The Sequel Dilemma

For my reviewing method, the box office success or the potential of it has little impact. This seems like a no brainer. Money doesn’t always equal quality. Money does however equal expansion. I am constantly met with the following scenario. A highly anticipated film ends with a cliff hanger. I instantly think to what the sequel may include. Three days later the movie is deemed a flop and that’s it. Cut the budget, cut characters, anything! But no, it’s too late. This weekend three films opened, all expected to flop. Sorry Disney, but I'm glad you had the decency to end John Carter at a good point and not leave the audience hanging. (Keep an eye out for the W^M review of the film.)

While the horror film Silent House and Eddie Murphy’s A Thousand Words would be long shots for sequels, it’s clear that studios will turn anything into a sequel for a chance at replicating success. How many Saw movies were there? I saw none of them, (I have a self-imposed ban on horror movies) but apparently somebody did. Three Paranormal Activity movies, a third Hangover is coming to life and nobody will leave Kristen Wiig alone regarding a Bridesmaids sequel. I’m not here to complain that there are no original movies out there. I love franchises, but taking some power out of the hands of the studios would go a long way in quelling the cliff-hanger dilemma.

Imagine if Peter Jackson had made the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring without a financial commitment for the other films. Or if Warner Bros. dropped Harry Potter after Chamber of Secrets didn’t meet expectations. Both seem unthinkable with their overwhelming success and quality. But when studios are unwilling to commit to a franchise we get situations like The Golden Compass, an overly simplified version of the source book, which is dependent on sequels that never came.

Studios are understandably concerned with costs, and it would be unrealistic to think that box office receipts would not be the final call regarding sequels. So here is an open call to all independently wealthy people. I will make the unwanted sequels to all your favorite movies… if you pay. Do you think I can get Matthew Broderick and Hank Azaria to star in my Godzilla sequel?