Top 10 Movie Sequels That Ruined the Original

#10: “Space Jam: A New Legacy” (2021)

The original Looney Tunes and Michael Jordan team-up may not be a classic, but “Space Jam” became a part of many millennials’ youth. As for “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” it relied solely on brand recognition and was essentially a LeBron James and cybernet rehash of the first movie’s thin story. The Looney Tunes were obnoxiously overanimated and Warner Bros. was shameless about meta gags to promote as much intellectual property as possible. The movie stumbled at the box office, perhaps because it was simultaneously released on Warner’s streaming platform HBO Max. The whole project stank of corporate cynicism, dimming fondness for the original in the process.

#9: “The Matrix Revolutions” (2003)

After "The Matrix" pushed the technical and philosophical boundaries of sci-fi action, viewers were eager for sequels. It was disappointing enough when "The Matrix Reloaded" divided audiences, but most agreed that "Revolutions" was a poor ending to the trilogy. The epic mythos that the Wachowskis built came down to convoluted reveals and truncated ideas from "Reloaded." The themes were bent-spoon-fed, and the characters were ironically overpowered by computerized action. It would be 18 years before the saga arguably received more satisfying, if overly nostalgic, justice with "The Matrix Resurrections." Sadly, the legacy of a once-revolutionary blockbuster will be forever corrupted by the generic spectacle of "The Matrix Revolutions."

#8: “Blues Brothers 2000” (1998)

The "The Blues Brothers" was a hit in 1980, and "Blues Brothers 2000" took aim at a new generation. In light of John Belushi's death in '82, the project was ill-conceived from the get-go. The beginning of the movie further betrays fans by revealing that the orphanage the heroes saved in the first film was foreclosed anyway. From there, it's nonsensical gags and action as Elwood Blues tries to revive his band without his late brother Jake. At least the soundtrack still jams. Other than that, "Blues Brothers 2000" is just cacophony trying to hit the old high notes. What the box office bomb does with the first movie's story is just tone-deaf.

#7: “Caddyshack II” (1988)

The hilarious “Caddyshack” is quotable to an annoying degree. “Caddyshack II” is just annoying. The new characters and lazy gags surrounding a golfing tournament are totally uninspired. What’s worse is that it is mostly about milking the characters and gags that made the first film so iconic. Another hit theme song by Kenny Loggins is the sole success. None of that matters next to the travesty of the rascally gopher being turned into mugging animatronic madness. “Caddyshack II” isn’t just your average swing-and-a-miss sequel. It panders to the first movie so lifelessly that if it doesn't tarnish the legacy of a classic, it’s because few people caught the second hole.

#6: “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation” (1997)

1995's "Mortal Kombat" was considered a creatively and commercially successful video game adaptation. Its cult legacy among fans of the brand makes "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation" all the more gruesome. Almost every role was poorly recast. The story took jarring liberties with the original video game property and even the original movie. Beyond that insult to fans, the filmmaking is so bad that some consider it the foundation of video game movies' bad reputation. The brutal reviews and revenue effectively finished the live-action film series until a 2021 reboot. "Annihilation" was an almost fatal error in the franchise.

#5: “Independence Day: Resurgence” (2016)

The invasion epic “Independence Day” was an enormous success, overcoming some critical resistance. Roland Emmerich brought new life to the disaster blockbuster, only to bring it to a new low with “ID4: Resurgence.” After 20 years, beloved characters were either long gone or relegated to uninspired subplots. With humans reverse-engineering alien technology to resist a second invasion, the movie was just about bloated special effects and filled with jingoist overtones. That can probably be said of the first “ID4,” but with all originality and vision stripped away, “Resurgence” highlights the original’s worst qualities. Such a disappointing reception may have ended all promise of the tainted franchise’s continuation. At any rate, even Emmerich admits that returning to his biggest hit was a mistake.

#4: “Speed 2: Cruise Control” (1997)

“Speed” suggested Keanu Reeves’s taste in action, and turning down “Speed 2: Cruise Control” confirmed that taste. Sandra Bullock returns as a civilian hero who thwarts terrorists steering a cruise ship toward an oil tanker. It’s basically the same premise as the first movie, with a new vehicle and a much lower IQ. Even with higher billing, Bullock’s character sank lower in believability. “Cruise Control” was a uniquely lazy capitalization on a hit action movie and the only real bomb in the movie was at the box office. As a dull and dumb betrayal of the first “Speed’s” magic, “Cruise Control” is one of the worst sequels ever and tarnished the first film’s legacy.

#3: “Son of the Mask” (2005)

For eleven years, "The Mask" held a reputation as a cool pop culture staple, notable for Jim Carrey's breakout performance. With no need to revive the brand for a new generation, "Son of the Mask" only spoiled it. A cartoonist conceiving a child while wearing the Mask of Loki was already an awkward setup for a family movie. Behind the super-baby hijinks and bad special effects, what little plot there is fumbles or over-explains the lore. It's one thing to further tone down the edge of the original comics. But "Son of the Mask's” attempt to turn it into outright family entertainment even kills the slick fun of Carrey's classic.

#2: “Jaws: The Revenge” (1987)

Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” was one of the defining modern blockbusters. With that, though, came the unnecessary sequels. “Jaws 2” and “Jaws 3-D” didn’t have much beyond technical gimmicks. But “Jaws: The Revenge” completely failed in both spectacle and narrative. Original characters were sacrificed for the ludicrous concept of a vendetta by the first shark’s descendant. This was still easier to stomach than waiting most of the movie for any action. This lack of suspense alone points to the studio’s total disregard for the fans. There are many more reasons why “Jaws: The Revenge” is considered one of the worst films ever made. While “Jaws” is still recognized as one of the best, its influence on blockbusters sadly extends to the worst kind of Hollywood sequel.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions.

“Zoolander 2” (2016)

Ben Stiller's Supermodel Returns with More Glitz Than Actual Satire

“Exorcist II: The Heretic” (1977)

A Horror Masterpiece Loses Its Soul to a Campy & Convoluted Mess

“Dumb and Dumber To” (2014)

The Heart of a Buddy Comedy Classic Is Dumbed Down to Its Lowest Gags

“The Hangover Part II” (2011) & “The Hangover Part III” (2013)

Memories of a One-Time Comedy Classic Faded with the Headaches That Came After

#1: “Terminator Genisys” (2015)

The liberal use of time travel definitely damages the “Terminator” saga. Fans stayed invested in the characters until “Terminator Genisys” sacrificed character for spectacle and convoluted storytelling. It was frustrating enough when Sarah Connor and a reformed T-800 traveled back to thwart the entire plot of the first movie. But when John Connor was ousted as a Terminator, meant to sabotage his own resistance against Skynet, this twist casually obliterated the series’ constant objective to protect John. The stakes and characters no longer felt consequential. “Terminator: Dark Fate” tried to get things on track from “Judgment Day,” albeit with more mythos meddling. But with gimmicky retcons and lazy nostalgia, “Terminator Genisys” represents the most mechanical of Hollywood sequels.