The 25 Most Unnecessary Movie Sequels EVER (and Where To Find Them)
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25.Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid
1997's Anaconda is a surprisingly fun (and star-studded) creature feature that has lasted the test of time thanks to an utterly bonkers villainous performance from Jon Voight. However, 2004's Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid removes all of the star power and introduces a way-too-complicated plot about a plant that can bestow eternal life, helping to cement the franchise's future with no-budget Syfy Originals.
Where to Watch: Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid is currently streaming on Tubi.
24.Cube 2: Hypercube
1997's Cube was a low-budget sci-fi horror that took an innovative but simple premise and turned it into a late night cable mainstay. Five years later, Cube 2: Hypercube took the franchise into unnecessary sequel territory, attempting to build up the mythology while sanitizing the whole affair for direct-to-TV standards and practices. However, we did get the surprisingly nutty and nihilistic Cube Zero prequel after this, so perhaps this movie died of boredom so the next one could live.
Where to Watch: Cube 2: Hypercube is currently streaming on Tubi, Amazon Prime, and Vudu.
23.Jack Reacher: Never Go Back
There's no denying that Christopher McQuarrie's Jack Reacher was an unexpected blast, with sharp dialogue, hard-hitting violence, and a genuinely compelling mystery driving the film forward. Although the film was a minor hit stateside, international audiences helped bring forth Never Go Back four years later, but with McQuarrie absent, this unnecessary snoozefest lacked the brains and brawn that made the original throwback so much fun.
Where to Watch: Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is currently streaming on SlingTV and Hulu + LiveTV.
22.Caddyshack II
Often maligned among the worst sequels of all time, Caddyshack II trades down in every way, including substituting director Harold Ramis with Roger Corman protege Allan Arkush and the likes of Rodney Dangerfield and Bill Murray for Jackie Mason and Dan Aykroyd. With only Chevy Chase returning from the original film, Caddyshack II is a laughless cash-grab, and judging by the poor box office return, no one was particularly excited to go back to the shack.
Where to Watch: Caddyshack II is currently streaming on HBO Max.
21.Robocop 2
Anyone familiar with the Robocop franchise will be quick to mention that Robocop 3 is the true stinker of the series, but that doesn't change the fact that the second film was entirely unnecessary, borderline cartoonish, and completely missed the point of the satirical, near-perfect action original.
Where to Watch: Robocop 2 is currently available on Video-on-Demand.
20.Staying Alive
Saturday Night Fever was a surprise hit in the late 1970s, capturing the restlessness, finesse, escapism, and hardships of working-class life through a cinematic lens. For the follow-up in 1983, Staying Alive brought Sylvester Stallone to the director's chair and swapped the disco days for Broadway, and its decision to trade soulful drama for more spectacle and dancing has cemented its legacy as a "so-bad-it's-good" benchmark.
Where to Watch: Staying Alive is currently streaming on HBO Max.
19.The Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf
Though The Howling was a fun, seductive werewolf film that essentially played closer to a murder mystery, The Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf goes all out by tying up the loose narrative threads of its predecessor before diving headfirst into a campy, hypersexual monster movie. While no one certainly asked for this version of The Howling II, the film has accrued a loyal cult following over the years due to its unintentional humor and shameless nudity.
Where to Watch: The Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf is currently streaming on Tubi.
18.Speed 2: Cruise Control
Speed may be the odd film out on this list, as the recipe for that film seemed like the most likely for a solid, action-packed sequel. Nevertheless, Speed 2: Cruise Control was not that film, placing the action aboard a cruise ship and thus cranking the set pieces from suspenseful to ludicrous. Add in an utterly lifeless script that even wastes the talents of the usually stellar Willem Dafoe, and Speed 2 was basically dead-on-arrival.
Where to Watch: Speed 2: Cruise Control is currently streaming on HBO Max.
17.Blues Brothers 2000
Nearly 20 years after the comedy classic, Blues Brothers 2000 is a misfire on almost every count, from the replacement of the irreplaceable John Belushi with John Goodman and Joe Morton to the cameo-driven humor that ultimately felt outdated and flat. If there's anything that was to be salvaged from this box office dud, it's that the original soundtrack to Blues Brothers 2000 is pretty dope even so many years later.
Where to Watch: Blues Brothers 2000 is currently streaming on Showtime.
16.Meatballs III: Summer Job
While this list primarily tried to feature direct sequels whose existence is far from justified, Meatballs III: Summer Job needs some recognition for being as absurd as it is unnecessary. The film stars Sally Kellerman as Roxy Dujour, a recently deceased porn star who will only be allowed into heaven if she helps a poor teenager (played by "McDreamy" himself, Patrick Dempsey) lose his virginity. I'm shocked that this sequel exists, but I'm so glad that it does.
Where to Watch: Meatballs III: Summer Job is not available to stream, but is available for purchase on VHS and DVD-on-demand.
15.Space Jam: A New Legacy
Though many Space Jam sequels have almost happened over the years with the likes of Tony Hawk, Jeff Gordon, and Jackie Chan filling in for Michael Jordan, the inevitable follow-up, A New Legacy, ended up bringing in LeBron James on the animated action. Sadly, the charm and unabashed campiness of the first film was replaced by dad jokes, a conflated corporate message, and CGI versions of classic Looney Tunes that stood out as an achievement in curiosity rather than an anticipated sequel to a '90s kids classic.
Where to Watch: Space Jam: A New Legacy is currently streaming on HBO Max.
14.Frank Miller's Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
After the critical and commercial success of 2005's Sin City, it was somewhat expected that Dimension and Miramax would mine Frank Miller's myriad source material for the sequel. What no one expected would that the sequel would arrive nearly a decade later, during which time the original film's heat had cooled off and much of the ingenuity of the first film was diluted elsewhere. With a marked step-down in performances, writing and SFX, A Dame to Kill For is a cinematic fiasco and one of the least essential sequels ever.
Where to Watch: Frank Miller's Sin City: A Dame to Kill For is currently streaming on Starz.
13.Zoolander 2
Though the popularity of the first film and the endless list of celebrity appearances set some pre-release buzz for Zoolander 2, the 15-year gap between the films, the lack of innovative humor, and multiple tired pop culture references all but doomed this comedic sequel.
Where to Watch: Zoolander 2 is currently available on Video-on-Demand.
12.Happy Death Day 2U
Happy Death Day was an innovative, exciting twist on the slasher film formula while cementing longtime Blumhouse scribe Christopher Landon as a filmmaker-to-watch. So Happy Death Day 2U seems like it would be a walk in the park, right? Unfortunately, wrong; the sequel ended up stripping the franchise of most of its horror beats, leaning even further into comedy and science fiction while stressing the more emotional dramatic beats. While the film received a positive reaction from critics, it wasn't exactly what fans of the first film were looking for and underwhelmed at the box office.
Where to Watch: Happy Death Day 2U is currently available on Video-on-Demand.
11.Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
For a brief period in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Rob Schneider was on top of the comedy world, having been launched to super-stardom by the success of Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo. Five years later, Schneider's star fell by the same token with Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, which managed to be just as offensive and stupid as the first movie with none of the charm or humor to be found.
Where to Watch: Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo is currently available on Video-on-Demand.
10.John Carpenter's Escape From L.A.
There's no denying that Escape From New York is a stone-cold classic in the pantheon of '80s science fiction cinema. But after 15 years of anticipation, fans were baffled by Escape from L.A., a film much more flamboyant, colorful and sardonic than the first Escape movie. Though the film still has its defenders, especially among die-hard Carpenter fans, Escape From L.A. effectively ended the further adventures of beloved anti-hero Snake Plissken.
Where to Watch: John Carpenter's Escape From L.A. is currently streaming on Starz.
9.National Lampoon's Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj
Van Wilder was a sleeper hit back in 2002, grossing nearly $40 million worldwide on a budget of $5 million with a growing cult audience on home video. By the time Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj came along, Ryan Reynolds' rising star forced the sequel to shift its focus to Kal Penn's stereotypical sidekick character to disastrous financial and critical returns. Luckily, Penn has found much success in his own right in the years since, despite being the face of this top-tier stinker.
Where to Watch: National Lampoon's Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj is currently available on Video-on-Demand.
8.T2: Trainspotting
While there is a literary precedence for the sequel to Trainspotting, there weren't many people hoping for a follow-up to the stylish yet bleak film about the horror of drugs in Great Britain. Reuniting Danny Boyle and Ewan McGregor after a prolonged estrangement, T2 was a success internationally but barely made an impact in the United States and has largely been forgotten by both mainstream audiences and art film enthusiasts.
Where to Watch: T2: Trainspotting is currently available on Video-on-Demand.
7.Independence Day: Resurgence
An Independence Day sequel...without Will Smith? Outside of the sadly missed star, the intrigue, allure, and element of surprise that helped bolster Independence Day to box office heights was missing from the late stage sequel, regardless of how old and new faces tried to elevate the material.
Where to Watch: Independence Day: Resurgence is currently streaming on SlingTV and Hulu + LiveTV.
6.Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction
Thirteen years after the sleazy, shocking, and suspenseful original film captured the zeitgeist, Basic Instinct 2 went into production without the original director, screenwriter, and male lead in tow. Acting as a vehicle for Sharon Stone to reprise her controversial character after a string of cinematic failures, Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction came and went with a whimper in 2006, and now remains as a sad footnote on the legacy of the legitimately stellar Basic Instinct.
Where to Watch: Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction is currently streaming on HBO Max.
5.Weekend at Bernie's 2
Weekend at Bernie's was a surprise hit for 20th Century Fox, so naturally, a sequel was commissioned with writer Robert Klane at the helm. However, with the titular character still dead, where could the story go? Of course, voodoo and resurrection is the answer, and while some critics praised the absurdity of the comedy, audiences did not, as the sequel brought in less than half of the original's box office gross.
Where to Watch: Weekend at Bernie's 2 is currently available on Video-on-Demand.
4.Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Inspired by the 2008 Wall Street crash as well as the Bernie Madoff scandal, Oliver Stone returned to Wall Street more than 20 years after the original, offering a tempered, more emotionally driven version of Gordon Gekko for a new generation. However, Wall Street was never the most franchise-driven property, and while the film was a modest success upon release, the response from critics and fans was mild, and the lack of the first film's edge has helped cement Money Never Sleeps as a lame duck sequel.
Where to Watch: Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps is currently available on Video-on-Demand.
3.The Whole Ten Yards
2000's The Whole Nine Yards was the perfect example of circumstances coming together just right, as the mobster-next-door comedy had a good mixture of dark comedy, charming performances, and the combined momentum of its star-studded cast. Unfortunately, The Whole Ten Yards feels like a failed experiment in trying to bottle lightning twice, with a hammy script, obnoxious character decisions (Kevin Pollak in old age makeup???), and a true lack of direction that doomed it to obscurity.
Where to Watch: The Whole Ten Yards is currently available on Video-on-Demand.
2.Don’t Breathe 2
Don't Breathe was a huge hit (and deservedly so) for twisting the home invasion horror movie on its head. Yet while Don't Breathe 2 isn't necessarily a bad or even lackluster sequel, the real baffling question among horror fans was the justification of turning the Blind Man into the hero, considering the vile and brutal actions in which his character willingly engages during the previous film.
Where to Watch: Don't Breathe 2 is currently available on Video-on-Demand.
1.The Exorcist II: The Heretic
Often considered to be among the worst and most unnecessary sequels of all time, The Exorcist II: The Heretic was a misfire from which William Peter Blatty and William Friedkin rightfully kept their distance. Oddly enough, The Heretic is among the only Exorcist properties that can be considered a complete failure, as The Exorcist III has become lauded as a cult classic, the dueling prequels remain a fascinating chapter in the franchise's history, and the television series received much acclaim as a fitting end to the franchise...even though there's now a trilogy of new films on the way courtesy of Blumhouse and Halloween Kills director David Gordon Green.
Where to Watch: The Exorcist II: The Heretic is currently streaming on HBO Max.
