The 7 movie sequels that should never have been made-Rebecca Sayce-Entertainment – Metro

These sequels didn’t quite live up to the original films (Pictures: Shutterstock)

The success of a film does not guarantee a sequel will bring in the big bucks – just ask the crew behind Joker: 2.

Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, Joker: Folie á Deux got off to a terrible start as fans and critics alike dubbed it the ‘worst film of 2024’ while it had a meagre opening weekend.

Meanwhile, Terrifier 3 has received rave reviews as it hits cinemas this weekend, following in the footsteps of the eagerly-anticipated Beetlejuice Beetlejuice last month.

Not every sequel can be The Godfather Part II, Mad Max: Fury Road, or Star Wars: Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back – some simply fail to connect with audiences and garner the success of the original.

Here, we round up 7 of the worst sequels of all time that flopped at the box office and were derided by audiences.

Grease 2

Following the roaring success of romantic musical Grease, starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, a standalone sequel was released in 1982.

The second film returns to Rydell High and tells the story of Stephanie Zinone (Michelle Pfeiffer), the leader of Rydell High School’s Pink Ladies, and top T-Bird Johnny Nogerelli (Adrian Zmed) as they break up, with Johnny trying to win her back.

Rather than being the one that fans wanted, Grease 2 was slammed by critics and fans alike, garnering a Stinkers Bad Movie Awards nomination for Worst Picture.

If you still want to, where to stream: NOW TV, Prime Video, and Paramount Plus

Space Jam: A New Legacy

Space Jam was a smash hit when it was released in 1996, and filmmakers were obviously hoping success would strike twice when a sequel followed in 2021.

Starring LeBron James as himself, the film follows the basketball player and his son Dom (Cedric Joe) who get trapped in digital space by a rogue AI, forcing them to team up with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the rest of the Looney Tunes gang for a high-stakes basketball game.

Space Jam: A New Legacy not only flopped at the box office, but it won a hat trick of accolades at the Golden Raspberry Awards, aka the Razzies, for worst actor (LeBron James), worst screen couple and worst remake, rip-off or sequel.

If you still want to, where to stream: NOW TV, Prime Video, Paramount Plus

Exorcist II: The Heretic

The Exorcist has gone down in history as one of the most terrifying horror films of all time – but its sequel became known for something much different.

Exorcist II: The Heretic, released in 1977, takes place following the events of The Exorcist in which Father Lamont (Richard Burton) investigates the death of Father Merrin, visiting Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) for answers while she is under the psychiatric care of Dr Tuskin (Louise Fletcher).

Exorcist II is widely considered one of the worst horror sequels of all time, and indeed one of the worst film sequels ever made, with The Exorcist director William Friedkin once scathingly saying: ‘I did see a great deal of Exorcist II. I sat through maybe 40 minutes of it. It’s the worst piece of s**t I’ve ever seen. It’s a f*****g disgrace. That’s the worst forty minutes of film I have ever seen, and that’s saying a lot.’

If you still want to, where to stream: Available to rent on Apple TV, Prime Video, and the Sky Store

Staying Alive

While John Travolta stunned audiences in Saturday Night Fever, the same can’t be said for its 1983 sequel Staying Alive.

Travolta returns to the role of Tony Manero in this Sylvester Stallone-directed flick which sees Tony working as a dance teacher six years after the first film, but his life turns upside down when he is shot and falls back into old habits.

Far from having cinemagoers hitting the dancefloor, Staying Alice was dubbed the ‘Worst Sequel Ever’ by Entertainment Weekly in 2006, but it was also listed in The Official Razzie Movie Guide, as one of the 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made…So that’s something.

If you still want to, where to stream: Available to rent on Apple TV, Prime Video, and the Sky Store

Son Of The Mask

One of comedy icon Jim Carrey’s finest roles is in the 1994 hit The Mask, but Son Of The Mask didn’t tickle our funny bones in the same way.

Starring Jamie Kennedy, Alan Cumming, and Mary Mouser, the 2005 film follows Tim Avery (Kennedy), an aspiring animator whose child is born with the powers of the Mask.

It was deemed a box office flop and a critical failure upon its release, inspiring Kennedy to co-create the documentary Heckler which examines film critics and hecklers at comedy shows – a film which also received mixed reviews.

If you still want to, where to stream: Prime Video

Speed 2: Cruise Control

With an all-star cast featuring Sandra Bullock, Jason Patric, and Willem Dafoe, Speed 2: Cruise Control had all the ingredients to be a great movie.

Following the events of the Oscar-winning original film, Speed 2 sees Bullock reprise her role as Annie whose romantic Caribbean cruise turns dangerous when an explosion disables the ship’s communication system.

It is often cited as one of the worst sequels and action films ever made, widely panned due to Keanu Reeves not returning to the film as well as its change in direction.

If you still want to, where to stream: Disney Plus

Jaws: The Revenge

Jaws 2 was not as well-received as the ground-breaking original shark film – but the third movie in the franchise was absolutely panned.

Jaws: The Revenge, released in 1987, saw Lorraine Gray reprise her role as the now-widowed Ellen Brody who is convinced a great white shark is actively hunting members of her family following the death of her youngest son.

It was the lowest-grossing Jaws film and Michael Caine, who played Hoagie Newcombe, absolutely savaged it: ‘I have never seen it [the film], but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific!’

If you still want to, where to stream: Available to rent on Apple TV, Prime Video, and the Sky Store

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