Hollywood’s guiding philosophy over the past few decades goes something like this: If it worked once before, it will work again.
Once an idea connects with audiences, studios will run it into the ground with sequels, remakes, reboots, prequels, and legacyquels. Original concepts? Bold ideas? Feh! Give ’em an old hit, a second (or third, or tenth) time. That will work, right?
Not always. Despite what studio executives might believe, sure things are no certainty, and for every bona fide blockbuster sequel there are a a dozen that stopped a franchise in its tracks. Plus, Hollywood has made so many sequels in the last few years, that only the most dedicated film nerd could possibly remember them all.
Let’s see how many you remember. Here is a list of 20 sequels, most released in the 21st century. See how many remain etched in your mind just a few years later, and how many you forgot about, even if (or maybe especially if) you watched them once upon a time. Keep in mind: These are not sequels to obscure foreign titles, or cheapo junk that went direct-to-video. These are marquee movie brands with A-list stars, based on movies that in most cases remain quite popular on home video and streaming. It’s just that sometimes when things work once, they can’t work the same again.
(By the way: We’ve made a list of forgotten movie sequels before. None of the obscure titles on that list repeat here. Hollywood makes a lot of sequels! )
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