I’m not sure if we’ve hit peak legacy sequel, but I do know that this style of movie, driven by nostalgia, is not going anyway.Beetlejuice Beetlejuiceis the latest in a string of manymovie franchisesemploying the legacy sequel, which really should be shortened to either legacy-quel or lega-sequel; it’s right there. For those unaware, the legacy sequel is basically a franchise installment that takes place a generation or so after the original (or most recent entry) that attempts to tell a new story with familiar characters or lineages. It could be a mix of a reboot and aremake.
This repackaged nostalgia can go in a lot of different directions. Some, powered by dedicated creatives and talented actors, can spur a newfound franchise, as was the case with Creed. Others, can keep it simple and deliver an effective story that respects the original, like Doctor Sleep. However, there are plenty of attempts that fall far short, attempting to recreate the past with just vibes and not much else. Here are some of the worst legacy sequels ever made.
1Independence Day: Resurgence
Negative impact
Independence Day: Resurgence
I had long forgotten about this movie, having mostly erased it from my mind immediately after viewing it. I’m not sure who thought, “I wonder what’s happening with President Whitmore and David Levinson,” but it wasn’t me; or a lot of people for that matter. It just seems like a story that’s hard to carry on a generation later, because it wasn’t exactly like the story was the part of Independence Day that made it so great. A combination of charming actors, clever writing, and a general lampooning of popular action and sci-fi movies that came before, Independence won on its commitment to excitement and over-the-top stakes.
Resurgence can’t put together a coherent story that’s worth remembering, or characters worth caring about.
Despite bringing back both Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman, Resurgence can’t put together a coherent story that’s worth remembering, or characters worth caring about. It feels like a shell of the original, and even some blossoming young stars can’t keep anyone interested.
What is the worst movie you’ve ever seen?
This past weekend saw the release of Borderlands, which, despite having a stacked cast with Jamie Lee Curtis, Cate Blanchette and Kevin Hart, failed to impress critics or audiences, hitting just a 10% on the Tomatometer and making only $8.8 million from over 3,000 theaters, which makes it one of the worst opening weekends of the year. you may check out our critic Anthony Marcusa’s review at the link for more on Borderlands, but I thought, on the subject of terrible movies, what is the worst movie you’ve ever seen? It may be recency bias, but I remember feeling totally let down by Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, with its cheap design, poor story, and lackluster effects. For me, that film represents the ultimate low point in the MCU, and I remember thinking if this is where the franchise is going, then Tony Stark truly died for nothing. Granted, I guess he’s back now (kind of) but in any case. What is the worst movie YOU remember seeing?
2Jurassic World
Preoccupied with whether or not they could…
Jurassic World
I definitely enjoyed Jurassic World, in part because I wholly and completely love the original, and I’m a sucker for anything related to dinosaurs. Jurassic World, however, is a bad movie. It lacks any creativity and heart, has a lot of dull characters, and does not seem to care much about any of the women in the film either (Claire is made to feel shame for being career-driven and then punished for it by having to run from a T-Rex in heels).
Jurassic World was made to renew a franchise that just can’t help printing money; it led to questionable sequels that brought back beloved characters. It’s really hard to pick which movie was the worst of the three. But good news, they’re going to make a whole new trilogy again!
What live-action film franchise would you want to see get an animated entry?
Animated movies had an uphill battle to fight in the West to break their perception as being “just for kids.” In places like Japan, anime has always been for all ages, with films like Akira and Ghost in the Shell, plus shows like Cowboy Bebop and Serial Experiments Lain, being aimed at older teens and adults. Thanks to some breakout hits paving the way, animation has grown to be just as respected as live-action movies. But for the first time we’re starting to see existing film franchises embrace entirely animated entries, which we just saw with the recent trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The War for the Rohirrim. Sure, we’ve had animated Lord of the Rings films before, but this one is unique in that it will be part of the canon with the other Jackson films. The only other time I can think of something like this happening was all the way back when The Animatrix came out between Matrix movies. This is such a fantastic way to explore the world of film franchises in way
3The Exorcist: Believer
Not buying it
The Exorcist: Believer
It’s been a bit of a hard go for exorcism films after the The Exorcist set an incredibly high standard. It led to a long-running franchise, but none of the films have been particularly remarkable (other franchises have done a lot better at making excorcisms compelling and scary on screen). Once again, The Exorcist franchise returns, with two of the main characters from the first film. The movie was meant to herald a new trilogy, but it seems Believer is the beginning of the end.
Believer came and went without much fanfare, generally regarded as uninspiring and not particularly scary. While there isn’t likely to be any new attempts in the near future, you can’t help but believe this franchise just can’t be killed.
4Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Just vibes
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Despite a charming cast, cozy aesthetic, and familiar vibe, Ghostbusters: Afterlife is nothing more than a remake of the original except with more speaking roles for women. It’s an entirely competent and well-made movie that is both breezy and ineffectual. It does a lazy thing that most legacy sequels do where it substitutes name-dropping for storytelling, bringing back characters that were iconic in the past without doing anything to earn it.
Afterlife isn’t a bad movie, it’s just an unnecessary one, seemingly a story that’s made to keep the franchise in the cultural conversation and set up more films to follow. There is nothing the least bit novel or surprising about this movie that is perfectly suited to Saturday afternoon viewing.
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5Space Jam: A New Legacy
Two-hour commercial
Space Jam: A New Legacy
I hope no one was especially disappointed by Space Jam: A New Legacy because I just can’t imagine any scenario in which the movie could have been expected to be the least bit good. It’s a slog of a nearly-two hour exercise in corporate synergy and personal branding, made only to make money, directly or indirectly.
This dull film exemplifies the worst of legacy sequels
Soulless and heartless, this dull film exemplifies the worst of legacy sequels, with studios hoping to skate by on names and nostalgia, softening any potentially harsh edges and making sure everything within is put through a focus-group so it’s as palatable as possible. There is nothing redeeming or watchable about this Warner Bros. movie that really wants you to care about Warner Bros.
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6Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
While, technically yes, The Rise of Skywalker is a conclusion to a trilogy of films made within a decade of each other, it’s also a movie that has more to do with films that came some 40 years prior. Having completely ignored its immediate predecessor in The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalkertries to tell a big storyin a short amount of time, hoping that audiences will enjoy it based on the fact they enjoyed the original trilogy.
While The Force Awakens was a decent remake of A New Hope, here, J.J. Abrams put together a pretty terrible remake of Return of the Jedi, complete with a villain turning sides to join an orphan force-wielder against the Emperor, a cute alien that takes to C-3PO, and a big battle that includes Lando Calrissian in action. There are a couple new characters that don’t get much to do, some returning characters that get pushed to the background, and a story that really could be workshopped a lot more because it doesn’t really make much sense. It’s a film that is made to protect the franchise name instead of offering anything the least bit satisfying or entertaining.
