In the current cinematic climate of the movie industry, remakes and sequels of beloved classics are a dime a dozen. Before long they will want to remake The Godfather, which would be absolute heresy. To mark the underwhelming release of the new “The Predator” movie, here are 10 movies that really deserve the sequel treatment (in no particular order of course).
10. Gremlins
This is a movie that fans have been calling for a sequel for since the release of Gremlins 2: A New Batch back in the 90’s. The production company has toyed with making a sequel or remake for a while now, but we seem to be no closer. They have announced that they are working on it, but with the way it’s been for the last 20 years, it wouldn’t be advisable to hold your breath.
With modern special effects as advanced as they have become, it could be a great addition to this new trend of beloved movie re-vamps. And considering that the original cast have all gone on record to say that they would be more than happy to return for their roles, this seems like a sure fire money maker for the studios that they really shouldn’t ignore. Don’t remake this film. It needs a continuation.
Let’s just hope that they use a combination of special effects and puppetry, rather than relying on computer-generated gremlins. If they were to abandon using puppets then a sequel would run the risk of feeling less grounded than the originals.
9. Zombieland
This film was a un-surprisingly fun joyride when it released. Zombies, twinkies and Woody Harrelson with a banjo. What’s not to love? It was actually written to be a television show rather than a movie. So they did develop concepts, that didn’t make the theatrical release, that they could expand for a sequel.
Unfortunately, the creators have been incredibly busy with other projects since, like the Deadpool movies, and the hope for a sequel seems to diminish with each passing year. This flick was so popular with audiences upon release one could only predict a complete home run at the box office for a sequel. But with Woody, Jesse Eisenberg, and Emma Stone on the wage bill, studios likely aren’t inclined to make a big budget zombie film. There are murmurs that a sequel is in the works, but as usual, when it has taken this long to get off the ground, there is still plenty of time for production to cease.
8. Hellboy
Unfortunately, this is a sequel we will never get to see, regardless of how loud fans ask for one. Visionary director Guillermo Del Toro’s planned Hellboy trilogy has been canceled since the second installment, back in 2008. Del Toro even attempted to get public funding in order to complete his story when the studios canceled his plans. Alas, this was not to be. A reboot will be hitting cinema screens next year, but fans can’t help but wonder what could have been.
The first two films were building to something big. One can only assume the story would have culminated with Hellboy bringing about the apocalypse. But with the low box office returns of the first two, it was never likely that a high concept third installment would make it to theatres. A shame really. They are certainly underrated superhero films. Not amazing. But damn good fun. Hopefully, the remake will be as enjoyable and fun as Pearlman’s Hellboy, but with whispers of on set issues, it’s not looking promising.
7. Conan the Barbarian (The Legend of Conan)
Now for a film that was announced almost five years ago but is still no closer to production, nor any release date attached. The Legend of Conan was one of the first sequel promises Arnold Schwarzenegger made on his return to acting after leaving politics, along with Terminator 5 and a Twins sequel. But it must be said that Conan was the more exciting prospect.
The original was an excellent piece of cinema, with beautifully crafted dialogue, and directed to perfection by the late John Milius. Fans of the original have been waiting for a sequel to wash the bad taste out that was left by Conan the Destroyer.
The end of the films both promised another tale to round off Conan’s story, where he will eventually become a great king. Fans deserve the story to be completed, and it looks like it will happen eventually, we just need to be patient. Let’s just hope Arnie doesn’t get too preoccupied with the Terminator franchise that this one gets forgotten about.
6. Dredd
As much as the producers have been trying to get a sequel off the ground, and fans are screaming for one too, there has been no word on whether a sequel to this 2012 remake is going to happen. They would be mad not to. Dredd was made on a shoestring budget comparatively speaking, when you consider the kind of money being invested in superhero films at the moment. And if they could replicate the formulae of cheap filmmaking and good storytelling, there is really no downside.
Dredd was a surprise when it hit theatres, completely erasing the missteps of the Sylvester Stallone outing for the character some 20 years before. It was dark. Gritty. And full of cinematic gold. What went against it was people seemed to have the memory of the original in mind and preferred to not take the risk of investing in a cinema ticket and opted to stream or download it instead. The film didn’t make enough money for the studios to pursue a sequel, but it did generate a fan base that would be ecstatic to see a sequel come out.