Hollywood studios often greenlight sequels and franchises, but some movies that want a sequel never get one. A delayed sequel can happen if a creative team takes time to reunite, usually after a well-performing or well-liked film. When a movie intentionally sets up a sequel that never happens, it can be embarrassing. This often occurs when producers overestimate a film's popularity, or a filmmaker becomes too busy with new projects after a successful first film. Here are specific ending scenes that set up hype for follow-up movies that never got made.
About this list
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District 9.This sci-fi film shows alien refugees confined to an internment camp in South Africa called District 9. This name references the District Six area of Cape Town during Apartheid. The film ends when the aliens move to District 10, which was also a planned sequel name. Lead character Christopher (Jason Cope) escapes in an alien mothership, promising to return in three years with reinforcements to help Wikus (Sharlto Copley) and the others left behind.
Unlike many other films with dropped sequel plans,District 9.District 9 succeeded greatly. It earned over seven times its budget at the box office. Critics also praised it. The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. Director Neill Blomkamp wanted to make other films. As of 2023, Blomkamp said he had other projects.Blomkamp likely will make it.He is not sure when, and it is not his current focus.
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The 2017 filmPower RangersThis was a reboot of the originalMighty Morphin Power RangersIt introduced a new version of the heroes and their enemy, Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks). All original rangers appeared. Fan favorite Tommy Oliver, the Green Ranger, received only a hint.
At the film's end, all the Rangers return to school. Their teacher calls on Tommy. Though he is not there yet, fans see his green jacket before the credits. This hints he will arrive in the next movie. The film had five sequels planned, but all were cancelled.cancelledThe movie underperformed at the box office. Fans will never know what happened to Tommy or who played that role.
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Throughout theAustin PowersScott Evil (Seth Green) consistently disappoints his father, Dr. Evil (Mike Myers), by not being evil enough. Finally, in the third film, 2002'sGoldmemberScott finally becomes evil, just as his father makes a heroic face turn. Scott angrily declares he will get revenge and leaves.
The film ends with Scott adopting his father's bald look and promising revenge on Austin. No sequel has been made in 21 years sinceGoldmemberThis is one of the few entries on the list where hope is still alive..As recently as 2022, Mike Myers expressed interestin making a fourthAustin PowersAustin Powersso audiences might see Scott's revenge happen.
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The 1980 filmFlash GordonThis film follows the famous pulp hero, a football star from Earth, who must save the world from Emperor Ming. In the final fight, Ming uses a power ring against Flash. The ring malfunctions; Ming points it at himself and is vaporized by it. Ming seems defeated forever, but the film ends with an unseen person picking up his ring while Ming laughs off-screen.
Who picked up the ring or what this final scene means stays a mystery for a sequel.Flash GordonThe series never got made. Still, talks as recent as 2022 suggest this.Lead actor Sam J. Jones might return for a sequel.Time will show if they make it decades later or if it stays a Hollywood rumor.
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2011'sGreen LanternGreen Lantern brings Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) to the front. He finds a power ring that lets him become the main hero. The mid-credits scene clearly sets up sequels if you expected them from a comic book movie. Sinestro (Mark Strong), Hal's tough mentor, trains him with the new powers. Sinestro puts on a yellow power ring from earlier. His costume switches to the villain costume from the comics.
This scene likely introduced the villainous Sinestro Corps and more deep lore from the.Green LanternThe film failed commercially and critically. No sequels followed. Fans will never know what this series would have added to the DC universe.
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EragonEragon adapts the book. The book starts a series by Christopher Paolini. Young Eragon (Ed Speelers) learns to train dragons and fight King Galbatorix's evil rule (John Malkovich). Fans expected the whole series to be made. The film ended by showing Galbatorix reveal his own dragon, Shruikan.
AlthoughEragonEragon earned a small profit. Fox felt the planned sequels were too risky given the bad reviews. The series was canceled. Fans never saw Shruikan act, nor any other highlights from the rest of the Inheritance Cycle.rest of the Inheritance Cycle.
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The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th DimensionThis film shows genius Buckaroo Banzai (Peter Weller) saving the world from aliens he found traveling between dimensions. It gained a cult following and got adapted elsewhere, but it bombed when it first released.
The original script mentioned the World Crime League. The film ended by saying Buckaroo Banzai would fight them again, but the financial failure stopped the movie. Only a title card promised a sequel before the end credits. Despite John Lithgow, Jeff Goldblum, and Christopher Lloyd, the movie did not achieve the success needed for another.
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The 2003 naval epicMaster and Commander: The Far Side of the WorldMaster and Commander: The Far Side of the World follows the crew of the HMSSurpriseled by Captain Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe) The film attempts to take out a French privateering ship called the Acheron.Acheron is on the list of final scenes that set up movie sequels we never saw.. After several fights and a long chase, the Acheron is eventually captured.Acheron is on the list of final scenes that set up movie sequels we never saw.The Acheron is eventually captured.
The film ends with the realization that the French ship's captain escaped by pretending to be the doctor. A new chase starts for the Acheron to get the captain back.Acheron is on the list of final scenes that set up movie sequels we never saw.Director Peter Weir said the film did not make enough money for a sequel. This means the results of the second chase remain a mystery to viewers.Director Peter Weir said the film did not make enough money for a sequel.Director Peter Weir said the film did not make enough money for a sequel, so the results of the second chase will remain a mystery to viewers. However, a prequel was announced in 2021, so the series will continue differently.A prequel was announced in 2021, so the series will continue in a different fashion.A prequel was announced in 2021, so the series will continue in a different fashion.
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Red Sparrow is on the list of final scenes that set up movie sequels we never saw.Red Sparrow is a spy movie based on Jason Matthews' novel. Dominika (Jennifer Lawrence), a former ballerina, trains to become a Sparrow, a spy specializing in 'sexpionage.' Her mission changes when CIA officer Nate Nash (Joel Edgerton) discovers her identity and tries to get her to become a double agent and defect to the US. After a thrilling plot, Dominika returns to Russia with her mother after receiving a call likely from Nash, possibly calling her for another mission.
Francis Lawrence, the film's director, said he would allow a sequel based on another book in the series. Casting Jennifer Lawrence as the lead suggested an attempt to launch a thriller franchise. Official plans for a follow-up seem absent, possibly because the film received poor reviews.
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1994's Maverick is on the list of final scenes that set up movie sequels we never saw.Maverick is on the list of final scenes that set up movie sequels we never saw.Maverick is a Western based on the classic TV show of the same name. Several con artists and criminals try to win a $500,000 poker tournament. Foul play and cheating happen among the con artists.
At the film's end, protagonist Maverick (Mel Gibson) and his father Cooper (James Garner) celebrate winning the prize money. A fellow player and con artist Annabelle Bransford (Jodie Foster) shows up to steal it. After she leaves, Maverick reveals he hid half the earnings. He says stealing the $250,000 Bransford took back from her will be fun. It is unclear if this aimed to market another movie or pointed to the film's TV series basis. No sequel ever came out.
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Guy Ritchie's RocknRolla is on the list of final scenes that set up movie sequels we never saw.RocknRolla is on the list of final scenes that set up movie sequels we never saw.RocknRolla is a crime film featuring an ensemble cast and many fun characters. Johnny Quid (Toby Kebbell), a musician struggling with drug addiction, fakes his death hoping to boost music sales. At the film's end, Johnny leaves rehab and declares he will become a “real RocknRolla.” A title card in the end credits promised that “Johnny, Archy and the Wild Bunch will be back in”.This is the real RocknRolla."
Writer and director Guy Ritchie originally planned...RocknRollaRitchie's schedule filled up with big projects like Sherlock Holmes. This made making RocknRolla difficult.Sherlock HolmesThe director last mentioned a sequel publicly in 2011.2011Ritchie still expressed interest, but the sequel has not happened yet.
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The 2013 fantasy filmJack the Giant SlayerThis film is a large-scale take on the fairy taleJack and the BeanstalkAfter traveling to the giants' world via the giant beanstalk, Lord Roderick (Stanley Tucci), one of the king's men, holds a crown that controls the giants. A knight named Elmont (Ewan McGregor) eventually defeats Roderick. Jack (Nicholas Hoult) then uses the crown to send the giants back to their world for a happy ending.
At the film's end, audiences see time pass as Jack's story becomes the classic fairy tale, and the giant controlling crown changes into St. Edward's Crown. The film ends with a tease that a descendant of Lord Roderick plans to take the crown and control the giants again. It is unclear if this was a sequel tease, but the movie did not earn enough money for a follow-up.
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The 1993 live-action film version of Super Mario Bros. was one example of why video game adaptations should be avoided for a long time.Super Mario Bros.Replacing the lush mushroom kingdom with a grungy industrial setting and making Bowser a guy with spiky hair made the film nearly unrecognizable as a Mario game adaptation.guy with spiky hairBetween the visual changes, the film looked very different from the Mario games.
Due to negative reactions and lost money, it was not surprising that Super Mario Bros. did not get a sequel, making the film's ending tease even more embarrassing.Super Mario Bros. didn't get a sequel, making the final tease more embarrassing. The movie ends with Daisy asking Mario and Luigi to help her on another adventure while brandishing a flame thrower. This seemed like an homage to Back to the Future rather than a serious setup.Back to the FutureIf the movie had succeeded, producers would have used this chance to continue the story. The movie still has a cult following, and a follow-up webcomic appeared 20 years later, but there was no film sequel.A follow-up webcomic made 20 years later., but no film sequel.
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The ending ofEncino Mana delightfully bizarre '90s comedy starring Brendan Fraser as a caveman thawed from ice who joins contemporary teen culture. The film wraps up neatly, so a sequel seemed unnecessary. Filmmakers might have known this; the only sequel hint was a joke 'I'll be back' from Pauly Shore's character Stoney after the credits. This references The Terminator.The Terminator.The Terminator's presence after the credits, not in the film itself, acts as a clear tease.
A sequel calledEncino Woman.Encino Woman aired as a TV movie later, but it did not connect to the original film, and Stoney did not return as promised. In 2022, Shore mentioned Disney+ might be interested.Disney+ might be interestedStoney could still return someday, so the filmmakers might want a sequel.
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Baby's Day Out.Baby Bink crawls out alone after criminals try to kidnap him but fall asleep reading a book with the same title. A slapstick comedy follows as the infant evades the crooks' chase across Chicago. The film ends with a clear sequel tease: Baby Bink reads a book calledBaby's Trip to China.Baby's Trip to China mirrors the scene that started the adventure.
Critics panned the film, with Roger Ebert blaming the gags' unpleasant nature for the failure. Many gags showed Baby Bink in serious danger. The film built a cult following, but like many cult films, it failed at the box office.Baby's Trip to China.It never got made.
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Artemis Fowl.Artemis Fowl adapts the YA series by Eoin Colfer. The story follows a young criminal mastermind who finds advanced fairies underground. He captures Holly Short and tries to demand a ransom. Kenneth Branagh directed the 2020 film, which performed poorly. Delays and distribution problems hurt the movie. The film blends the first two books' plots and introduces villain Opal Koboi. Near the end, after Koboi tries to kill Artemis's father, Artemis calls her. He vows to find and defeat her accomplices.
Critics panned the movie. As of May 2023, Disney+ removed it, making it unavailable. Despite Artemis's promise to track his new enemy, this became another franchise that failed to launch.
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The 2010 M.A Night Shyamalan film. The Last Airbender.The Last Airbender adaptsAvatar: The Last AirbenderThe first season showed the film aimed to start a series using the animated show's huge popularity. A scene at the film's end set up the sequel: after Zuko (Dev Patel) failed to catch the avatar Aang (Noah Ringer), his father...Fire Lord Ozai.(Cliff Curtis) calls Azula for help. Fans recognize Azula as Zuko's sister, who becomes a main villain in Season 2 after her first appearance at the end of the first season in a nearly identical scene.
The film failed commercially but received universal hate. Botched story and character details, plus clunky visuals, frustrated fans and prevented Azula from succeeding on screen. Shyamalan discussed a sequel for years before Netflix announced they would make a live-action remake.A live-action remake.Of the TV series instead.
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