Jace Lamonica
Hollywood loves a good film franchise, but sometimes, things don’t go according to plan. Whether it’s due to dwindling box office returns, creative disagreements, or simply bad timing, many movie series have been cut short before they could reach their full potential.
The Amazing Spider-Man
After a successful reboot with Andrew Garfield, plans for The Amazing Spider-Man trilogy were cut short when Sony struck a deal with Marvel to bring Spider-Man into the MCU. Although the films had their share of fans, disappointing box office returns for the second film left plans for the third in limbo.
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
The adaptation of Rick Riordan’s beloved Percy Jackson series seemed promising, with Logan Lerman in the lead. However, after only two films, the franchise was abandoned. Fans and critics pointed to the film’s deviation from the source material as the main culprit.
The Divergent Series
After the first two Divergent films found moderate success in the charts, the third, Allegiant, underperformed, leading to the cancellation of the final movie. Plans for a TV movie to wrap up the series fell apart when the main cast declined to participate.
Eragon
The Eragon movie was meant to start an epic fantasy series based on Christopher Paolini’s bestselling novels. However, the film failed to impress both fans of the book and general audiences. Lacking the magic of other fantasy franchises, the series was abandoned after the first film.
Green Lantern
Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern was intended to launch a franchise for the DC Comics hero. Unfortunately, the 2011 film was widely panned for its weak story and questionable CGI, leading to poor box office performance. Any hope for sequels was scrapped, and the character was later rebooted in a different direction.
John Carter
Based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic novels, John Carter was envisioned as the first in a major film series. Despite its huge budget, the film flopped at the box office, and Disney decided to pull the plug on any future installments, and fans of the source material were disappointed.
Fantastic Four (2015)
Meant to relaunch Marvel’s First Family with a new trilogy, the 2015 reboot of Fantastic Four was a flop so hard that any plans for sequels were quickly scrapped. Poor critical reception and behind-the-scenes conflicts doomed the project, leaving audiences with an unsatisfying reboot of a beloved franchise.
The Mortal Instruments
The Mortal Instruments, based on Cassandra Clare’s bestselling YA novels, aimed to become the next big fantasy franchise. However, the 2013 film adaptation, City of Bones, didn’t perform as expected at the box office. Future installments were canceled, though fans later got a TV series adaptation.
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Narnia films started strong with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe but lost momentum by the third installment, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Disney backed out after the second film, and despite a brief revival, the series stalled again. With four books left unadapted, C.S. Lewis fans were left disappointed.
Hellboy (2019)
In 2019, the Hellboy reboot was intended to be the start of a new series, but it quickly sank due to poor reviews and low box office numbers. Fans had high hopes after the success of Guillermo del Toro’s original films, but the reboot failed to live up to expectations.
The Golden Compass
New Line Cinema’s adaptation of Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass was poised to be a major franchise. However, due to backlash from religious groups and a lackluster box office, the studio abandoned plans for sequels. The series left the deeper layers of Pullman’s universe untouched until the recent HBO reboot.
Dredd
Starring Karl Urban, 2012’s Dredd was praised for its gritty tone and faithful depiction of the comic book character. Despite a strong cult following and positive critical reception, the film didn’t make enough at the box office to justify a sequel. Fans have long petitioned for another installment.
I Am Number Four
Hoping to build a successful franchise, I Am Number Four hit theaters in 2011, adapted from Pittacus Lore’s book series. Despite the sci-fi premise and teen appeal, the movie didn’t perform well enough to continue the series. Fans of the book only had to accept the adaptation being abruptly halted.
Tron: Legacy
Tron: Legacy was a visually stunning sequel to the 1982 cult classic, and Disney had big plans to continue the story. However, despite solid box office numbers, the studio was hesitant to move forward with a third installment. Fans have long campaigned for another Tron movie.
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Adapted from a book series, The Spiderwick Chronicles was meant to launch a fantasy franchise after its 2008 release. Even with decent box office earnings and positive reviews, plans for sequels were quietly canceled. It’s unfortunate since the story only scratched the surface of the full Spiderwick saga.
