Film sequels are a staple in Hollywood, yet some franchises continue to produce sequels long after audience interest has waned. The film industry is uniquely suited for sequels, as the box office potential makes them appealing, and the opportunity for increased profits serves as a strong incentive.

Iconic film franchises like Star Wars have maintained their popularity for over four decades, with the allure of blockbuster success prompting new sequels every few years. However, some enduring movie series are less obvious, and many successful films have spawned numerous sequels that are not nearly as well-received.

Whether released in theaters or directly to video, certain film franchises are much larger than most people realize. Some adhere closely to their original themes, while others veer off into wild spin-offs that bear little resemblance to their initial films. Regardless, there are many significant franchises that have remained under the radar.

Starship Troopers

Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 adaptation of Starship Troopers was initially misunderstood but has since become a cult classic of the 1990s. The sci-fi action film’s box office failure should have marked the end of the Starship Troopers franchise, yet it had the opposite effect. The cult classic led to two straight-to-video sequels and two animated features.

Unfortunately, both live-action sequels to Starship Troopers received poor reviews and were hindered by low budgets. The most significant departure from the original was the lack of satire, with the rest of the Starship Troopers franchise missing the same sharpness and cynicism found in Paul Verhoeven’s underrated classic.

Psycho

As slasher films surged in popularity during the 1980s, every iconic villain returned for sequel after sequel. One of the most surprising comebacks was that of Norman Bates, who first appeared in the timeless classic, Psycho, back in 1960. Twenty-three years later, Psycho II was released, followed by a third and fourth film.

Despite how completely unnecessary a Psycho sequel seemed, Psycho II actually turned out to be an engaging mystery thriller. The franchise transformed Norman Bates into a protagonist, and although each sequel declined in quality, it at least attempted to explore interesting aspects of his character’s development. Naturally, the sequels were always overshadowed by the original film.

The Crow

With its dark, gothic tone, The Crow was the quintessential superhero movie for the 1990s. The original film achieved moderate financial success but was marred by the tragic death of its lead actor, Brandon Lee. Nevertheless, Hollywood quickly produced a sequel, with The Crow: City of Angels debuting in 1996.

The first sequel received poor reviews and failed to perform well financially, yet The Crow continued with two additional sequels that went straight-to-video. All sequels suffered from similar issues and failed to replicate the edgy atmosphere of the original film. Regrettably, the sequels to The Crow often felt like cheap imitations of director Alex Proyas’ vision.

Highlander

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The franchise continued despite its famous tagline “There can be only one” being quite clear. The original film from 1986 blended fantasy, action, and elements of sci-fi to create a unique experience. Its sequel, Highlander II: The Quickening, is notorious for its poor reception but did not halt the series’ continuation.

The third and fourth installments of the franchise received theatrical releases but underperformed at the box office and garnered terrible reviews. In addition, Sci-Fi Channel produced a film titled Highlander: The Source, which effectively brought the original franchise to a standstill. A remake featuring Henry Cavill is currently being developed.

Tremors

Tremors featured classic monster movie elements with memorable creatures and became one of the greatest horror films of the ’90s. Sequels seemed inevitable given its success, with Graboids serving as perfect villains for multiple returns. However, it took some time for Tremors 2: Aftershocks to arrive, which could not capture its predecessor’s momentum.

A total of six Tremors sequels have been produced between 1996 and 2020, all featuring Michael Gross as survivalist Burt Gummer (or one of his ancestors). None were released theatrically, likely contributing to Tremors’ niche status. Nevertheless, some sequels are enjoyable and manage to recapture elements from the beloved ’90s classic.

The Amityville Horror

Basing itself on dubious claims surrounding supernatural events in Amityville, The Amityville Horror became a massive hit in 1979. While self-contained, many details from this case were left open for exploitation leading to a sequel being produced shortly after. Amityville II: The Possession actually serves as a prequel and has gained recognition over time since its release.

Unfortunately, things quickly deteriorated as six more sequels emerged between 1983 and 1996. After the third installment, all subsequent Amityville Horror films were direct-to-video or made-for-TV movies reflecting their declining quality. As these stories strayed further from their original source material, connections between films weakened considerably.

George Romero’s Living Dead Franchise

George Romero revolutionized zombie cinema with his groundbreaking release Night of the Living Dead in 1968 and followed it up with immediate sequels that solidified his legacy. Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead are now regarded as horror classics reflecting Romero’s unique perspective on humanity’s decline. However, he did not stop there.

The film Land of the Dead released in 2005 advanced Romero’s timeline while continuing his incisive commentary on society. Less known are two additional films he produced later on including Diary of the Dead which utilized found footage techniques. These latter films were considered pale imitations compared to his earlier works which may explain why they have largely been forgotten.

The Mummy

The Mummy franchise from Universal is split into two distinct series—the classic films from the ’30s and ’40s stand apart from modern adaptations starting with Brendan Fraser’s beloved action-horror film released in 1999. This contemporary Mummy series quickly branched out into multiple projects including two direct sequels along with a spinoff.

The Scorpion King debuted in 2002 starring Dwayne Johnson as a distant prequel to The Mummy Returns. While many films within this franchise are recognized widely,The Scorpion King actually continued on with four lesser-known sequels between 2008 and 2018. These straight-to-video entries suffered significant drops in quality without any notable returning stars from earlier installments.

The Land Before Time

The Land Before Time was an undeniable hit upon its release in 1988 with substantial backing from prominent names involved throughout production yet quickly faded into obscurity thereafter. Animated by Don Bluth this dinosaur adventure story naturally lent itself towards sequels—a fate fulfilled when Littlefoot along with friends returned across thirteen follow-ups spanning three decades.

Interestingly enough none of these sequels made it into theaters despite building up a dedicated fanbase over time.This led to The Land Before Time missing opportunities necessary for becoming one great animated series due largely because its follow-ups grew increasingly niche-oriented over time. Although production has slowed down significantly there’s no indication that another installment won’t come soon enough!

The Pink Panther

A great character can guarantee franchise success—few comedy icons rival Inspector Clouseau who originated through Peter Sellers’ performance within The Pink Panther series returning shortly thereafter only one year later continuing onward through decades thereafter.The death of Peter Sellers however did not halt further installments from being produced!

A couple reasons contribute towards why this particular series has faded into obscurity primarily due largely towards declining overall quality levels throughout subsequent entries.This decline affected even later installments featuring Sellers himself while recasts worsened matters further still!