In the age of endless sequels, prequels and reboots, there are several Dead franchises whose return I would indeed warmly welcome. While some series vi Back to the future Should be left alone and not have their legacy tarnished or tampered with, there are other series that could really benefit from making a triumphant return to today’s modern movie landscape. Whether it’s the themes or ideas of the franchise that have become more relevant, or the main character has been around long enough to be missed, these are all franchises that I would like to see more of.
Although series often seem to go on forever, and there are some great franchises with more than ten movies, in other cases, promising franchises are discarded and left for dead when they still have a lot of exciting potential. Although several of the series have planned follow-up films, many of them have lingered in development hell to the point that they may never be released. That’s a real shame, like I’m excited by the prospect of all these movie franchises making a big comeback.
8
Terminator (1984 – 2019)
Terminator is more relevant than ever today
The Terminator was a trail-blazing film that later proved its franchise potential with perhaps the greatest sequel of all time, Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Although it has been touch and go since, as later sequels, reboots and reimaginings have failed to live up to the legacy of its predecessors, I believe this is a series that could come back in a very big way. Considering the current developments in artificial intelligence, The anxiety explored in Terminator have never been more relevantAnd a new movie not only has the potential to be good, but it could be really great.
While the soft reboot Terminator Salvation Had its issues, it also made the brave choice to try to cut a route for the franchise that didn’t rely on Arnold Schwarzenegger as the T-800. I would like to see more of Schwarzenegger in these Terminator franchise, but what I would like more is for it to come back with a movie that feels relevant and has something to say about modern society’s increasingly reliant relationship with technology. A movie exploring that Skynet may have taken over and we just haven’t noticed could be a fascinating new route for Terminator.
7
National Treasure (2004 – 2007)
National treasure has yet to reach its full potential
If you ask me, Nicolas Cage has proven himself to be among the greatest actors in modern cinema, and one of his best endeavors was National treasure Series. Centered around the treasure-hunting Gates family, the National treasure Franchise included two films where they search and preserve lost valuables from the history of the United States of America. Although there was a recent Disney+ TV series, plans for a third movie have stalled since 2008, and in 2024, Cage had an open answer about National treasure 3Dismissing its potential.
It was a shame, because I would absolutely love to see a third movie in this franchise. As the previous movies dealt with a hidden map on the Declaration of Independence and links between the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the Lost City of Gold, this was a series that was not afraid to have fun with the fascinating story. from America. There are only so many directions a third National treasure Movie can go That it feels like a shame that the series has yet to turn its sights to other big events like JFK’s shooting or the moon landing.
6
Austin Powers (1997 – 2002)
Austin Powers in the Me-too era is an interesting proposition
Mike Myers’ satirical spy comedy series Austin Powers was a true phenomenon in the late 1990s and early 2000s which, along with Wayne’s world And fearBecame one of the most iconic characters of the Canadian comedian. With fun Austin Powers quoted as “Shaggy“and”Oh, behave!“Become a part of the zeitgeist, that James Bond The parody franchise has lost some of its cultural relevance in the two decades since its release, as its satirical spin on hippie culture, the swinging 1960s, and free love feels outdated.
But that’s part of the reason I think Austin Powers should make a return, because it would be delightful to see this womanizing, hard-partying British spy from the 1960s reemerge in today’s cultural landscape. Austin Powers How a franchise can be an interesting commentary on today’s more progressive societyAnd a film that deals with powers among the me-too movement could be a hit if it were presented with enough nuance. Part of the appeal of Austin Powers Was that although he was dirty and sexual, he was also self-aware and consensual, which could make for an interesting fourth movie.
5
21 Jump Street (2012 – 2014)
21 Jump Street should expand its horizons
When I first heard 21 Spring Street Was an adaptation of a 1980s FOX TV police procedural, it sounded like a lame attempt to cash in on an IP that nobody remembers or really cares about. However, I was forced to eat my words because the resulting film was truly hilarious, as Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum made a fantastic, unlikely comic duo. Michael Bacall’s screenplay was hilarious, and Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s confident direction signaled This buddy cop action comedy has the potential to stand toe to toe with other franchises like Lethal weapon And Bad boys.
This potential was realized with the release of the equally hilarious sequel 22 Spring Street, And plans were made not only for a third film but also a Men in Black Crossover and a female-led spin-off. With so many projects in the works, I was glad they never came to fruition, and now, ten years later 22 Spring StreetIt appears that the franchise is dead in the water. I’d love for the series to be revived, because it’s never too late to actually make some of ​​the incredible sequel ideas teased in the 22 Spring Street End credits.
4
Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man (2002 – 2007)
Spider-Man has already been repaired in the MCU and a new Tobey Maguire movie would be a treat
Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sam Raimi Spider-Man Series with Tobey Maguire was the epitome of what could be achieved in the superhero genre. As a more lighthearted and humorous exploration of super-powered crime-fighting heroes than Christopher Nolan’s dark and gritty The Dark Knight trilogy from the same era, as a child I found myself more interested in the webslinger Peter Parker. I would have watched endless Raimi Spider-Man releases And was really disappointed when Spider-Man 4 Never got off the ground.
of course, Spider-Man Has remained popular because the series was rebooted with Andrew Garfield, and the character was integrated into the MCU with Tom Holland. With these developments, I accepted the end of Raimi’s series, although my hopes for his return were kindled with Maguire and Garfield’s appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home. With Raimi Spider-Man Now canonically part of the MCU, the doors are open for a fourth movie to be made, and I would relish the chance to see more from this iconic franchise.
3
Star Trek (2009 – 2016)
Star Trek deserves a fourth movie in Kelvin’s timeline
While the Star Trek Franchise has continued to flourish on television, it’s a shame that the rebooted alternate Calvin timeline film series has been stalled since 2016. Star Trek Figure Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Commander Spock In a new series that manages to pay tribute to the original while carving something new. with its sequels, Star Trek: Into the Darkness And Star Trek NextThe series proved the potential for endless space adventures of the USS Enterprise crew.
However, plans for a fourth Star Trek The movie is constantly being delayed, and it’s starting to feel like the franchise is dead. While an upcoming movie spin-off from the TV series Star Trek: Discovery titled Star Trek: Episode 31 is slated for 2025, I can’t help but wish the franchise would prioritize Star Trek 4. After doing the impossible and recasting the original characters in a way that audiences connected with, it feels like a complete waste to let the franchise drift aimlessly into the depths of development hell.
2
Conan the Barbarian (1982 – 1984)
Conan the Barbarian should return with Arnold Schwarzenegger
Before gaining worldwide recognition with The TerminatorArnold Schwarzenegger showed off his unique talents in Conan the BarbarianA role that he was truly perfect for. The swords-and-sorcery film had a unique appeal that made it one of the most successful fantasy movies ever, only surpassed decades later by Peter Jackson’s. The Lord of the Rings. Although a sequel, Conan the Destroyerwas released in 1984, and Schwarzenegger returned to the genre for the lack. Conan Copycat film Red SonjaThe franchise was left to die, barring a disappointing reboot with Jason Momoa in 2011.
I would love to see Conan’s true return with Schwarzenegger back In the title role. As an older version of the character who endured decades of unseen hardships in his unforgiving fantasy world, Schwarzenegger could truly excel in a legacy sequel to this underappreciated IP. Schwarzenegger himself announced that this is happening as Term reported him repricing the part for The Legend of Conan In 2011, but the plans fell through.
1
Escape from… (1981 – 1996)
Escape From should finally complete its trilogy
of The thing to Big Trouble in Little ChinaJohn Carpenter and Kurt Russell made some incredible movies together. My favorite of their collaborations has always been Escape from New York And Escape from LA, Two fantastic cult films that represented the perfect combination of sci-fi and action. With two movies made 15 years apart, it wouldn’t be unprecedented for the dead franchise to be revived again to complete the trilogy.
There were initially plans to follow Escape from LA with A sequel put in place called Escape from Earth (via Movie Web.) However, the underperformance of his predecessor meant that the plans were stopped, and the world never got to see the adventures of Snake Flissken after activating the superweapon known as the Sword of Damocles. With such a passionate and loyal cult following, I believe the return of the Escape from franchise would make an excellent straight-to-streaming movie that would please patient viewers who have waited almost 20 years for its return.