9 Movies That Almost Killed Off Beloved Franchises Forever

It might appear that popular movie franchise giants are invincible, but quite a few of these series could be just one poorly made film away from becoming extinct. Over time, renowned film franchises have come perilously close to being permanently wiped out by a particularly bad film in their history. Even the most financially successful film series have moments when they are vulnerable, and these weaknesses can potentially lead to an enduring failure.

Recently, there’s been a surge in bringing back dormant movie franchises, with “requels” (a blend of reboots and sequels) giving fresh momentum to once-iconic names in the film industry. These brands often stopped producing movies due to a single flop, whether it was panned by critics, failed at the box office, or both. It takes a truly bad movie to halt production on a successful franchise, but some films have surprisingly managed to do so.

9. Batman & Robin

Halted the dynamic duo in their tracks

Among all the Batman movies that have been produced, none have gained as much notoriety as Joel Schumacher’s “Batman & Robin.” The original Batman series was already facing criticism after the release of “Batman Forever,” which was criticized for its exaggerated, cartoonish acting, focus on toy sales, and surreal, dreamlike visuals. Remarkably, “Batman & Robin” took this negativity to a whole new level in every single one of these areas and more.

In this adaptation, the storyline pits the formidable team against villains like Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and Bane, who are all poorly portrayed. The role of Batman was once more passed on, leading to George Clooney’s portrayal as the character, which is often criticized as the most inferior version in film history. This performance was so poorly received that even Clooney publicly apologized for it. It’s no surprise that it took Christopher Nolan many years to convince fans to take Batman seriously again with the movie Batman Begins.

8. Jurassic Park III

A pale imitation of one of Spielberg’s greatest hits

The classic film “Jurassic Park” remains one of the most spellbinding four-quarter box office hits ever imagined, maintaining its status as the highest-grossing movie in history due to apparent factors. Regrettably, the first sequel, “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” hinted at the franchise’s dwindling lifespan. By the time “Jurassic Park III” was released, the franchise had exhausted its source material for adaptation, leading to dismal outcomes when left unguided.

In “The Lost World: Jurassic Park”, Jeff Goldblum reprised his role as Dr. Ian Malcolm. Conversely, “Jurassic Park 3” featured the return of Sam Neill’s Alan Grant, who found himself in trouble alongside affluent patrons on a new dinosaur-populated island, Isla Sorna. This film seemed to split focus between beloved characters, which was combined with some humorous scenes that didn’t align with the tone of the first two films, such as a Barney the Dinosaur appearance and hallucinations involving a man with a velociraptor head. These elements led to a gap of 14 years before another “Jurassic Park” movie was produced.

7. Terminator Salvation

Couldn’t salvage its vision of the future

By the end of the 2000s, it was clear that the third installment of the Terminator series didn’t quite measure up to some of the greatest action films ever produced. However, there was still potential for improvement within the series. Regrettably, the intricate and complex timelines of the Terminator franchise began to unravel due to the controversial film, Terminator Salvation. Noteworthy is that, despite the occurrence of Judgment Day in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Terminator Salvation was the first movie in the series primarily set in the future of the human-robot war.

During Arnold Schwarzenegger’s tenure as California’s governor, his presence in this movie was minimal, significantly reducing the appeal of the series. Instead, Christian Bale’s portrayal of John Connor fell short, lacking the charm that one might expect. Unfortunately, Bale’s performance in this film didn’t live up to the notorious incident on the set of “Terminator Salvation.” Ultimately, the film was underwhelming enough to lead to the sale of the franchise to a new production company, who then initiated a fresh timeline with “Terminator Genysis.

6. Alien: Resurrection

An audacious attempt to take the xenomorphs to Earth

The absence of James Cameron, who had made the Alien series prominent, began to take its toll on the franchise as well. The franchise was already weakened by the release of Alien³, but Alien: Resurrection effectively sealed the series’ fate for a long period. In this installment, a clone of Ripley from 200 years ahead works to prevent a new generation of Xenomorphs from reaching Earth aboard a spaceship before it’s too late.

Despite Sigourney Weaver’s valiant efforts in portraying a peculiar spin-off of her legendary character, an ill-fitting casting choice and a confusing narrative led to some catastrophic outcomes. The title monsters, once terrifying, were diminished in horror due to overexposure, and surprisingly, the filmmakers attempted to evoke empathy for a strange half-human, half-alien creature. This critically panned movie halted the progression of the Alien series beyond the Alien vs Predator crossovers for a good 15 years.

5. Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull

Jumped the shark in the eyes of many fans

For approximately 20 years following the release of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”, which was initially intended to be the final installment of the series, the Indiana Jones franchise lay dormant. However, in 2008, Hollywood breathed new life into this long-sleeping financial giant with “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”. In this film, our hero Indy, along with his former love Marion and his distant son Mutt, find themselves embroiled in a fresh adventure as they seek out the enigmatic Crystal Skull, another ancient artifact rumored to possess extraordinary powers.

In this edition of Indiana Jones, numerous viewers found it overly cartoonish and poorly executed, from the questionable Russian accents to Shia LaBeouf’s portrayal of swinging on vines akin to Tarzan accompanied by a troupe of monkeys. A major source of criticism among fans was the introduction of an extraterrestrial species, which seemed implausible in a series that included magic abilities and eternal knights. Consequently, the franchise paused for another 15 years before introducing Indiana Jones and the Crystal of Fate.

4. The Matrix Revolutions

A pitiful conclusion to a beloved trilogy

Many fans today continue to regard The Matrix as one of the best action movies and innovative science fiction tales ever made, offering a unique, thought-provoking, and fashionable twist on the traditional hero’s journey. While its sequel may have lacked some deeper critical acclaim, it still worked well as a simple action film. Regrettably, The Matrix Revolutions proved to be a major letdown for the franchise.

Neo’s tale ends with cryptic biblical references that leave people puzzled about the Wachowski sisters’ world. Both action lovers and deep thinkers were unsatisfied by the confusing ending of The Matrix Revolutions, which almost ended the series. Given the reaction to The Matrix Resurrections, it seems the franchise might have been better if it hadn’t been revived.

3. Planet Of The Apes

One of Tim Burton’s biggest whiffs

A number of people may only know the recent prequel series and the initial movie, but there were actually quite a few Planet of the Apes films produced in between these two. The most notable of these was Tim Burton’s unique 2001 adaptation, which could be considered a reboot since it essentially told the same story as the first film with Mark Wahlberg playing the astronaut character. However, some alterations to the story’s mythology introduced by Burton didn’t go down well with fans who had followed the series from its beginning.

In contrast to the original, the social structure depicted in the 2001 version of “Planet of the Apes” is significantly distinct. The shocking twist at the end pales in comparison to the iconic revelation that it was Earth all along in the initial film. With unsettling ape prosthetics and exaggerated acting, this adaptation stands out as an unusual departure from Tim Burton’s unblemished cinematic history until its premiere. However, the series was later rejuvenated brilliantly by Matt Reeves with “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” a whole decade after this film.

2. Halloween: Resurrection

A lasting hiccup for the uneven series

Yet another disappointing sequel with “Resurrection” in its title, _Halloween: Resurrection_, ranks as one of the poorest entries in the _Halloween_ series, which speaks volumes. Following the series’ significant peak with the soft reboot _Halloween H20: 20 Years Later_, _Halloween: Resurrection_ unfortunately tarnished the momentum. In this installment, Michael Myers makes his return to Haddonfield once more, this time to instill fear in a new group of reckless young adults who are attempting to capitalize on his chilling legacy.

In a daring twist, the film “Halloween: Resurrection” features Michael Myers swiftly eliminating the long-standing character of Laurie Strode before proceeding to kill a fresh batch of victims. The inclusion of Laurie solely for her quick demise at the hands of her murderous sibling early in the movie was disheartening, especially considering the derided concluding scene that even drew criticism from the series’ originator, John Carpenter. Subsequent attempts by Rob Zombie to revive the struggling franchise with a reboot failed, leaving Michael Myers destined for mediocrity until 2018.

1. Rocky V

A low point in the famous sports movie series

The Rocky series was consistently successful with several popular movies until the somber release of Rocky V. This film portrayed Sylvester Stallone’s Italian Stallion character grappling with the repercussions of his career, as he struggled with debilitating head injuries that affected his fighting abilities. Additionally, a strained relationship with his adolescent son, a wish to groom the next contender, and financial difficulties all added to his declining fame.

In a somewhat overzealous attempt, Rocky V overestimated the audience’s readiness to overlook Rocky’s less appealing traits, making him seem slightly unsympathetic. Not only does Rocky emerge as the main antagonist of the movie, but some awkward attempts to update the series and a notable absence of the thrilling boxing matches that defined it, significantly brought down the film’s quality below the high standards set by fans. It’s fortunate that the movie wasn’t Rocky’s final appearance, as Sylvester Stallone reprised his role for Rocky Balboa after an impressive gap of 16 years.

2025-04-25 21:13