With Prometheus hitting theaters this summer, it was suggested by a recent MILFcast guest that we discuss films that we’d like to see sequels to. For the podcast, we stuck to films that were at least 15 years old. This was in honor of Prometheus which is the first legitimate addition (forget AVP) to the franchise in as many years. However, it got me thinking about all the various films I’d like to see sequels to. Hollywood is certainly obsessed with them right now so why not throw out some films actually worthy of the follow up treatment.
I had only two criterias for this list. First, was that the film had to lend itself to the sequel treatment. Meaning that there was more to be said there and that these weren’t just films I really liked and didn’t want to let go of. Second, I’ve left off films that have had sequels announced (such as Anchorman 2 & Kill Bill Vol. 3). As far as I know, none of the films listed below have a sequel in development. I’ve ordered them according to which I would be most excited for.
NOTE: If you’d like to some other Man, I Love Film-ers sharing some sequels they’d like to see, make sure and check out episode 45 of MILFcast.
10. LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL.
SPOILER ALERT!!! So, Leon is dead. Luckily, he managed to train Mathilda in the art of assassination before he passed. Gary Oldman is also dead so this won’t be a revenge story. Yet it would still be very cool to revisit this world with a grown up Natalie Portman as she picks up the reigns and rains down the bullets.
9. GALAXY QUEST.
This film is an awesome Star Trek parody that ponders what would happen if an alien race thought a TV show was real and contracted a group of actors to assume their TV roles and help defend an alien race against their galactic enemies. I think it would be great to have a couple sequels that follow them on more journeys through the universe. Who wouldn’t want to see a film with a cast this amazing. Especially since some actors, like Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell and Justin Long have grown into even greater actors since this film first hit the screen.
8. THE INCREDIBLES.
Of all the films on this list, this sequel is probably the most likely to actually happen. While Pixar hasn’t officially announced it, I’m sure it’s stewing on the back burner there. And why not? It’s certainly the most sequel friendly franchise they own. I mean, if you can make a sequel to Cars and Monsters, Inc. you can certainly expand upon the story of this superhero family.
7. DARK CITY.
If you haven’t seen this film, what the hell is wrong with you? Stop reading and seek it out. If you have seen it, you may wonder what is left to be explored in this storyline. Well, I’ll keep this short and cryptic to avoid spoiling it for those that haven’t seen it. Essentially, where are they? How do they get back? Are there more of those things? And what are the extent of John Murdoch’s powers?
6. FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.
While the Super Bowl commercial that imagined a quasi-sequel had many people booing out loud, I actually really embraced the idea. My main concern is that John Hughes is not around anymore to lend that special touch to a script that, truly, only he had. Still, the story lends itself to a follow up. I’d love to see a sequel where a grown up Ferris is stuck in his job and marriage (naturally to Sloan) and just needs to get away for the day. Perhaps, this time, his buddy Cameron could even be the instigator and set the wheels in motion.
5. STAR WARS: EPISODE 6: RETURN OF THE JEDI.
Fifteen years ago, this would certainly have been my #1. To say the prequels soured my opinion would be an understatement… and I’m a prequel supporter! Ultimately, it makes me wonder if we should have left well enough alone. Though, we didn’t and now I just want something to get the taste out of my mouth. It couldn’t get any worse, right? Admittedly, I am a Star Wars fan but I have never read any of the fiction/literature that followed the films. From what I understand though, there are some very interesting story lines out there that include Luke’s descent into the dark side. I’d love to see those explored.
4. INDEPENDENCE DAY.
Who doesn’t want to see ID42? Or ID5? Or whatever the hell they would call it? Roland Emmerich was saying that this was a real possibility after 2012 had a good showing at the box office. Not sure if it will or not but I’d love to see Will Smith reprise his role and lead a team into deep space where we take the fight to them. I also hope it features a very long, unnecessary and cheesy speech from Bill Pullman!
3. SERENITY.
I’m not even going to argue this one. Anyone that has seen this film is clamoring for a sequel. The good news is between the cult following this (TV show turned) film has received since hitting DVD and the success Joss Whedon had with The Avengers, this may now actually be a possibility.
2. FIGHT CLUB.
This should be my #1. My only issue with it is that there is no source material for a sequel. Though, if you’ve read the book, you know the film adaptation omitted the final scene of the book which totally sets up the story as ongoing. Yet, what do you do? Tyler Durden is gone now and he’s certainly the main draw of the film. There are certain ways to bring him back but I’m not sure how that would play out. Still, I’d be seriously interested in seeing it.
1. UNBREAKABLE.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… in a world without Christopher Nolan, this might be the greatest comic book ever made. Something made more impressive by the fact that it wasn’t based on any existing property. It’s certainly one of the best origin stories ever told. Therein lies the potential for the sequel. We have yet to see what David Dunn can do. What the extent of his powers are. I mean, can he lift a car? Can he throw a car? Do his powers continue to grow as he unlocks more of his hidden potential. With every bad film M. Night Shyamalan makes, I really think more and more that this one might actually happen. Night has said before that he had imagined the story as a trilogy and certainly has some ideas floating around. We may actually get to see that trilogy unfold as M. Night looks to reestablish himself as a great story teller and director.
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OK, first of all, I love this list. And although I haven’t seen Dark City, I would jump at the chance to see any of the rest of the sequels you have here.
My only question, I thought that the end of Galaxy Quest had the female alien (the one in love with Tony Shalhoub) stay behind and the crew just restart their television franchise? I may be missing something though.
But, either way – that would be an amazing sequel. Nice job.
Twitter: kaiderman
June 4, 2012 2:35 pm
Oh, sir, you must see Dark City. You will love it. A Sci-Fi noir that came out around the same time as The Matrix and can be compared in several ways. Though, The Matrix certainly wins as the better film.
Maybe I’m wrong, haven’t seen Galaxy Quest in about a year, but I’m pretty sure Shalhoub hangs back on Earth and the rest of the cast heads out into space.
Twitter: callmesirphobos
June 4, 2012 4:22 pm
Nah, you got it backwards. Shalhoub stays with the alien girl he fell in love with as everyone else leaves and tries at a 2nd run of the tv show.
Twitter: kaiderman
June 4, 2012 4:24 pm
Okay, either way, it’s not like they can’t round the gang up again for one more adventure. They could set it all back up in one scene.
Twitter: kaiderman
June 4, 2012 4:30 pm
Yeah, I Wiki’d the ending. God did I misremember how that film ended. Forgot all about the convention scenes even. Thanks, guys. Point still stands though… gimme more.
Twitter: callmesirphobos
June 5, 2012 2:17 pm
I think they should make that TV show.
Sam Rockwell’s character finally gets a name! That’s why I remember that they restarted the TV show.
Twitter: videovangaurd
June 4, 2012 8:33 am
Yes to “Leon”, “The Incredibles”, and “Galaxy Quest” I would love to see a continuation of their story.
NO to “Unbreakable” ( The Sequel will end up looking like a lot of other Superhero movies. That is what made the first one so good. You had no idea it was an orign story until the very end which made it stand out more.)
Fight Club ( I’m sure the ending of the book set it up nice for a sequel, but the movie did not. It ends perfectly. Where could you go with this character and make it interesting)
Star Wars Episode 6. (Since George Lucas has shown time and time again that he doesn’t give a shit about his fans by refusing to release any of the orginal versions of the first trilogy. But than telling us that we were not watching them correctly. Seriously George. Fuck You. )
Twitter: kaiderman
June 4, 2012 2:38 pm
1) Unbreakable 2 could be fun. Maybe he could do to the Superhero story what he did to the origin.
2) Everything Fight Club established with Mischief and Mayhem is still in play. How Jack would deal with that (maybe even embracing it) could be very interesting.
3) I never said George had to do the next sequels. Hmmmm??? And never say Fuck You to George… he did give us the original trilogy. He gets lifetime props for that.
A “Mathilda” movie has been greatly anticipated for nearly 2 decades now. You go on the imdb boards and that’s about the only discussion you’ll see. Everybody wants that sequel to happen… but Besson himself has said it most likely never will.
Twitter: kaiderman
June 4, 2012 2:39 pm
I’ve heard that too. But I’ve heard that before about movies and then they end up getting made when a filmmakers career takes a sour turn. Ya never know.
Twitter: fandangogroover
June 4, 2012 11:33 am
I love Leon and would also love to see what a grown up Mathilda is up to.
I would never thought of a Galaxy Quest sequel but would like to see it.
I haven’t seen The Incredibles
Dark City is great but it is a film in itself, a sequel sounds too much like the Matrix sequels.
Not sure about a Ferris Bueller sequel without John Hughes
A Star Wars sequel has some merit as does a pre-prequel. Go back a thousand generations to the early days of the Jedi and the original overthrow of the Sith. it’s a chance to star again with new characters
Independence Day 2 could work
Serenity really needs a sequel, the more I see of those characters the better.
Don’t mess with Fight Club.
Unbreakable is the one great M Night movie, a sequel would be good.
Here are a few suggestions from me:
Miami Vice, I know I am in the minority but I loved the movie and thought Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx were perfectly cast.
Wanted, again, not universally loved but great fun, and if they can write Angelina Jolie’s Fox back into the story all the better.
Haywire, I know it only came out this year, but I want more Mallory Kane.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, there are more George Smiley books to be plundered. Given Gary Oldman’s age he could do the ones that preceded Tinker Tailor not just the ones that followed it.
They’re making a Wanted 2, actually.
Twitter: kaiderman
June 4, 2012 2:43 pm
I actually like Wanted alot. I’ve heard the sequel is happening and Jolie is coming back.
I liked Miami Vice too, actually. Though I’m not sure Mann wants to revisit it or that it did weel enough for a studio to revisit it. I could leave it or take it but agreed on the quality and acting.
I just saw TTSSpy and not sure how I feel. It was a very slow and complicated story but I had no idea there was more source material there so why not? I thought it was just an adaptation of a mini-series. Anything Gary Oldman is a good thing… even if it’s old Smiley (who never smiles…lol).
Twitter: fandangogroover
June 5, 2012 3:36 am
Good news on Wanted. I don’t expect a second Miami Vice, but it wood be good if they did.
Its based on a novel by John le Carré, there is loads of sauce material, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy was the first of the Karla Trilogy. The Honourable Schoolboy followed and to my knowledge hasn’t been adapted.
The final part, Smiley’s People was adapted for TV as a follow-up to Tinker tailor. Before that there was Call for the Dead and A Murder of Quality, both from the early 60s.
Twitter: kaiderman
June 5, 2012 5:30 pm
Very cool!
Twitter: callmesirphobos
June 5, 2012 2:18 pm
Ditto to Mallory Kane.
Twitter: agracru
June 4, 2012 12:20 pm
I want to see a sequel to Attack the Block and Drive. If rumors are right there may well be a sequel to the latter sometime in the future; that would make me pretty happy.
I also want a sequel to Undead. Will the aliens ever come back? Or is one lone quad-barreled shotgun the only thing standing between humanity and a horde of zombies? (Well, there’s a chain link fence, too, but still.)
Twitter: kaiderman
June 4, 2012 2:45 pm
I think I started watching Undead and got bored… which is weird cuz I love me some Zombies. Is that the Australian film?
Attack the Block is a GREAT pick. Some fun to be had.
SPOILER ALERT!!! Didn’t Gosling die at the end of Drive. Or was he just driving away bleeding to death. I just rewatched it two weeks ago and can’t remember but I thought dude was dead at the end.
SPOILERZ. No, he doesn’t die at the end. He was just sitting there bleeding or whatever, all quiet and stoic like usual so that it looks like he’s dead. But then he moves and drives off.
Twitter: callmesirphobos
June 4, 2012 4:23 pm
Leon, Serenity, and Unbreakable are the three I’d like to see. The Leon sequel could be like Columbiana, only good.
Your enthusiasm is excellent! The only picture I would really leave off this list is ID4. That was a very light and un-thoughtful pic; and, as far as summer popcorn flicks go, that’s fine. I did like all the characters, but they’re designed for maximum audience appeal.
The story itself, however, is quite shallow. And I don’t ever want to see a dog jump from an explosion as a moment that’s supposed to rouse the audience – especially when (a) a lot of people died in that blast and (b) the flame would’ve followed into the tunnel and fried them all. Just sayin’.
How about Primer 2? Most sequels are incredibly unnecessary (Scream, Final Destination, Saw…), but I want Shane Caruth to have a massive career.
Twitter: kaiderman
June 5, 2012 5:32 pm
I heard Rian Johnson say he read Caruth’s newest script and it was fucking amazing. He even helped out on Looper.
Oh, and I love mindless ID4 films, man. Sorry!
What do you think the Serenity sequel should be called?
Twitter: kaiderman
June 5, 2012 5:32 pm
I dunno… does AA have any other prayers?
Twitter: filmforager
June 4, 2012 6:18 pm
This is an awesome list idea! I agree with most of these, especially Star Wars and Serenity. I like the idea of a grown-up Matilda for a Leon sequel, but that’s basically what Columbiana is (young girl trained as an assassin and out for revenge, etc). And Dark City is one of my absolute favorite movies but I’m not sure where you could take the story. I guess, yeah the people trying to figure out where they are and if they can get back to Earth?
I’ve always wanted a sequel to Buckaroo Banzai. Or a prequel. Or anything!
Twitter: kaiderman
June 5, 2012 5:33 pm
I think we’d probably get a Buckaroo Banzai remake before a sequel or prequel.
I think there should be a sequel to Independence Day that dealt with the few survivors of the whole, you know, aliens destroying ungodly amounts of property and people on earth, dealt with the aftermath of the tragedy.
Twitter: kaiderman
June 5, 2012 5:33 pm
Not sure Emmerich would dwell there. Nothing blows up!
Dude, if you wanna know what happens after return of the Jedi read Timothy Zahn’s trilogy: Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command. They are generally regarded as episodes VII, VIII and IX.
They are feckin awesome!
Twitter: kaiderman
June 5, 2012 5:34 pm
Okay, are those the ones that cover Luke going bad?
Twitter: MarkusWelby1
June 5, 2012 1:33 pm
the first rule about a sequel to fight club is that you do NOT talk about a sequel to fight club!
Twitter: kaiderman
June 5, 2012 5:35 pm
I knew someone would stoop to this comment but I didn’t think it would be you Welby!
Big yes to Galaxy Quest, The Incredibles, Leon and Independence Day (just ’cause it would be totally fun).
I … don’t like Serenity. There. I said it.
Twitter: kaiderman
June 5, 2012 5:48 pm
WTF? Boooooooo!
Twitter: Top10Films
June 6, 2012 8:24 am
A sequel to Independence Day would be good – Labor Day or Christmas Day or something.
I’d love to see a sequel to Jedi but if Lucas made it now I know it would be terrible.
Unbreakable is an interesting one. I love the film and it does feel like act one of a much larger story but like Lucas, Shyamalan has lost a bit of his mojo.
Twitter: nevermindpop
June 28, 2012 3:49 pm
The Honda ad made me rethink any Ferris Bueller sequel I ever thought I wanted.
Twitter: kaiderman
June 28, 2012 5:58 pm
Really? The Honda ad resparked my interest in revisiting it. Just cuz that sucked, doesn’t mean the movie would. Though, Hughes being dead certainly does.