Hearing that a sequel or adaptation of one of your favorite movies is coming out is one of the best feelings. The worst feeling that commonly goes along with it is finding out the movie was not what you expected.
Sometimes, movie producers and companies go too far in adding movies and TV shows to a franchise. But, some are exactly what the franchise needed and are well executed to be completely worth it.
The first example of a franchise not needing a sequel or adaption is when the movie was a few decades old. However, if taken the correct way it can be a cinematic masterpiece adaption, but there are a lot of holes for errors. Personally, a sequel or adaption loses tie when it also loses the main characters. The combination of being older, losing ties to the original characters, and creating an entirely new story seems pointless, and sometimes confusing. For the second Hocus Pocus, that was exactly what happened. There were subtle references toward the original characters, and the witches were prominent, but the main characters were completely newly introduced. Although the movie was still entertaining, some, including myself, were hoping the characters may be related to Allison and Max, and were let down after.
Another movie that does this is A Quiet Place: Day One. I am not a fan of horror or thriller movies, so I had never seen the first two but went for the sake of hanging out with my friends. They both were excited about the movie, having seen the first two, and hoped to see the beginning of the whole story. Instead, we were met with a completely new story, characters, and location. From what I collected, the story was moving and emotional, but seemed unnecessary and forced. The scheme of the story was already known by my friends, proving that there was not an important purpose to the movie.
Another thing that seems unnecessary to franchises is re-making a movie. Sometimes, re-making and re-imagining a movie or TV show is entertaining, and shows a brand new outlook and creativity point. How Disney recreates their animated movies into live-action is perfectly crafted. They capture the main points of the original movies while adding scenes, songs, and characters that add to the story while not taking away from the original movies. My favorite is Maleficent and Sleeping Beauty. They add to the story from a villain’s perspective, showing why Maleficent may have been more in the right than wrong by giving new information while keeping the original ideas.
A remake that did not get the results predicted was the remake of Mean Girls. It had great intentions, of keeping the original movie plot but using the music and certain parts from the musical. Instead, many said that it lost the musical aspect and emotion by recreating it in movie form and that it did not live up to the expectations set for it. People harassed the film on social media, such as TikTok, comparing every minor detail, not necessarily because the movie was bad, but because it was nothing to be compared to the musical or original film. The idea was there, to make the beloved musical more accessible and remembered to the public, but proved to not be loved by all as the makers may have hoped.
Of course, sequels can always be great additions, but sometimes they are a hassle and a waste of time. Upcoming and current continuations include Moana 2, which I have yet to see, but think will be a great, appropriate adaption, while others may not live up to the expectations. There is rumored to be a third Princess Diaries, which if taken the correct way would be a great adaption. It is ultimately left up to whether it is taken down a new path or one of continuation, similarly to the fate of many others.
Although sequels are ultimately great, to show what else happens in such a universe to beloved characters, or show other ways things may have gone, it becomes draining when they let you down and don’t give what you expected in early theories from fans. Sometimes though, it all furrows down to giving each one a chance to prove your dreams and desires hopefully correct and fulfilled.
