With Avatar: The Way of Water finally arriving in theaters this holiday season, well over a decade since the release of the first movie, it’s fair to say that the continuation of the franchise has surprised some fans. Whilst the blockbuster shattered records, it was one of many movies that many assumed had missed its chance at a sequel.
Perhaps that means there’s hope for other movies that never got their follow-up despite being perfect on their own. Reddit had plenty of ideas for which movies that didn’t receive a sequel still deserve to be considered for one.
Megamind (2010)
Dreamworks are known for producing some of the best-animated movies outside of Disney but the animation studio outdid themselves with Megamind, a family comedy about the titular alien supervillain. The character, who was played by Will Ferrell, won the hearts of audiences but while Illumination’s Despicable Me spawned multiple movies, Megamind is still awaiting an upcoming TV series.
Redditor AllTheReservations is one of a ton of fans who are still optimistic about what a Megamind sequel could have looked like, saying that a follow-up would “have been interesting” and wondering if it could have expanded on the short film The Button of Doom in showing Megamind deciding on the kind of superhero he wanted to be.
The A-Team (2010)
Though The A-Team isn’t a movie that’s talked about a lot over a decade since its release, the movie buffs of Reddit haven’t forgotten just how fun its action thrills were. The movie’s underperformance at the box office meant plans for a sequel were quickly scrapped but Redditors like Jtrain10 think this is a shame.
They point to the most important reason why it was a great movie that critics overlooked – that The A-Team is a ton of fun. That’s not all though as they also comment “What a great cast in hindsight as well.” It isn’t too hard to imagine that a sequel would’ve kept the cheesy, over-the-top action going so it’s sad that the franchise didn’t go anywhere from there.
Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
With James Cameron and his Lightstorm Entertainment company, the driving force behind this rare gem, a western manga adaptation that critics and fans like, perhaps it’s unlikely they’ll find the time for a follow-up whilst the Avatar sequels are in production. That might explain why Redditors including user zc_special are already resigned to never seeing an Alita: Battle Angel sequel.
Like many people, they say “I’m bummed that Alita: Battle Angel isn’t getting a sequel” and that “I was surprised how much I enjoyed the film.” The movie achieved the rare feat of appealing to a general audience without disappointing fans of the source material and many feel it should be rewarded for that with at least a second movie.
The Adventures Of Tintin (2011)
With Spielberg at the helm and some of the most well-executed performance capture animation seen in the film, The Adventures of Tintin still maintains a strong fanbase despite the lack of any follow-up. After the first movie was well-received, plans for a sequel were announced but news on it has since dried up causing many fans to assume the worst.
Redditor Pretorian24 was one user particularly sad that it didn’t get a follow-up because of its old-fashioned adventure feel, calling it “the most Indiana Jones since The Last Crusade.” They echoed a sentiment felt by many in saying “I need more adventures!” though it seems to rewatch this movie will have to do for now.
Galaxy Quest (1999)
Whilst Galaxy Quest did a hilarious job parodying science fiction fandoms and tropes in 1999, there’s arguably plenty that it didn’t manage to cover and many would welcome its sharp wit in the current age of sci-fi. Unfortunately, with the passing of Alan Rickman, the ship may have sailed on that idea and Redditors agree that’s a big shame.
One user, Coast_watcher, says that “Galaxy Quest 2 is such a missed opportunity” and received plenty of support from other fans. With great and accurate parodies few and far between in the current age of cinema, its absence feels especially notable though a TV adaptation is reportedly in the works.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)
In the age where superhero franchises are everywhere, there’s one that many feel sadly slipped through the cracks and that’s Guillermo Del Toro’s Hellboy series. The demonic antihero may have been briefly revived for the ill-fated 2019 reboot but a lot of fans believe Ron Perlman’s interpretation is the best screen version so far.
Redditor bluejester12 is one of the few who hasn’t given up on just one more Guillermo Del Toro Hellboy movie, saying “I still want Hellboy 3”. Whilst most might take the more cynical view that there’s just too large a gap since The Golden Army now, one thing everyone agreed is that the series still had the potential left in it.
Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World (2003)
Though this Napoleonic Wars epic starring Russell Crowe was a moderate success at the box office and a huge hit with critics, it wasn’t enough to get them the go-ahead to continue adapting the massive Aubrey–Maturin book series it’s based on. With so much content still left to adapt though, many haven’t given up on Master and Commander.
Redditor BreadSheeren was one of these, commenting that they’d love if they could “adapt more of the books” for the screen. They may be partially getting their wish fulfilled as a prequel movie is reportedly in development but the time when a straightforward follow-up could have been made may have already passed.
Edge Of Tomorrow (2014)
Despite being one of the best science fiction movies of the 2010s and being one of the few movies to use the premise of a time loop to great effect, Edge of Tomorrow felt so complete that there weren’t that many calls for a sequel immediately after its release. Some think this was a mistake, however, especially with Cruise continuing to find box office success.
Redditor gizmo1492 admitted the movie “was fine without a sequel” but, like many now, thinks one still should’ve happened simply because a “sequel would be cool” and the cast is still going strong. Even without the time-loop mechanic, the world of Edge of Tomorrow was so compelling that it could have benefited from another visit.
The Nice Guys (2016)
Buddy comedies are released so frequently that even good ones don’t tend to see many calls for a sequel. The Nice Guys is one big exception because, thanks to its stylish noir and action elements as well as the charm of Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe as the central pair, it genuinely stands out from the crowd.
Critics and fans like Redditor whoisguero-xbox loved the movie too, with the latter commenting that “Gosling and Crowe were perfect” and they “would’ve loved at least one more”, but only a moderate box office taking meant one hasn’t materialized. With Gosling returning to action for The Gray Man earlier this year, it’s yet another reminder of what could have been.
Dredd (2012)
Whilst several titles come up frequently in discussions of movies that should have received direct sequels, one that comes up far more frequently than any other is the cult post-apocalyptic action movie Dredd. Unfortunately, the movie was a box office flop on release and so, despite it becoming a fan favorite in the years since, studios may still be tentative to return to the series.
Redditor RODjij helped explain why it’s grown in people’s estimation since its initial release, commenting that “it’s such a good movie and Karl Urban kills it, along with everyone else.” Though a TV show is in development, Urban’s involvement still hasn’t been confirmed and it may be the nail in the coffin for a series that many agree “deserves another movie.”
