Movie sequels, once a rare treat, have become an all too common Hollywood trend.  Sequels can be tricky, while some offer thrilling continuances, others have fallen flat leaving viewers scratching their heads in disappointment. The film industry has produced many poorly executed sequels that did not live up to the hype. 

Prepare to look at some of the sad times when Hollywood missed the mark with these sequels that no one wanted. 

Joker: Folie à Deux, the follow-up to the much-praised 2019 film Joker, tries to dive deeper into Arthur Fleck's chaotic mind, but was quite the let down from the original. The first movie was a dark and gritty character study that pulled you in, but this sequel struggled to give that same psychological punch. 

The film with too many musical numbers and a plot that was a bit all over the place took away from the haunting and thought-provoking vibe of the first one. Sure, there are some visually stunning scenes and strong performances, but in the end, Joker: Folie à Deux just did not quite capture the magic of its predecessor.

Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy Put Fan Favorite ‘Free Guy’ Sequel on Hold, While Chasing MCU Ambitions

This film is a far shout from the nail-biting suspense-packed original Jaws film. In the sequel of Jaws: The Revenge, the whole plot is turned around with a vengeful shark that is on a mission to destroy the Brody family. In this whole mess, it is Ellen Brody, played by Lorraine Gray who gets caught in the crossfire. The catch of the movie is when the shark follows her all the way to the Bahamas! 

This sequel may not be the worst movie ever, but it sure is in the ranks for one of the most disappointing sequels. It serves as a good reminder of what can go wrong with unnecessary sequels. 

Transformers: Age of Extinction is an example case of a movie sequel gone wrong. The movie's plot is all over the place with multiple side stories alongside the main plot, which itself is quite wild. Starring Mark Wahlberg, who is a Texas inventor who finds himself caught up in the Transformers chaos. With strange connecting storylines, like the weird focus on Texas' Romeo and Juliet laws that leave you scratching your head. 

The movie with its confusing plot and sub-plots tried touching upon big topics of freedom and consumerism, but it fell flat. Age of Extinction becomes a painful addition to a franchise that was once about epic battles and thrilling adventures. 

Do you remember, The Next Karate Kid?, the sequel to the classic The Karate Kid starring Jaden Smith. The film tried its best to keep the spirit of the original series alive but with a twist. This time the karate kid was Julie Pierce played by a young Hilary Swank. She was a troubled orphan who was guided to betterment by Mr. Miyagi. The idea behind bringing in a female student was pretty cool, but it does struggle to portray the mentor-student relationship when it came to the action scenes especially when compared to the original.

This movie felt like a nostalgic throwback to the original franchise, but it did end up feeling a bit all over the place and not quite capturing that magic of the original trilogy. But who knows, maybe Julie Pierce might be an exciting addition to the Cobra Kai series.

Basic Instinct 2 felt like a failed attempt at trying to mimic the strong positive response that came with the original movie. Sure, Sharon Stone was as captivating as ever in the movie with her larger-than-life persona that will keep you hooked. But to be honest, the rest of the movie with the messy plots and twists, and other characters who lacked depth. Like the male lead of the film who did not stand a chance when paired with Stone's strong character. 

The suspenseful, steamy moments that the film tried to pull off also did not quite hit the mark, leaving you feeling let down despite Stone giving it her all. Basic Instinct 2 feels like a sequel that was just not right.

Zoolander 2 came as much of a letdown as it tried very hard to bring back the charm and humor of the original but completely missed the mark. Instead of the sequel bringing humor by poking fun at the fashion world, it ended up making quite the fool of itself on-screen. Derek and Hansel were back but with them being the kings of silliness in the original film, this one felt like a huge blow. 

The jokes felt forced and there was too much reliance on self-deprecating humor that fell flat in many places. Following the original classic which was a hit of satire and humor this one did not play out well for the series. 

The Independence Day: Resurgence again is one of the sequel films that did not hit the mark quite like the original movie it followed. Sure, the first movie did have its flaws, but it also wowed viewers with its emotional punch and stunning visuals. The sequel on the other hand, not so much. In the sequel, the sheer scale of destruction is so high that it loses any real human feel. And to be honest, without Will Smith, the original film's star, the story's emotional side took a major hit. 

To top it all off, the movie ends with a cliffhanger, leaving the audience hanging, and hinting at more sequels that will probably miss the mark as well. 

Wall Street was a huge success, and a powerhouse of a film with Gordon Gecko, played by Michael Douglas who brought to life the poster child of greed and excess. A moving cinematic experience that many regard as a must watch.But then came the sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. It just did not catch the same depth as the original, with Shia LaBeouf's performance leaving the audience wanting a lot more. And the plot came as a tangled mess that left viewers confused. 

If you have watched Wall Street, you will remember the iconic 'Greed is good' speech hit home for many, the sequel tried to recreate that moment but that did not pan out so well, it fizzled out. Safe to say, Money Never Sleeps got heavily overshadowed by its successful elder brother. 

The Sting II, failed to deliver the original thrilling heist excitement, dragging you through a clouded and confusing plot. The characters who have come back with slightly tweaked names seem to have lost their wit and charm after the first film. The director did say that it was not a direct sequel, but who were they kidding, the whole film leaned on the events of the first film so heavily that it being a sequel was as clear as daylight. 

In the end, Sting II with its tangled-up revenge plot did not exactly deliver gripping storylines or character work. And left the follow-up to the original blockbuster looking lackluster and disappointing. 

John McClane in the Die Hard series is still an unforgettable hero, and the movies are packed with a powerful adrenaline rush. In between all this goodness, came A Good Day to Die Hard which kind of dropped the ball.  This sequel drags McClane all the way to Russia, where he teams up with his estranged son. They are up against some pretty generic bad guys throughout the movie. 

The movie's action scenes were not as packed but were kind of a snooze that plus the messy plot did not make for a good combination. A Good Day to Die Hard is like a reminder that even the best franchises can lose their punch with a sequel. While Hollywood has delivered countless masterpieces, it is clear that not every sequel is a winner. Sometimes it is better to leave it at the original movies, as the sequels just do not live up to the same energy, which is made clear by moviegoers time and again even recently as fans cry in disagreement for Dev Patel’s fabled return in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ sequel following latest updates of the sequel. 

Fans Cry in Disagreement for Dev Patel’s Fabled Return in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ Sequel Following Latest Updates

Comment below if you can think of a Hollywood sequel that was a bigger flop than the ones mentioned!