Sequels are a tricky thing. While it’s true that we want more of something that we love, we also do not want the memory of that thing we enjoyed in any way being tainted. And what does a bad sequel do worse than contaminate our nostalgia of that pure first film?
Well, for better and worse, follow-ups to our favorite films is a part of the business. Of course, Hollywood is going to milk something that made them money. Fortunately, not every sequel is bad. Some, on occasion, live up to the greatness of that first film; some even surpass it. So, let’s cross our fingers and hope against hope that these five upcoming sequels turn out for the better.
M3GAN 2.0
Perhaps the least surprising movie on this list is M3GAN 2.0. The recent doll-centric horror flick absolutely killed it at the box office, grossing over $158 million worldwide off the back of a small-but-efficient $12 million production budget. The follow-up will see both Allison Williams and Violet McGraw return to reprise their roles of Gemma and Cady. Akela Cooper will once again pen the script and powerhouse producers Jason Blum and James Wan will be back to produce. No director is currently attached to the project. M3GAN 2.0 hits theaters January 17, 2025.
TRON ARES
It’s been well over a decade, but Disney is reportedly ready to log back into the world of Tron. The House of Mouse recently tapped Oscar-winner (and Dr. Michael Morbius himself) Jared Leto to star in Tron Ares, the long-awaited sequel to Tron: Legacy. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil director Joachim Rønning is in talks to helm the project. Script responsibilities are being handled by Jesse Wigutow. Production on the film is expected to begin later this year in August in Vancouver, Canada.
GIRLS TRIP 2
If you enjoyed the 2017 comedy hit Girls Trip, then you might want to punch your ticket for Girls Trip 2. The sequel is finally, actually happening, according to producer-writer Tracy Oliver. The original cast will reprise their roles, with their sights set on the West African country, Ghana, as their destination. Not much else is known about the film and Oliver confirmed recently that the project has no timeline because she is still working on the script. The original film was a massive commercial and critical success, grossing $140.9 million against a budget of $19 million which is an outstanding feat for an R-rated comedy.
VIOLENT NIGHT 2
Like he does in real life, the Saint Nicholas of Violent Night (played by Stranger Things‘ David Harbour) is set to return for another bloody Christmas. The action-packed holiday movie recently crossed the $75 million threshold at the global box office against a $25 million budget. So it isn’t too surprising to hear from the film’s director Tommy Wirkola that a follow-up is indeed in the works. Not a whole lot is known about the film, but Wirkola did clarify that Pat Casey and Josh Miller will return to pen the screenplay.
BAD BOYS 4
The Bad Boys are back – again. Franchise stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence excitedly shared the news via their Instagram accounts that a fourth Bad Boys flick is incoming. Sony Pictures also confirmed that the untitled project is currently in early pre-production. There were fluttering’s that the film would get stuck in production limbo following Will Smith’s Oscars slap; however, Sony Boss Tom Rothman disputes this claim, saying that the fourth film is indeed being worked on. It makes sense too. The last film, Bad Boys for Life, was the most profitable in the series so far, racking in $436 million worldwide.
Those are five upcoming sequels you might not have known were on the way. What do you make of the list? Are you looking forward to any of these sequels in particular? Which film do you think deserved a sequel, but never got one? Sound off in the comments below to let us and the rest of the movie-loving world know your thoughts!
movieminutes.net 