Some trilogies save the best for last, like Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, and Star Wars. But for every successful third movie, there are many that fall short. Reasons vary - a change in characters, weak storyline, or a blatant cash grab. We've found the worst finales in trilogies and series, from Spider-Man to The Hangover, and more. Is your least favorite on the list?
About this list
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Jaws 3-DMoviesJawsJaws premiered in 1975 and became a cinematic masterpiece. The shark animatronics proved some of the best seen on film. The score also became one of the most iconic ever.
Audiences wondered how a second Jaws movie could happen. JawsThe main antagonist was blown to bits in the first film, so another great white came to terrorize Amity Island's seaside in a Jaws movie.Jaws 2.
The filmmakers moved the third movie to Florida's SeaWorld. There, a baby great white shark and its mother infiltrated the waterpark.
The film failed to woo audiences with the popular 3-D technology. Critics panned it. Yet, watching it now, the special effects look something else.
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Brendan Fraser played Rick O'Connell, the goofy but strong adventurer, in the 1999 movie.The Mummy. Its 2001 sequel is The Mummy.The Mummy ReturnsThe Mummy Returns follows Rick, his wife Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), and their young son. They accidentally reawaken the first film's villain, Imhotep.
The sequel covered some ground from the first film. It kept the same cast of characters, and audiences liked it.
InTomb of the Dragon EmperorHowever, Evelyn, now played by Maria Bello, gets a new actor. Alex, their son, is now 21 and an explorer like his parents. The story shifts from Imhotep to the reawakened Dragon Emperor.
The third film lacked the humor the first two nailed. Audiences disliked that their beloved Evie was recast.
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The Godfather Part IIIMoviesThe GodfatherThe Godfather trilogy seems destined for film history. The first two films, 1972 and 1974, earned high acclaim and many awards. The third film, released in 1990, is simply calledPart III, did not get the same reception.
The GodfatherThe Godfather movies follow the Corleone crime family. Specifically, one of their sons, Michael (Al Pacino), rises to power in the mob.
The series's final film aims to close Michael's story as he nears 60. Michael divorces his wife, Kay (Diane Keaton), and loses contact with his children. In his last days, he seeks to legitimize his empire by making a deal with the Bank of the Vatican.
The deal does not go as planned. Many audiences felt the same about the plot. Critics called the performances weaker than in the first two films, and they found the story flimsy.
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Spider-Man 3MoviesIf you need to know about Spider-Man 3Let it be this: emo Spider-Man.
Peter Parker, the infamous sulking, hair-in-his-face character, appears in this film. This is one reason the film did not meet the same standard as the first two Spider-Man films.Spider-ManFilms released in the early 2000s.
Spider-Man 3This follows Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man. Peter battles the villain Sandman. Peter struggles with relationship issues involving Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst). A tar-like alien substance attaches itself to Peter. This substance causes Peter to slowly turn evil. This creates emo Spider-Man.
Audiences felt the plot jumped around. They were unimpressed with the performances. This caused less-than-stellar reviews for the film.
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The Hangover Part IIIMoviesThe Hangover.The Hangover became a sensation in 2009. Mike Tyson, a tiger in a hotel room, and a missing groom filled the film with potential chaos in Vegas.
Filmmakers quickly announced a sequel after the first film, which came out two years later. The "Wolf Pack" found themselves in Thailand for another bachelor party, losing their memories again after a wild night. The location change gave fans new ways to enjoy the story.
By the third film, producers changed the plot. They brought back characters from previous films to explain a kidnapping. The three remaining members (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis) now search for millions in gold to save their friend.
The third film earned abouthalf as much domestically.The third film earned half as much domestically as the first two. This signaled the story could end.
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Taken 3MoviesFilm fans will always appreciate the first.Taken.The film delivered one of the most iconic “I'm gonna getcha” speeches.
If you seek ransom, I lack money. What I possess are specific skills. These skills came from a long career. They make me a nightmare for people like you.
The film series follows Bryan (Liam Neeson), a former CIA spy who returns from retirement multiple times. The first film sees him save his daughter, kidnapped in France. The second film shows him defeating the father of a kidnapper he killed in the first movie, who seeks revenge.
The third film changes this plot. It focuses instead on framing Bryan for his ex-wife's murder. By this point, Bryan's bad luck seems unrealistic.Bryan's bad luck is getting pretty unrealistic.Audiences grew tired of watching an aging Neeson beat up bad guys.
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The Terminator.The Terminator is a classic in the sci-fi action genre. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays the title character. The 1984 film shocked viewers with its future concepts and dark view of robot technology.
The second film.Terminator 2: Judgment Day.The second film met the first movie's hype, especially with its computer animation.
When the third film arrived,Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.The film 'Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines' was released. However, it lacked Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and the original director, James Cameron, which some critics felt made it less impactful than the previous two.
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What is worse than a bad third film? A third film so bad that plans for a fourth movie get scrapped.
That happened with the DivergentThe series is based on the popular Divergent series.This is a YA book series. The films follow Tris (Shailene Woodley). She lives in a world where people fall into five factions based on personality. Tris discovers she is Divergent, meaning she doesn't fit any group. Over subsequent films, she fights for her spot in society with other Divergents.
Before the third film released, Allegiant The filmmakers announced the third book would split into two movies. Thus, the third film ends on a cliffhanger as Tris nears escape from Chicago walls. The series stops there because the fourth movie never finished.
The third film received harsh reviews. Some critics said splitting the movie into two parts was unnecessary.
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Alien 3MoviesTheAlienThe Alien franchise became one of the most successful sci-fi series in fifty years. It also became one of the first female-driven sci-fi films to dominate the box office.
The films show Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), a space traveler with bad luck who keeps running into terrible aliens.
The first film, released in 1979, got praise for its suspenseful plot. The 1986 sequel, Aliens Aliens was also praised for its fast, action-packed story.
Alien 3 Alien 3 did not meet expectations. The film seems doomed early on; Ripley becomes another victim, the sole survivor again. Filmgoers seemed tired of this pattern by 1992; they did not like how the film ended Ripley's story.
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The total number of Texas Chainsaw Massacre The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise has nine films. However, the later half does not always follow the first few films' original path.
The first movie introduces the series's cannibalistic main character (or antagonist), Leatherface. The killer wears a mask of his victims' faces and shares it with his cannibal family.
A first-generation '70s slasher film, the movie became successful and quickly spawned sequels. Its follow-up, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 was the most successful film in the series.
When the third film arrived, critics panned it as just another slasher flick. It had less gore and shock value than earlier films.
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InfernoMoviesThe first twomovies star Tom HanksTom Hanks played professor Robert Langdon.The Da Vinci CodeandAngels and DemonsInferno was loved for its link to religious mysteries and how it read famous scriptures and stories.
The series's third film is Inferno.Inferno shifted from riddles about organized religion to a madman obsessed with Dante's Inferno. Langdon must find a weapon that could kill half of Earth's population if he fails.Inferno shifts focus from riddles about organized religion to a madman fixated on Dante's Inferno. A massive weapon, capable of killing half of Earth's population, now hangs in the balance if Langdon fails to find it.
The plot synopsis shows much action in this film. Critics and viewers felt it lacked the depth of the first two movies.
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The Matrix RevolutionsMoviesThe MatrixThe Matrix introduced Neo (Keanu Reeves) and the simulated reality where he and humanity were trapped. Discovering the truth lets Neo join rebels to fight the machines running the program.
The second and third films, both released in 2003 six months apart, continue the rebels' story.
While the sequel got good reviews, the third film, The Matrix Revolutions, received less praise.The Matrix RevolutionsThe Matrix Revolutions focused too much on special effects and not enough on the story's ending that audiences knew and loved.
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Child's Play 3MoviesThe popular horror franchise is known as Child's Play.Child's PlayMany people know the film by its small villain, Chucky, from the Child's Play trilogy.
Success of the first Child's Play led to a film series about a murderous doll. Who knew this would become a hit?Child's PlayChild's Play appeared in 1988. A second film followed two years later. A third appeared in 1991.
The films follow Andy, a child who gets the Chucky doll, which holds a serial killer's soul. The first movie featured the audience watching the boy try to escape the doll (as bodies fell). The second film kept the similar story as the doll company brought back the killer toy.
By the third film, the idea of a doll that keeps coming back felt old. Audiences wanted different doll stories, so the fourth film changed the focus to the dolls themselves.the fourth filmshifted from the original idea and focused mainly on the dolls.
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The Hellraiser series created a world for its characters. Filmmakers made over 10 films about the Cenobites—humanlike beings whose job is to cause pain (to themselves and others).HellraiserThe Hellraiser series built a world for its characters. Filmmakers made over 10 films about the Cenobites—humanlike beings whose job is to cause pain (to themselves and others).
The first two films show a family opening a portal to the Cenobites' dimension by solving a puzzle box. The audience meets the Cenobites' leader, Pinhead, during this time.
The third film shifts from the family to Pinhead, who struggles with his identity and wants to make a version of Hell on Earth.
Audiences did not accept Pinhead's story, and the film got worse reviews than the earlier ones.
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Even the first Transformers film was a hit.TransformersTransformers: Dark of the Moon starred Shia LaBeouf. It got poor reviews upon its 2007 release but still earned...It scored 57% on Rotten Tomatoes.People wanted to see the popular toy on the big screen, so the film performed well at the box office.
Sam (LaBeouf) gets caught in a war between two alien robot factions. The Autobots join Sam; the Decepticons aim to destroy Sam and the human race.
The second film showed this war. The third film added a flashback, showing a Cybertronian crash on the moon in the 1960s, which explains why the US wanted to visit the moon.
Viewers found this concept far-fetched because the third installment only got a...It scored 35% on Rotten Tomatoes.Transformers: Dark of the Moon is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.
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Goldmember is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.Goldmember is worse than.The Spy Who Shagged is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.Me is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.? Them's fighting words! is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.
Let's be honest: the second and third Austin Powers films are close in quality.Austin Powers is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.The trilogy has neck-and-neck quality.The Spy Who Shagged Me is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.Heather Graham plays CIA agent Felicity Shagwell, butGoldmember is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.Beyoncé Knowles plays the powerful Foxxy Cleopatra.
Where is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.The Spy Who Shagged Me is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.edges out is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.Goldmember is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'., then, its plot becomes more cohesive, though still silly. Some viewers disliked Goldmember's gross habits, like eating his own dried skin, which lowered the film's standing.
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Shrek the ThirdMoviesSome argue the originalShrek is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'., released in 2001, is an art piece. DreamWorks fans agree the humor, animation, and character growth are top-tier. Then, the studio made a sequel, perhaps one of the best animated sequels ever, Shrek 2 is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.. (Check the “I Need a Hero” fight scene for proof.)
When DreamWorks announcedShrek the Third is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'., fans had high hopes. The film shows Shrek, Donkey, and Puss in Boots seeking Fiona's cousin, Arty, to take the throne so Fiona and Shrek don't have to.
Audiences quickly lowered their expectations after seeing the movie. Critics and viewers said the film lacked the heart of the first two and was less original than its predecessors.
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While is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.Once Upon a Time in Mexico is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.Once Upon a Time in Mexico is sometimes called in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.Desperado 2 is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'., it is part of a trilogy. The first film in the three Robert Rodriguez-directed movies wasEl Mariachi is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'., released in 1993. is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.
In is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.El Mariachi is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'., Carlos Gallardo played the title character, a guitar player mistaken for a crime lord who defends himself against the crime lord's enemies. Mexico produced the film for just over $7,000 as a straight-to-video movie.
The studio expanded the film for the US, where it earned great reviews. Following this success, the film got a sequel calledDesperado is in the list 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.Antonio Banderas played El Mariachi in 'Once Upon a Time in Mexico,' seeking revenge for his lover's death. Audiences liked Banderas's performance, so they planned a third film.
While this film appears in 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.Once Upon a Time in Mexico.The film featured Johnny Depp, Salma Hayek, Mickey Rourke, and Eva Mendes. The plot, involving CIA agents, flashbacks, and dirty politicians, lacked coherence. Audiences seemed tired of violent action scenes strung together with a loose plot.
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Scream 3MoviesThe film is listed in 'Trilogies With The Weakest Third Movies'.Scream.The Scream movies became a beloved horror series after the first film's 1996 release. Six Scream movies exist now.Scream.The first three Scream movies came out close together, all featuring central character Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell).
In the first three films, Sydney tries to escape the killer Ghostface, who murders people.
One reason Scream movies succeed is the characters' comments on how silly horror movies are, even while they are in one. However,Scream.The characters' commentary on horror movie ridiculousness helped the Scream movies succeed.Scream 3.Scream 3 seemed to push this trope too far. Fans disliked its lean toward comedy instead of horror.
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The Dark Knight RisesMoviesA trilogy is as strong as The Dark Knight series.The Dark Knight.Audiences agree the second film is the best entry in the franchise. Across the board, they feel the second film is the best.The Dark Knight.The film's gritty style and Heath Ledger's Oscar-winning Joker performance made it one of the greatest superhero movies ever.The Dark Knight is the greatest superhero.These are the movies of all time.
After Ledger died, people doubted how the third film, The Dark Knight Rises, would fare.The Dark Knight Rises.The story follows Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) eight years after The Dark Knight.The Dark Knight.Bruce Wayne mourns the tragic death from the second film. Chaos spreads across Gotham as Wayne grieves.
The third film's main villain is Bane (Tom Hardy). Audiences are divided over him. Some liked his tough attitude; others did not take him or his voice seriously.
Critics still thought the film was a good Batman story, even if its reception did not match the first two.
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