Even though Hollywood loves making sequels, there are still plenty of great standalone movies with the potential for much more. Not all movies should have sequels just because they are successful or well-received, but some movies introduce fascinating premises or lovable characters which could easily be explored further with a follow-up movie. Considering some of the sequels which do get made, there are some much more interesting options which haven’t yet been considered.
Making a sequel can be difficult, especially if it’s not possible to assemble the same actors and creative team. These issues prevent many potential sequels from ever coming to fruition. The other major factor which studios consider is the box office potential. A movie with mediocre financial returns is unlikely to get a sequel, even if it’s praised by critics and it grows in popularity over time. Nevertheless, some excellent standalone movies have proven that they deserve a sequel before it’s too late.
15 Interstellar (2014)
Interstellar was a massive box office hit, and so was Christopher Nolan’s latest movie, Oppenheimer. This gives Nolan a lot of freedom to choose which project he might like to take on next, so the potential of a sequel to Interstellar hinges on what exactly he plans to do. Interstellar toys with time dilations and non-linear storytelling, so there’s no telling where a sequel might go. Nolan could choose instead to make a prequel, or a mixture of both.
14 Logan Lucky (2017)
Steven Soderbergh became the king of the heist genre with his Ocean’s trilogy, but while the success of that franchise led to Ocean’s 8 and an upcoming Ocean’s Eleven prequel with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, one of his other great heist movies didn’t achieve the same success. Logan Lucky stars Adam Driver and Channing Tatum as two brothers who team up with Daniel Craig’s volatile explosives expert Joe Bang to rob a motor speedway. The script allows all three actors a chance to exercise their comedy chops, but the heist itself is just as compelling as one might expect from Soderbergh.
13 The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Based on the popular TV show from the 1960s, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. pairs two spies on opposite sides of the Cold War, as they work together to take down an international criminal organization. Guy Ritchie’s punchy action and wry humor work magnificently in the stylish 1960s setting, aided by a cast boasting some serious action credentials. The TV show could provide plenty of inspiration for potential sequels, but the movie adaptation already nailed its retro charms.
12 A Bug’s Life (1998)
Some of Pixar’s highest-grossing movies have been sequels, including Finding Dory and Incredibles 2, so the animation studio could mine for gold with one of their forgotten stories. A Bug’s Life was only the second movie produced by Pixar, after Toy Story in 1995. A sequel to A Bug’s Life could give some great characters a second chance and continue the child-friendly gangster movie parody of the first movie. Alternatively, A Bug’s Life could have all the ingredients of an environmental fable that might resonate with modern audiences.
11 The Social Network (2010)
David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin have both expressed interest in creating a follow-up to their 2010 hit, but a sequel to The Social Network would probably look very different to the original. Facebook, and Mark Zuckerberg, have come under increased scrutiny in the 13 years since the release of The Social Network, and a sequel could potentially lift the lid on some of the company’s high-profile scandals, and its rise to becoming a major player in global politics.
10 The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Wes Anderson doesn’t do sequels, but if he ever decided to expand on any of his movies, The Royal Tenenbaums would be the best option. Some sequels which come decades after the first movie can struggle to recapture the same essence, but The Royal Tenenbaums could actually benefit from such a long gap. This would give Anderson a chance to explore the Tenenbaum children at a different stage in their lives and examine how their unorthodox upbringing might have affected them throughout their adulthood.
9 Game Night (2018)
Game Night is a fun mystery comedy about a group of friends whose plan for a social night of games takes a serious turn for the worse when one of them is kidnapped. It might be difficult to create a sequel for such a unique concept, but the cast work so well together that they deserve another movie. There aren’t many comedy franchises at the moment, but Game Night’s elements of mystery and action could be enough to broaden its appeal for any future movies.
8 Spy (2015)
For as long as there have been spy movies, there have been genre spoofs as well. Austin Powers and Johnny English both developed into series, and Spy, starring Melissa McCarthy, deserves the same treatment. Despite a terrible name, Spy is a hilarious action thriller which tells a compelling story rather than simply mocking James Bond. It’s one of Melissa McCarthy’s funniest movies, and Jason Statham is excellent as a deadpan action hero in a sort of wry self-parody.
7 District 9 (2009)
District 9 presents such a detailed fictional world that it would seem a waste to only explore it in a single movie. The characters are all richly drawn and compelling, whether they come from Earth or elsewhere, and a sequel could either follow their stories or choose a new focus. In either case, director Neil Blomkamp’s apartheid allegory has the potential to expand on its world. A District 9 sequel may be in the works, but details are hard to come by.
6 The Adventures Of Tintin (2011)
Steven Spielberg’s unique blend of motion capture and cartoon visuals created a swashbuckling adventure that seemed lifted straight from Hergé’s beloved graphic novels. The Adventures of Tintin uses every ounce of Spielberg’s mastery of big action set pieces, and it has the same sense of adventure and mystery as the source material. The Tintin series of books provide the framework for dozens of plots that any potential sequel could pick from, including perilous treks through the Himalayas and even a trip to the moon.
5 Atomic Blonde (2017)
David Leitch was an uncredited co-director on John Wick alongside Chad Stahelski, and he carried over the same stylized action sequences to Atomic Blonde, which stars Charlize Theron as an MI6 agent in Berlin just as the wall is about to come down. Atomic Blonde is just as deserving of a sequel as John Wick was, but Leitch has gone on to direct other action thrillers, like Bullet Train and the upcoming Ryan Gosling movie The Fall Guy.
4 The Simpsons Movie (2007)
The Simpsons Movie split audiences and critics when it first premiered. It was always going to be impossible to please such an enormous fan base with a single movie, but the time may be right for a sequel. As The Simpsons prepares for season 36, it has faded from the cultural zeitgeist massively. Another movie could be a great way to reignite interest, or alternatively, provide a fitting end to the show and its dozens of beloved characters.
3 The Northman (2022)
The Northman was one of David Eggers’ finest films so far, but its underwhelming box office return means that a sequel seems unlikely. Had things panned out differently, The Northman could easily have kickstarted an epic saga spanning many movies, drawing on different aspects of Norse literature and mythology. The Viking raid scenes are particularly brutal and exhilarating, but by drawing from The Legend of Amleth, The Northman ensures that its violence is backed up by a gripping narrative.
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2 Upgrade (2018)
Upgrade blends a relevant sci-fi premise with some brilliantly choreographed action scenes. It does a lot with a relatively small budget, but Upgrade deserves a sequel, possibly with some extra funding to really explore the limits of the half-man-half-machine premise. Upgrade envisions the violent next step of artificial intelligence, piloting human bodies via microchip implants. The tight direction in the fight scenes is uniquely immersive in a way most action movies fail to truly capture, and a sequel could allow for even more creative combat.
1 The Nice Guys (2016)
The final scene of The Nice Guys shows that Jackson Healy and Holland March are ready to officially go into business together with their own private detective agency. It’s the perfect set-up for a sequel, but The Nice Guys didn’t perform well enough at the box office to warrant a second movie. There have been persistent rumors of a sequel to The Nice Guys since it started growing in popularity on streaming platforms, but Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling may not get the chance to rekindle their hilarious dynamic.
