14 Post-Credits Scenes That Teased Movies That Were Never Released

In the past, once a movie finished, audiences would exit the cinema without waiting to watch the credits. However, this began to change in the 1980s as post-credit scenes became popular in films such as “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Back to the Future Part II.” Interestingly, some movies like “History of the World: Part 1” used post-credits scenes for comedic effect, hinting at non-existent sequels.

For decades, showing a scene following the conclusion of a film has been a common practice, particularly mastered by Marvel Studios through their post-credit teasers. However, not every movie that includes a post-credit scene hinting at a sequel succeeds in this endeavor. Despite studios anticipating box office triumph, viewers don’t always adhere to the intended plotline, and the unpredictable nature of the film industry may surface, thwarting aspirations for a continuation. Regrettably, this has occurred within the Marvel Cinematic Universe too, with several post-credit scenes failing to materialize as expected.

Movies from Marvel aren’t unique in building anticipation without following through, as this trend has existed since the late 1980s. Some tentpole films, which executives expected to rule the market, ironically flopped, leading to numerous high-budget movies that should have been hits but included post-credit scenes that didn’t lead anywhere.

Masters of the Universe

From the mid-eighties up until the late eighties, the “He-Man” merchandise range, including comics, cartoons, and a movie, significantly influenced geek culture. In 1987, a live-action film featuring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man hit the screens. This movie features several characters from the franchise, but it primarily takes place on Earth, focusing on two teenagers instead of the usual cosmic adventures.

The film concludes in a predictable fashion: Skeletor (portrayed by Frank Langella) is vanquished when He-Man hurls him into a chasm, seemingly causing his demise. He-Man is then acclaimed as a hero, and the children’s lives are improved due to some intricate time travel maneuvers. The movie ending is typical of 1980s American cinema with its uplifting tone. However, “Masters of the Universe” includes an extremely short post-credit scene that lasts less than 10 seconds.

In a surprising twist at the end of the credits, it’s shown that He-Man didn’t actually kill Skeletor; instead, Skeletor resurfaces from the water and winks at viewers, teasing “I’ll be back!” Unfortunately for supporters of this film adaptation, the movie flopped spectacularly and is generally regarded as a poor attempt. Miraculously, the Masters of the Universe franchise persevered despite this cinematic disaster.

Street Fighter

The “Street Fighter” franchise encompasses some of the most iconic fighting video games ever made. The initial game debuted in 1987, quickly gaining massive popularity, which led to a follow-up, “Street Fighter II,” being released shortly thereafter. This second installment surpassed its predecessor in success, ultimately leading to two films in 1994: the animated film titled “Street Fighter: The Movie” and the live-action adaptation called “Street Fighter.

In ‘Street Fighter’, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raúl Juliá take on the roles of Colonel Guile and General M. Bison respectively. The movie has a fun, somewhat over-the-top feel with moments that are undeniably cheesy. It doesn’t always stick closely to the original content, but this didn’t seem to deter viewers. Despite its deviations from the source material, it was successful enough to warrant a follow-up, hinted at in the closing scene.

The camera moves across rubble and people as a computer’s voice announces a solar battery has been activated. The scene concludes with General Bison delivering a powerful punch from the wreckage, followed by a computer screen showing options for “world domination” as his next objective. This setup certainly hinted at a sequel, yet one was never produced. A sequel was in development in 2003, but the project was ultimately abandoned during production.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

The “Fantastic Four” series has had its ups and downs at the cinema, yet 20th Century Fox struck gold with the 2005 version of “Fantastic Four.” This film led to another installment, “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” released in 2007. In this movie, the Silver Surfer aids Galactus (portrayed mysteriously as a dark cloud) in his journey towards Earth with the intent to devour our planet.

In the movie, The Fantastic Four intervene to prevent the World Devourer from causing destruction. The story ends with the Surfer diving towards Galactus, giving the impression of both Galactus and the Surfer being obliterated. However, after the credits roll, there’s a scene showing the Surfer lying motionless in space – his eyes flicker open briefly before disappearing from sight. Later on, the Surfer’s distinctive surfboard reanimates and zooms towards its master.

In this situation, two projects were initiated: one was a follow-up featuring this version of the Fantastic Four, and the other was a standalone Silver Surfer film. Unfortunately, both were scrapped following the underwhelming box office and critical reception of “Rise of the Silver Surfer.” This leaves us with these films as two regrettably canceled Marvel productions that we’ll never get to experience.

Crank: High Voltage

2006’s “Crank” and its follow-up, 2009’s “Crank: High Voltage,” are two of the most extreme, action-packed films from the 21st century. In both movies, Jason Statham plays the main character, Chev Chelios, who in the first film must maintain his adrenaline levels or face death. The movie concludes with him surviving a fall from a helicopter. The second film presents a similar storyline; however, in this installment, Chelios’ heart has been replaced with an artificial one.

He must subject himself to electric shocks as much as he can, or else his artificial heart will fail. He endures a lot of harm throughout, and the movie concludes with him on fire, giving the middle finger to the camera. During the credits, there are brief scenes showing Chelios being mended, which is followed by a post-credits scene.

It seems Chelios appeared to be dead, but then his eyes suddenly opened on screen as the camera zoomed in, hinting at a possible sequel. However, plans for a 2013 release never fully materialized, and with so much time having passed, it’s now highly improbable that this project will ever be realized.

Green Lantern

2013 marked the debut of the DC Extended Universe through “Man of Steel,” yet this wasn’t originally the intended start. Initially, the DCEU was supposed to begin with 2011’s “Green Lantern,” and a follow-up had already been planned before its release. The movie incorporated as many Green Lantern backstory and characters as feasible, and it subtly connected to the broader DC universe in several ways that could have helped establish its mythology convincingly on screen.

Regrettably, for Ryan Reynolds’ character and devotees of the “Green Lantern” comic books, the movie adaptation didn’t live up to expectations. It leaned excessively on computer-generated imagery – even Reynolds’ costume was heavily CGI – and it crammed numerous tales spanning several decades into a single narrative. The film concludes with Hal Jordan (played by Reynolds) outsmarting Parallax, sending it into the Sun’s gravity, thus destroying it. Following this, Jordan is acclaimed as a hero, marking the introduction of the latest Green Lantern.

However, during the mid-credit sequence, Hal’s guide, Sinestro (Mark Strong), dons a yellow power ring and removes his green one. His attire transforms to match the yellow worn by the Sinestro Corps from the comics, hinting at a potential sequel. Regrettably, “Green Lantern” failed both critically and financially, making it unlikely that any such continuation will occur.

The Amazing Spider-Man

In both “The Amazing Spider-Man” and its follow-up, scenes were filmed after the credits that hinted at upcoming projects that ultimately didn’t come to fruition. The original film concludes with Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) vanquishing Curt Connors, who transforms back into human form and is subsequently imprisoned. However, a post-credits sequence depicts him in custody, but a mysterious figure emerges, inquiring if he’s informed Peter Parker about the truth concerning his father.

In a surprising twist, Connors admits he’s been guarding a secret and advises Peter to stay clear. The mysterious figure reappears in an extra scene after the credits in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” a scene originally cut from the cinematic release and replaced with a sneak peek of “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” This omitted clip features the same enigmatic character strolling past cells within a laboratory, where the cryogenically frozen head of Norman Osborn (portrayed by Chris Cooper) is visible.

“The film ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ didn’t provide answers for several questions raised in the post-credit scene of the first movie, and it marked the end of the ‘ASM’ series. Initially, there were plans for more movies, including one focused on ‘The Sinister Six’. However, due to the mixed reception of both ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ and its sequel, Sony opted to produce standalone villain films instead. Eventually, Spider-Man was integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Terminator Genisys

In 2015, the “Terminator” franchise attempted a fresh start with the reboot “Terminator Genisys,” which served as the beginning of a proposed trilogy. This film presented a new take on the “Terminator” universe by disregarding all previous sequels and TV series, offering a unique perspective.

Regrettably for enthusiasts, “Genisys” was met with poor critical reception despite earning a substantial amount of money. Despite signs that the audience was tired of the franchise, the studio decided to continue the trilogy and included a mid-credits scene. The movie ends dramatically with a large explosion obliterating the Genisys computer, while the mid-credits sequence reveals the wreckage of the facility as the camera sweeps over the debris.

The camera offers a closer look, exposing that the Genisys computer system is still functioning. At the last moment before everything goes dark, you catch a glimpse of it creating a hologram, hinting at a sequel that didn’t progress beyond its initial stages in production. Initially, there were two more sequels planned, but their production was halted due to the lackluster box office earnings of “Genisys” in North America. The latest attempt, “Terminator: Dark Fate,” also struggled financially, suggesting that a new “Terminator” movie might not be produced by Hollywood anytime soon.

Ghostbusters (2016)

For nearly three decades, the “Ghostbusters” series lay dormant, gathering dust in storage. However, the go-ahead was eventually given for a fresh installment which hit theaters in 2016. Much like its predecessors, this movie follows a similar structure; yet instead of four male protagonists, the new Ghostbusters are portrayed by Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones. In terms of overall appearance and tone, the film retains the essence of the classic “Ghostbusters” franchise.

Despite all actors delivering exceptional comedic performances, some viewers expressed disapproval towards the gender-swapped cast in the movie. This dissatisfaction may have negatively impacted the film’s success, as negative word of mouth tarnished “Ghostbusters” due to its female ensemble. Originally intended to kickstart a new phase for the franchise with plans for a sequel hinted at during the closing credits.

At the film’s conclusion, the Ghostbusters engage in a battle against their adversary, eventually emerging victorious and making their way into a recognizable New York City building. In the post-credit sequence, we find the Ghostbusters in their fresh firehouse, inspecting their gear. Patty (Jones) listens to a recording and queries curiously, “Who’s Zuul?” This hints at the original “Ghostbusters” antagonist, although the sequel was never realized due to disappointing box office earnings.

Justice League (2017)

The movie “Justice League” is fascinating due to its unique production process – it has two different director’s versions! In the version released in 2017 (completed by Joss Whedon after Zack Snyder temporarily left), you can find a hint for a sequel that never came out, embedded within the post-credit scene.

The movie sets up a confrontation between the titular team and Steppenwolf, Darkseid’s minion (portrayed by Ciarán Hinds). This battle concludes when the Justice League overpowers him and establishes their headquarters. Following the credits, the scene unfolds with Lex Luthor, played by Jesse Eisenberg, escaping from jail. Subsequently, he meets Deathstroke (Joe Manganiello) on a yacht and enlists him to join a league they are forming together.

It appears this sets the foundation for the Legion of Doom, initially introduced in the 1978 “Challenge of the Superfriends” cartoon series. The “Justice League” movie was a pricey production, with costs exceeding $300 million. Despite earning over $660 million, its high break-even point resulted in a loss of around $60 million for Warner Bros. Unfortunately, this financial shortfall ruled out any sequels, however, Warner Bros. did invest an additional $70 million to allow Zack Snyder to complete his own interpretation.

Transformers: The Last Knight

As a dedicated Transformers fan, I must admit that by the time the fifth movie, “Transformers: The Last Knight,” rolled out in 2017, the franchise’s spark seemed to be fading a bit. Sadly, it didn’t regain its former glory at the box office either. Despite raking in over $605 million worldwide against a production budget of around $217 million, Paramount Pictures ended up taking a financial hit, with additional costs for distribution and marketing pushing them into the red by approximately $100 million.

In keeping with the sequence established in the initial movie from 2007, “The Last Knight” concludes with the Autobots, humans, and Dragonstorm engaged in a battle against Cybertron as it wreaks havoc on the planet. They manage to vanquish the Decepticons, with Bumblebee ultimately slaying Quintessa, thereby preserving Earth and Cybertron. The Transformers then depart from Earth to reconstruct their homeland.

After the closing credits, it’s revealed that Quintessa, who seemingly perished, has taken on human form (as Gemma Chan) and proposes assisting some human researchers in destroying Unicron. This plot point set up a potential sequel, but due to the original film’s underperformance, the franchise was almost discontinued. Instead of moving forward with the sequel, they opted for a prequel titled “Bumblebee,” which hit theaters the following year.

Eternals

The ‘Eternals’ isn’t the most widely watched movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it introduces several characters who could reappear – albeit not necessarily in a follow-up film. However, the movie’s ending does hint at a potential sequel, as Sersi (played by Gemma Chan) is whisked away by Arishem for trial regarding the demise of Tiamut, the Celestial that had been growing inside Earth.

The storyline hints at further installments, as there were two additional scenes during the end credits foreshadowing potential movies. The first scene depicts the Eternals navigating through space, where they encounter their fellow Eternal, Eros (portrayed by Harry Styles), and Pip the Troll (voiced by Patton Oswalt). This scene implies a broader exploration of Marvel’s cosmic realm. However, it was Marvel Studios who ultimately chose to shelve any sequel plans.

In the second extra scene, the setup for two additional movies that might not come to fruition is presented. Here, Dane Whitman, portrayed by Kit Harrington, hesitates before his family’s sword, considering whether he should pick it up and assume the role of the Black Knight. Just as he prepares to seize the sword, a voice off-screen belonging to Blade (Mahershala Ali) queries if Dane is prepared – foreshadowing the previously announced but potentially shelved “Blade” movie.

Black Adam

Initially, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) was beginning to slow down its pace when Dwayne Johnson took on the lead role in “Black Adam.” Johnson exerted significant effort to integrate his movie into the broader DCEU, marketing it as a transformative moment for the franchise. In this film, Adam is portrayed as an anti-hero who initially opposes members of the Justice Society but later assists them in defeating a greater threat and saving the citizens of Kahndaq.

During the mid-movie interlude in “Black Adam,” Amanda Waller (played by Viola Davis) orders Adam to stay in Kahndaq and then dispatches Superman (Henry Cavill) for a private conversation with the newly reformed, yet powerful villain. When the film was released, the future of the DC Extended Universe was uncertain, but Superman’s return as the Man of Steel brought optimism to his followers, alas, it didn’t last.

Black Adam” concludes with a hint of further installments in the DCEU, yet its underperformance at the box office prevented it from making enough money to cover costs. A sequel featuring Black Adam battling Superman or Batman was subsequently scrapped, and the DCEU dwindled with only four more films before being discontinued, giving way to James Gunn’s DC Universe (DCU).

Morbius

Sony’s movies centered around Spider-Man’s adversaries, featuring characters associated with the character, have not been particularly successful with viewers, critics, or at the box office. Despite this, “Morbius” had promising elements, such as a strong cast consisting of Jared Leto, Matt Smith, and Adria Arjona. The film also boasts two mid-credit scenes that are connected.

Initially, an interdimensional gap appears above New York City, whisking Adrian Toomes (played by Michael Keaton) from a detention center within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) into one belonging to Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. Intrigued by his unexpected situation, he wonders if the food might be improved. However, Toomes is soon freed because his presence is perplexing, which sets the stage for the next scene.

In this scenario, Morbius is cruising on an empty highway under the cover of darkness, eventually pulling over near an antiquated billboard. There, he encounters Toomes in his Vulture costume. This encounter hints at a prospective follow-up that could merge characters from both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Sony’s film series. However, due to “Morbius” underperforming dramatically, Sony decided against a sequel and instead opted for “Kraven the Hunter.” All subsequent planned sequels and spinoffs were then shelved.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

In “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” our title characters, along with two companions, venture into the Quantum Realm, encountering and battling Kang the Conqueror, portrayed by Jonathan Majors. This film introduces and connects Kang’s origin to Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), implying her role in his ascent to power. Trapped in the Quantum Realm as a form of punishment by other versions of Kang, she unknowingly assists him in escaping.

The movie ends with a colossal fight between the good forces versus Kang and his horde, but a scene after the credits hints at the Council of Kangs, comprised of different versions of the Conqueror from every dimension. They debate about a figure they call “The Exile,” who is actually the Kang defeated by Ant-Man and company, as they walk into an arena teeming with countless Kangs, all planning vengeance.

Originally, there were no intentions for another “Ant-Man” film; rather, the plotline laid the groundwork for “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” but Marvel Studios decided to scrap the project. Instead, they started shifting their focus towards Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) as a main antagonist, and since Michael Douglas (Kang) was dealing with legal issues, this change in direction conveniently resolved the Kang problem during the second season of “Loki.

2025-06-22 17:32