What sequels to media franchises would you disregard?

[Alolan_Apples]

Although you have to accept that prequels, sequels, spin-offs, remakes, and reboots exist, you don’t have to acknowledge them as canon when you’re considering collection ore rewatching. This thread can be about films, shows, games, books, or whatever.

Here’s my take:

Although I will post more examples later like I usually do in threads like this, my big one goes to Star Wars. The Original Trilogy is more synonymous with the brand name. The Prequel Trilogy had a very complex and interesting plot about how Anakin joined the dark side. But the Sequel Trilogy, I wouldn’t want to consider it canon. It clearly shows that Disney turned the tragedy of Darth Vader into a sci-fi cash cow. It also opened many plot holes and felt too much like a remake of the originals.

Another example is Toy Story. Although the fifth movie hasn’t come out yet, I’m only going to say that the fourth movie is the last true Toy Story film. When Woody abandoned the other toys and gave up his sheriff’s badge, I can tell that this one will be the last one. I wouldn’t regard any future continuations as true Toy Story films.

 

[TN4U]

Another example is Toy Story. Although the fifth movie hasn’t come out yet, I’m only going to say that the fourth movie is the last true Toy Story film. When Woody abandoned the other toys and gave up his sheriff’s badge, I can tell that this one will be the last one. I wouldn’t regard any future continuations as true Toy Story films.

I too thought Toy Story 4 would be the last film in the series, but nope. Quite honestly for me, It'll be interesting to see what happens next. I haven't seen anything on what it'll be about, but I've got a feeling that Woody starts feeling depressed and lonely for leaving his best buddies behind, and goes on a mission to find them again by himself, with a hesitant and worried Bo Peep - who wants to remain a lost toy - following him. I remembered a while ago after that film was released that Pixar would no longer release sequels anytime soon, but then I recently saw a trailer for Inside Out 2, and now I kind of want a sequel to Wall-E. What would that be about? I dunno. Maybe the robot and Eve trying to stop another major Earth crisis? I'm getting ahead of myself here.

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Let me give a good example right off the bat: Caddyshack 2. What an awful film that was. Nearly the entire original cast was replaced, and the comedy was super barebones and felt incredibly forced. It was also released in 1988, a whole 8 years after the original. It was best to just leave the original film alone and not carry it on, honestly. You know your movie is bad when the best thing about it as a whole was its teaser trailer, which is an obscure THX parody:

Also, I haven't seen any of the films past the second one, but I heard the Terminator movies past T2 were all mediocre at best. Dark Fate essentially "rebooted" the franchise from the second film, but it wasn't a major saving grace despite featuring both Linda Hamilton and Arnie reprising their roles and being well aware of their then-current ages. And don't even get me started on Michael Bay's Transformers. They try so hard to tell a confusing and boring story, and only the fights are worth watching. Those are just a few of the franchises I can think of.

 

[Yanrima~]

I refuse to accept Megamind 2 as canon.

I would only accept Megamind 2 if it was about how Megamind is going to deal with his "hero status" moving forward, but better written. Over all, Megamind didn't need a trilogy, let alone a TV series.

The Last Wish is ironically the last good sequel of DreamWorks animated movies.

 

[Belle T]

Considering how much Capcom like to retcon and fiddle with its place in continuity, it is safe to just treat the fourth Ace Attorney game as non-canon. Even ignoring the quality of the game, it is something of a recurring half-joke in the series that Apollo has a new backstory in every game, because the writers just had zero clue what to do with the poor fellow.

I also consider Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes questionably canon, considering how tonally off-kilter and out of character the stories in that collection are, to the point where there's some debate (albeit not particularly substantial debate) as to whether or not Doyle even wrote it. It is a bit sad to say that, as it was the last book in the series before Doyle's timely death, but I'm happy with the series ending on His Last Bow (though that ending isn't perfect, either, but at least it's conclusive) and pretending Case-Book doesn't exist.

The Jurassic World movies are not canon to the Jurassic Park movies in my eyes. Not just because they're awful. In fact, I'll substantiate that by adding that Lost World and Jurassic Park III are also terrible films, but I'd still consider them canon. But the World films require considerable leaps of logic and mental gymnastics to fit comfortably into the canon. Not the least of which is that the first film in the World series seems to operate firmly under the notion that Jurassic Park was a theme park that was opened to the public and was something that would evoke nostalgia in the characters in-universe, despite the failure of Jurassic Park before it ever even finished its first test run and the subsequent government coverup being the entire premise of the film. It would be like a James Bond film attempting to make meta commentary on James Bond having celebrity status when, by definition of being secret agent, he probably wouldn't be a celebrity.

 

[Alolan_Apples]

I have another example. The Shrek sequels fall under this. While I do think they worked because their plots were based on Shrek’s and Fiona’s relationship (and I did like Puss and Boots), I think Shrek was better off if it didn’t have any sequels. Times have changed, but my perception hasn’t.

I refuse to accept Megamind 2 as canon.

I would only accept Megamind 2 if it was about how Megamind is going to deal with his "hero status" moving forward, but better written. Over all, Megamind didn't need a trilogy, let alone a TV series.

The Last Wish is ironically the last good sequel of DreamWorks animated movies.

You’ll probably be surprised to hear this, but I am pretty cold towards Dreamworks in general. The time they were at their best was when they made movies like Chicken Run and The Prince of Egypt (which were made very early during the studio’s lifetime). Even Shrek 1 was one of the few films made during this time. But when they abandoned traditional animation, started making sequels, and put more focus onto childish comedy, Dreamworks has changed from another high-standard studio like Pixar and became more of an average animation studio filled with mediocre films. While it wasn’t all that bad after 2003 (think, Kung Fu Panda and How to Tame Your Dragon), I think it was at its best at the turn of the century.

 

[Midoriya]

I'm going to get hate for this, but probably the sequels to Ice Age. I don't know how I'd rank them at this point because I'd have to go back and watch them all, but I do NOT understand why they needed to make as many as they did. The first movie was great, but everything afterwards felt unnecessary. Especially when they get past the "ice age" and start introducing dinosaurs... like um, WHAT?!?

 

[Snek]

Many have already said Star Wars, which the Original and Prequels are the only real canon.

I will add another LucasFilm IP: Indiana Jones.
There are only 3 Indiana Jones films and they are Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade. I refuse to accept the new ones, especially the newest one.

 

[pochy]

the sequel to scrubs is hard to watch for me! i just dont find the main characters as sympathetic as jd and the others. the early 2000s also added to alot of the charm of the original which the sequel doesn’t have.

 

[LittleMissPanda]

Hoo boy, here we go...

Shrek the 3rd, Incredibles 2, HTTYD The Nine Realms (I refuse to even acknowledge its existence outside of the purpose of this list) Pocahontas 2, Mulan 2, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Kronk's New Groove, The Fox and the Hound 2 (God it's so bad) .... Okay let's see... Toy Story 4 (Forky needs to ****ing burn) Ice Age Continental Drift, Ice Age Collision Course, Rio 2, to some extent The Croods 2 and Kung Fu Panda 3, Brother Bear 2, Happy Feet 2, and believe me I could go on and now the newest additions to the list: Megamind 2 and Kung Fu Panda 4... Big sigh...

Frozen 2? Please, we didn't need the first Frozen.

 

[Alolan_Apples]

Hoo boy, here we go...

Shrek the 3rd, Incredibles 2, HTTYD The Nine Realms (I refuse to even acknowledge its existence outside of the purpose of this list) Pocahontas 2, Mulan 2, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Kronk's New Groove, The Fox and the Hound 2 (God it's so bad) .... Okay let's see... Toy Story 4 (Forky needs to ****ing burn) Ice Age Continental Drift, Ice Age Collision Course, Rio 2, to some extent The Croods 2 and Kung Fu Panda 3, Brother Bear 2, Happy Feet 2, and believe me I could go on and now the newest additions to the list: Megamind 2 and Kung Fu Panda 4... Big sigh...

Frozen 2? Please, we didn't need the first Frozen.

I agree with you on most of the sequels. Ralph Breaks the Internet earns a special mention for putting all of the WDAS Disney Princesses and a Rickroll into the movie. Crossovers do not belong in the Animation Canon. That’s like putting a Harry Potter book in a fairy tale collection.

About the Frozen thing, do you really felt that Frozen should’ve never been made, or do you just not like the fact that it was overhyped?

 

[LittleMissPanda]

I agree with you on most of the sequels. Ralph Breaks the Internet earns a special mention for putting all of the WDAS Disney Princesses and a Rickroll into the movie. Crossovers do not belong in the Animation Canon. That’s like putting a Harry Potter book in a fairy tale collection.

About the Frozen thing, do you really felt that Frozen should’ve never been made, or do you just not like the fact that it was overhyped?

Both.

But I will be honest: I think the song Let it Go is actually not bad. It's even better in different languages.

 

[Peach_Jam]

honestly the only one that comes to mind is Toy Story 4. it felt unnecessary and a lot of the things that happened felt out of character. I think Toy Story 3, though bittersweet, had an ending that made the most sense and felt the most conclusive.

 

[Alolan_Apples]

Here’s another sequel I would dismiss as non-canon: Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time.

Although the original PS2 trilogy ended on a depressing note, it should’ve ended with Sly 3. Sly 4 was a sequel that we didn’t really need. The plot twist surrounding Penelope and the cliffhanger ending surrounding Sly made Sly 4 the worst game when it comes to story. Even the villains aren’t that entertaining or good.

 

[Xara]

All of the Scream sequels. The original is one of my favourite horror movies, but aside from Scream 2 and Scream 3 that were at least somewhat enjoyable imo, all of the sequels have been so unnecessary and dumb. It’s the same storyline over and over again, and Ghostface’s reason(s) for becoming Ghostface are becoming dumber and dumber.

It’s honestly just beating a dead horse atp, and after how bad Scream (2022) was, and the fact that it killed off one of the biggest reasons why the franchise was so likeable, I have no interest in seeing Scream VI or Scream VII when it comes out. I love Jenna Ortega, but not even she made Scream (2022) or Scream VI worth watching.

 

[Belle T]

Frozen 2? Please, we didn't need the first Frozen.

I have to actually give Disney some credit in that Frozen 2 is probably the first Disney princess sequel that feels like some actual effort was put into it. It didn't pay off, as the film is still disjointed and messy. But it actually explores and expands upon the characters, story, and themes, rather than either just rehashing it under vaguely different pretenses or just wasting the viewer's time with useless padding for ninety minutes straight. So I don't know; I have a bit of a fondness for Frozen 2, even if it's not exactly a good movie. I think that deserves a good noodle sticker...

...which is more than I can say for much of Disney's more recent catalogue.

 

[ShawnFuzz]

For me it is Ghostbusters. How can you have any team of Ghostbusters who aren't the original cast? It just doesn't seem right without all of them.

 

[Seastar]

This is probably me being silly but why were there so many sequels to Air Bud and The Land Before Time?
In Air Bud's case, I think it eventually turned into spin-offs? I don't know, I haven't seen most of them.

 

[rocketspruggs]

The following sequels, spinoffs, and remakes shouldn't have existed:

☆ The Powerpuff Girls Z
☆ The Fairly OddParents!: Fairly Odder
☆ Ren and Stimpy: Adult Party Cartoon
☆ Kamp Koral
☆ The Patrick Star Show
☆ Planet Sheen
☆ Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Long Haul
☆ We Baby Bears
☆ Baby Shark's Big Show!
☆ VeggieTales in the House/VeggieTales in the City
☆ The CGI versions of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Rodrick Rules
☆ Rugrats (2021)

 

[Nunnafinga]

The Godfather Part III- Geez,It's hard to believe that Francis Ford Coppola(who directed the first two Godfather movies) actually directed and co-wrote Godfather III.This movie plays out like it was made-for-tv.It doesn't have the scope or the acting talent of the first two movies and feels like an poor relation,twice removed from the first two Godfather movies.

Star Trek: Nemesis- Where do I start with this stinker?For me,this is by far the worst Star Trek movie ever made.....even worse that Star Trek V and The Motion Picture.It's like they borrowed bits and pieces of other Star Trek movies and tv episodes and stuck them together with Scotch tape and paper clips.I once called it "cinematic head cheese".This was the last movie for the Next Generation crew and fortunately they received a proper sendoff in the last season of the Star Trek: Picard tv series.

Airplane 2:The Sequel- The original Airplane! is a classic and there never should have been a sequel.But money talks and they went ahead and did it anyways.Do you know what happens when you use a teabag over and over?You get weak,flavorless tea and this is pretty much what Airplane 2 amounts to.The team that did the original Airplane!(Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker) had nothing to do with the sequel because they knew that a movie with that particular style of comedy was something that can't be duplicated.

 

[QueenCobra]

— I haven’t seen it, but the spin-off to S and the City is said to be pretty bad and a lot of fans of the original think it’s unrealistic for the characters…so, that one.

— The Little Mermaid II

—The Ranma 1/2 movies

—Riverdale

—A lot of newer Simpsons episodes

— The Disney version of Doug

—The American Tail sequels

—The Napoleon Dynamite animated sitcom

—That Christmas Beauty and Beast movie scared me, so I like to consider it non-canon lol.

—The Roseanne reboot

—Fuller House

—Vegas Vacation

— Grown Ups 2 (it had its moments, but it wasn’t nearly as funny as the original)