When a film is successful enough, a sequel is made. If it works, it could lead to a trilogy, spin-offs and, suddenly, a franchise is born. Problems that often arise are that these films are rarely written or directed by the same person, the original actors are not always available, and certain stories can end up being received differently than initially anticipated.
When this happens, some plot points may be left aside or completely discarded. Fan-favorite characters can meet their grim end in a movie, only to be brought back due to popular demand. There are also remakes that may or may not work well and may or may not need to be inserted into the original timeline in some way. All of this results in a lot of confusion among viewers about some of Hollywood’s oldest franchises.
10
The Halloween franchise
The one who cannot be killed
John Carpenter’s original idea for a Halloween anthology series, featuring several unrelated horror stories all set around Halloween. However, after the success of the 1978 film, the studio saw the potential in Michael Myers and was adamant that the sequel revolve around the original characters. Myers was killed in Halloween IIof endand the third installment focused on a completely different story. That film didn’t do well, and the rights to the characters from the original film were sold and given a new lease of life. Literally.
There have been 13 Halloween films so far, and the way they all connect is confusing. Jamie Lee Curtis did not return for several installments, but did return for Halloween H20 in 1998. This was a reboot of sorts, featuring his son and having a new group of teenagers in focus. Then, just four years later, came Halloween: Resurrection, which appears to include Laurie Strode from a different timeline completely. Rob Zombie’s versions were remakes, but then came the 2018-22 trilogy. This seemed to ignore everything that happened in the 1990s, including the replacement of the son with a daughter.
9
The Jack Ryan franchise
The many faces of a spy
Tom Clancy’s character is popular with fans of espionage and high-octane action, but viewers have found it difficult to get on board with his on-screen persona. The hunt for Red October introduced audiences to a younger, more inexperienced version of the character played by Alec Baldwin, with both sequels starring a rougher, more worldly Harrison Ford. Patriot Games and Clear and present danger are probably the only two independent films that clearly come together.
Jack Ryan was nowhere to be seen until 2016, when a reboot starring Chris Pine was released, featuring a new version of the character, with a heavy focus on his backstory. This third iteration didn’t resonate well enough with viewers, and the character underwent yet another revamp. The Amazon series starring John Krasinski has so far been the most consistent version of the CIA agent. But for anyone who’s only been watching from the beginning, it’s difficult to know who this character is, what adventures are canon, and where he is in his life.
8
The Charlie’s Angels franchise
Charlie’s mystery continues
Many people enjoyed the original 1970s show and tuned in every week to see what adventures the three Angels were facing. However, not much thought was given to backstories, character motivations, or any kind of realism. For a story that was supposed to be centered on women’s empowerment, the cast rotated a lot throughout the series, something that is alluded to in Charlie’s Angels: Full steam ahead. With only Jaclyn Smith following the entire show and the stories constantly repeating themselves, the audience could no longer embark on Charlie’s mysterious world.
The reboot with Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, and Cameron Diaz brought a new edge to the franchise, making it more about sisterhood and independence. All three worked well together and had wonderful chemistry, but viewers were still left thinking, “What’s Charlie’s problem?” The 2019 reboot tried to expand the world, which only made it even more confusing. Bosley became a classification instead of a person, and viewers were left wondering how many more angels are out there and how all the dots connect.
7
The X-Men franchise
More Than Just Wolverine
With comics, animated shows, and multiple films, the timelines of all these mutant heroes are practically impossible to connect. Focusing solely on visual media may seem like a more direct approach, but it really isn’t. The original trilogy stars Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry and Patrick Stewart, among many others, with an arc that could be followed. Then came the Wolverine films, each with such different tones, with unfamiliar characters and plot points. Viewers weren’t sure who to focus on or if they would be important in future episodes.
The prequels are set in another timeline, focusing on younger versions of the mutants, but not necessarily the ones viewers were used to. This alternative universe was covered in Days of Future Past but it still left many with more questions than answers. Add to that Deadpool and the MCU connection, and the easy answer seems to be: the Multiverse. While this may wrap everything up in a neat bow, it doesn’t help those who would really like to know how it all works.
6
The Die Hard franchise
The evolution of the good Samaritan
What started as an ordinary action film soon became a phenomenon. Often debated whether it’s a Christmas movie, this high-octane caper saw Bruce Willis facing off against a group of terrorists, barefoot and in a sleeveless vest. He’s a normal guy who, through bravery and cunning, manages to save the day and his ex-wife. In the fourth film, he’s riding motorcycles into helicopters and in the fifth, he’s facing off against the Russian mafia.
This type of extension was difficult to understand for anyone who was a fan of the original trilogy. Each film is linked to the other in some way, with characters appearing or bad guys interacting with each other. They were also grounded in reality so that audiences could imagine themselves in the role of John McClane if the adrenaline got high enough. As soon as the resets happened, all of that went out the window; instead, the usually hungover detective became a GI Joe-type action hero, which made the reality of the previous films completely disappear.
5
The James Bond franchise
He only lives seven times and counting
There have been six official James Bond actors (seven if you count David Niven), and that’s just the first hurdle of confusion. Technically, Royal Casino (1967) is a film about 007 and still features many characters from the universe, but is not considered part of the official franchise. There is never any explanation in the films whenever an actor changes, other than improvised jokes. Many characters remain the same and are even played by the same actors in several films, despite the Bonds being different. M, Q and Moneypenny have dealt with many versions of Bond.
If we consider that the timelines are confined to each actor, this leaves the dilemma of how each adventure relates to the other. The questions remain: what happens to the characters he meets along the way and why Sean Connery was sandwiched between two Roger Moore films. Daniel Craig’s trajectory seems to be the most cohesive, but with his destiny at the end of There’s no time to diethe public will have to deal with yet another change once the new James Bond is chosen.
4
The Saw franchise
A nightmare world
There are many questions raised by events in Mountain range universe, but as this billion-dollar franchise proves, sometimes it doesn’t have to make sense. The original film was new and extremely disturbing, but very innovative. Imagining being put in a situation where, in order to survive, one must endure unimaginable torture was a very clever horror trope to explore. The viewer’s focus was so much on what was happening that little things like “why” and “how” might not be at the forefront of their minds.
With each subsequent sequel and spin-off, as Jigsaw’s network grows and the settings become more elaborate, these questions begin to resonate more. Timelines are hard to follow and reasoning starts to get lost as the franchise reaches double digits. With some sequels faring better than others, certain plot points were dropped in favor of others, and Saw it seemed to wipe the slate clean in a way, going back in time and offering a kind of fresh start.
3
Phases 4 and 5 of the MCU
A multiverse of madness
When Samuel L. Jackson appeared at the end of Iron Man, It was the start of something special. An intricately woven story where all the puzzles fall into place at the moment of Avengers: Endgame. What followed was very good. There are too many independent films for us to make the same clever nods to each other. There is an oversaturation of shows that viewers can barely keep up with, and since many films and series are not doing well, their future and importance in the timeline are also uncertain.
The first three phases had clear key players, who were introduced to each other from the start. The public was able to follow their adventures, waiting for the moment when they would share the screen again. The current phases are taking too long to introduce the main threat and have not yet featured a notable team other than The wonders. The introduction of the multiverse has added another layer of confusion and an unlimited mix of cast and characters, meaning the stakes are further out.
2
The Matrix franchise
The Chosen Lose the Spark
The first installment of the Wachowskis was responsible for bending minds as well as spoons. The concept that current reality is a simulation resonated with many people stuck in a routine and who felt they could not get out of it. For some, this went completely unnoticed, very much in line with the red pill/blue pill dilemma. As the audience delves deeper into the mythology, everything starts to get even more complicated. To viewers, both the Matrix world and the “real world” are seen in the same way, with the Matrix still feeling more familiar.
Each time any of the installments are watched, one needs to focus on what the mechanics are and what rules apply and where. The ending of the original trilogy is also a lot to try to understand. The turnaround that even those who live in Zion have in the form of a snare was difficult to bear. With The Matrix Resurrections, Yet another set of rules was introduced, leaving a new set of fascinating questions in its wake.
1
The Terminator franchise
They will be back
Looking back to 1984, it all seemed so simple. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator is sent from the future to kill Sarah Connor because she will give birth to a rebel leader who threatens the new world order. A concept so well executed and received that five more films followed. Since time travel is the main gimmick, the franchise can easily escape audiences by taking place in different versions of time, based on the story being told.
As actors aged or were replaced, the timeline had to adapt to accommodate these changes, offering multiple versions of reality at the end of each film. Sometimes viewers get lost between which one is real, and each new sequel brings with it more problems and ongoing errors. But with the number of timelines to explore and a hint of nostalgia for what once was, it’s safe to say this universe isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.