and a good box office showing, but Michael Douglas's performance (which scored him an Academy Award) is the film's most memorable aspect.

  The 2010 sequel received mixed reviews, with many critics deeming it unnecessary. But what proved especially tricky for the sequel was the social climate had dramatically changed. After 2008's Great Recession, Gordon Gekko's "Greed is good" motto didn't have the same ring to it.
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  (#6) The Two Jakes

  • Jack Nicholson, Tom Waits, Madeleine Stowe, Harvey Keitel, Eli Wallach, Meg Tilly, Richard Farnsworth, Rubén Blades, David Keith, Frederic Forrest

  Sequel to: Chinatown (1974)

  Year released: 1990

  Gap: 16 years

  Jack Nicholson directed and starred in a sequel to Chinatown named The Two Jakes - but who has heard of it? Critics regard Chinatown as one of the best neo-noir films and one of the best screenplays ever written. The film won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and received nominations for 10 others.

  Chinatown featured one of Nicholson's most memorable performances, so it's easy to understand why he wanted to reprise the role. But returning to a beloved character creates a chance to taint its legacy. While not panned, the film didn't earn the same critical acclaim, box office success, or awards as the first film.
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  (#7) My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

  • Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Michael Constantine, Andrea Martin, Ian Gomez, Elena Kampouris

  Sequel to: My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

  Year released: 2016

  Gap: 14 years

  My Big Fat Greek Wedding was very much lightning in a bottle. The indie romantic comedy's budget was a manageable $5 million, but it went on to have unimagined success. The film made more than $368 million at the box office and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. While the film was charming, critics remarked that it felt like a sitcom from time to time and the amount of success it achieved made no sense.

  Not surprisingly, the sequel wasn't able to replicate that success, especially since it hit theaters 14 years after the original charmed its audiences. When reviewing the 2016 follow-up, critics were less forgiving of the sitcom-y gags, and it only scored $88 million at the box office.
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  (#8) Psycho II

  • Anthony Perkins, Dennis Franz, Vera Miles, Meg Tilly, Robert Loggia, Tom Holland, Lee Garlington, Virginia Gregg, Oz Perkins, Victoria Brown, Hugh Gillin, George Dickerson, Ben Frommer, Claudia Bryar, Sheila K. Adams, Robert Alan Browne, Ben Hartigan, Thaddeus Smith, Chris Hendrie, Gene Whittington, Bob Hilgenberg, Tim Maier, Jill Carroll, Robert Traynor, Michael Lomazow

  Sequel to: Psycho (1960)

  Year released: 1983

  Gap: 23 years

  While one may have the impulse to dismiss Psycho II as not being a true sequel since Alfred Hitchcock did not direct the film, it did star Anthony Perkins in the role of Norman Bates. Vera Miles also returned as Lila Loomis. So, even without Hitchcock, this is seemingly the sequel to the horror classic. And the original indeed is a classic. Critics praised Psycho for its innovative screenplay and Hitchcock's direction, as well as the terrifying bathroom scene.

  The original film made $50 million at the box office, or about $413 million when adjusted for inflation. It was a success all around. The sequel was not. Critics gave it mixed reviews, and the film made a disappointing $34 million at the box office.
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  (#9) The Strangers: Prey at Night

  • Christina Hendricks, Martin Henderson, Bailee Madison, Lewis Pullman

  Sequel to: The Strangers (2008)

  Year released: 2018

  Gap: 10 years

  Very loosely based on the Manson Family murders, 2008's The Strangers effectively scared the pants off audiences by featuring a group of masked murderers who preferred to torture their victims - a couple at a secluded cabin - through slow-paced scare tactics before finally and quite brutally murdering them. Though the body count was low for a horror film, the game of cat and mouse brought terror and dread to audiences through casting the murderers in shadows and playing a country song on repeat. With a budget of $9 million, the film made more than $82 million at the box office.

  The sequel bucked the quiet, slow-building horror of the first film for an '80s-style slasher movie that made a measly $27 million at the box office and disappointed critics and fans of the original's tact.
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  (#10) The Odd Couple II

  • Jack Lemmon, Christine Baranski, Amy Yasbeck, Walter Matthau, Jean Smart, Jonathan Silverman, Jay O. Sanders, Barnard Hughes, Myles Jeffrey, Rex Linn, Liz Torres, Mary Beth Peil, Ellen Geer, Doris Belack, Lou Cutell, Lisa Waltz

  Sequel to: The Odd Couple (1968)

  Year released: 1998

  Gap: 30 years

  The Odd Couple was a huge critical and box office success, becoming the fourth highest-grossing picture in 1968. The film's success spawned ABC's The Odd Couple, which ran for five seasons. So this was a franchise that worked on the big and small screen at the time. Thirty years later, the franchise did not work.

  In 1998 The Odd Couple II, which broke the standing record for the longest time between an original film and a sequel starring the same cast, came out to reviews stating it was a flat reunion and a weak showing at the box office. With 30 years between, the original and the sequel were in theaters for different generations.
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  (#11) Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

  • Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Jaime King, Powers Boothe, and Bruce Willis. Newcomers to the series include Josh Brolin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Eva Green, Dennis Haysbert, Ray Liotta, Christopher Lloyd, Jamie Chung, Jeremy Piven, Christopher Meloni, Stacy Keach, Lady Gaga, Alexa Vega, Julia Garner, Juno Temple

  Sequel to: Sin City (2005)

  Year released: 2014

  Gap: 9 years

  Sin City was both a critical and commercial success. The film earned praise for its visually groundbreaking way of bringing Frank Miller's graphic novel to the screen. It was also terrifically violent for a comic book movie of the time. The stylish, brutal film paved the way for 2014's Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, which was neither a critical nor commercial success. Critics said the sequel was as visually striking, but it failed to deliver across the board in the same way the first film did. Most damning of all for the franchise was the sequel made $39 million on a reported budget of $65 million.
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  (#12) The Godfather Part III

  • Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Bridget Fonda, Andy Garcia, Eli Wallach, Ron Jeremy, Sofia Coppola, Joe Mantegna, Talia Shire, John Cazale, George Hamilton, Don Novello, Helmut Berger, John Savage, Willie Brown, Al Martino, Carmine Coppola, Michael Bowen, Donal Donnelly, Richard Bright, Raf Vallone, Catherine Scorsese, Rick Aviles, Gia Coppola, Al Ruscio, Gregory Corso, Carmine Caridi, Simonetta Stefanelli, Tony Devon, John Abineri, Franc D'Ambrosio, Franco Citti, Brett Halsey, Robert Cicchini, Jessica DiCicco, Nicky Blair, David Hume Kennerly, Salvatore Billa, Sal Borgese, Anton Coppola, Marino Masé, Vittorio Duse, Emmett Fitzsimmons, Joe Drago, Mickey Knox, Remo Remotti, Anthony Guidera, Enzo Robutti, Vito Antuofermo, Mimmo Cuticchio, Alessandro Ruspoli, 9th Prince of Cerveteri, Jeannie Linero, Paco Reconti, F.X. Vitolo, Valeria Sabel, Michele Russo, Robert Vento, Mario Donatone, Gabriele Torrei, Brian Freilino, Diane Agostini, Frank Tarsia, Tere Livrano, Madelyn Renee, Joe Fontana, Luigi Laezza, Ida Bernardini, Rogerio Miranda, Francesco Paolo Bellante, Michael Boccio, James D. Damiano, Angelo Romero, Beppe Pianviti, Don Costello, Richard Honigman, Janet Savarino Smith, Carlos Miranda, Santo Indelicato, Jeanne Savarino Pesch, Paolo Gavanelli

  Sequel to: The Godfather Part II (1974)

  Year released: 1990

  Gap: 16 years

  People widely consider The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974) two of the best films ever made. Critically acclaimed and box office successes, the films also took home nine Academy Awards between them. But 1990's The Godfather Part III tainted this legacy. Critics gave the film mixed reviews, it performed okay at the box office, and it even racked up seven Academy Award nominations. However, the film has gone on to develop a very poor reputation, likely because audiences will forever compare it to its predecessors.
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  (#13) Tron: Legacy

  • Olivia Wilde, Jeff Bridges, Cillian Murphy, Serinda Swan, Michael Sheen, Garrett Hedlund, Yaya DaCosta, Beau Garrett, James Frain, Christine Adams, Bruce Boxleitner, Donnelly Rhodes, Thomas Bangalter, Jack McGee, Jeffrey Nordling, Edie Mirman, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Belinda Montgomery, Brent Stait, Patrick Sabongui, John Reardon, Ron Selmour, Michael Teigen, Conrad Coates, Mi-Jung Lee, Steven Lisberger, Matt Ward, Dan Joffre, Owen Best, Dean Redman, Catherine Lough Haggquist, Mike Ching, Shaw Madson, Dawn Mander, Elizabeth Mathis, Aaron Toney, Christopher Logan, Kofi Yiadom, Dale Wolfe, Anis Cheurfa, Shafin Karim, Rob Daly, Joanne Wilson, Kate Gajdosik, Kis Yurij, Amy Esterle, Allen Jo, Thomas Bradshaw, Odain Watson, Darren Dolynski, Sheldon Yamkovy, Cody Laudan, Will Erichson, Zoe Fryklund, Michael Logie, Kim Do Nguyen

  Sequel to: Tron (1982)

  Year released: 2010

  Gap: 28 years

  While Tron's story didn't reinvent the wheel, it was a landmark work for computer animation. The long-awaited sequel premiered and suffered from the same problems as the original: amazing visuals, lackluster story. Though the sequel brought in $400 million at the box office, the reported budget was $170 million. While the film earned back its budget, the box office performance was underwhelming.

  Unfortunately, in the 28 years it took to make the sequel, the creators' ability to develop characters or deliver a compelling plot didn't improve. Even if the visuals are phenomenal, audiences generally want some sense of a story.

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