Sometimes the easiest way to ensure a story is told is to set it in a world that already exists. Studios are always looking to expand established franchises, but due to the ever-evolving machine of the film industry or perhaps the strength of a script, proposed sequels can often find their footing.
Whether it was a concept scrapped during the writing process or a film that studios tried to fill in before abandoning a franchise, some films began as sequels or spin-offs before becoming projects in their own right. While not all films were critical hits, some have become franchises that rival those they were never a part of.
1 ‘A Quiet Place’ (2018)
John KrasinskiThe critically acclaimed horror film almost went into orbit Cloverfield the universe Co-author Scott Beck said, “We were actually talking to an executive there about this movie, and we thought there might be a crossover, but when we finally took the final script to Paramount, they saw it as a completely different movie.”
At that time, 10 Cloverfield Lane It was already at Paramount, and they were looking to expand the franchise, but the strength of the script allowed writers Beck and Bryan Woods to develop it. A Quiet Place into his movie. John Krasinski came in to rewrite the script, and eventually directed and starred in the film. It has since become its own franchise, with a sequel due in 2020, and two more films in the works.
2 ‘Snow Day’ (2000)
Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi They were responsible for the hit show on Nickelodeon The Adventures of Pete and Pete, so when Nickelodeon Movies was founded in 1995, they were the first couple to be commissioned to write a movie. They wrote Snow Day as Pete and Pete: The Movie; however, after it was introduced, it was forgotten. A few years later, the project was revived, but the main actors were too old to reprise their roles.
Snow Day adapted into a new film with a younger cast. However, fans of the original series point to parallels between the film and the characters The Adventures of Pete and Pete. Movie protagonists Chevy Chase, Chris Elliott, Schuyler Fisk, and Emmanuelle Chiriqiand despite a lukewarm reception, it got a musical remake in 2022.
3 ‘Solace’ (2015)
Written in the early 2000s, grief It found a home at New Line Cinema, where directors sought to recreate the hit david Fincher‘s in se7. The studio bought it grief Remaking it into a sequel titled Ei8ht, but no one was too excited about the follow-up to a seemingly perfect movie. Fincher said of the project“I’d be less interested in that than putting out cigarettes in my eyes.”
Without Fincher’s help, the sequel was lost, and the film reverted to a standalone project. However grief got an all-star cast Anthony Hopkins, Colin Farrell, and Jeffery Dean Morganit failed to win over critics or shake up the relationship proposed evil sequel.
4 ‘The Hateful Eight’ (2015)
After Quentin Tarantino he found his groove Django Unchained, he wanted to use what he learned to make another western, but instead of another movie, he went into writing a novel of the same title. Django in the White Hell. The novel would follow Django to a cabin with characters The Hateful Eighthowever, Tarantino began to realize that the audience’s trust in Django was a problem for his story.
“I literally say to myself, ‘You know what’s going on with this piece? Django.’ Django has to go“, said Tarantino. “This play should not have a moral center. It should not have a hero.” He turned his novel into a screenplay and incorporated the characteristics of Django’s character Samuel L. Jackson Main character Marquis Warren. The film stars Jackson, Kurt Russelland Jennifer Jason Leigh like some eight outlaws trapped together in a blizzard.
5 ‘Die Hard With A Vengeance’ (1995)
in the early 90s, Jonathan Hansleigh He wrote a specific script called says Simon. It was offered to him Brandon Lee as a sequel to his film rapid firebut after his untimely death on set CrowIt ended up in the hands of Warner Bros. The studio wanted to rewrite the script. Lethal weapon 4However, Mel Gibson he wasn’t ready to do another one Lethal Weapon the third so soon movie.
The script was eventually sold to Fox, who reworked the script Die Hard With Vengeance, the first part mostly entirely from the specifications. The film received mixed reviews, but has since become a fan favorite of the franchise.
6 ‘Speed 2: Cruise Control’ (1997)
after the huge success of speed, executives wanted to cash in on the success by greenlighting a sequel, even though none of the actors were contractually obligated to return. Fox pitched hundreds of follow-up projects, but eventually settled on a script based on concepts that were developed and abandoned. Die Hard director and producer John McTiernan.
in one 2001 Movieline interview McTiernan said: “After doing it Die Hard 3the studio used and converted most of the material we developed for the other sequel Speed 2: Cruise Control. Boat to the beach and more? That’s what we wrote for Die Hard.” In the end, the directors abandoned the concept of ocean liners because it was too similar to the film under siege. Speed 2 it was a box office bomb and a colossal critical failure.
7 ‘Cyborg’ (1989)
In 1987, Cannon Films had moderate success with their work He-Man the movie Masters of the Universe, based on the Mattel toy line of the same name. Studio and director Albert Pyun began production on a sequel alongside a Spider-Man film to shoot back-to-back. However, Mattel and Marvel canceled their deals with the studio two weeks before filming, as the studio had spent more than $2 million on costumes for the two features.
“I wrote the first draft of what became Zienathe cyborg‘on a weekend and brought in a young actor, who wanted to be a screenwriter, to polish them up.” Pyun said. The film was a modest success for the studio, garnering two sequels and a cult following.
8 “Minority Report” (2002)
Based on a short story by the author Phillip K. Dick, Minority Report In 1992 he was initially chosen as a successor A complete memory (also based on a story by Dick). However, A complete memory Carolco Pictures was unable to secure financing before filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in 1995. A few years later, after becoming an independent project, it came into the hands of the company. Tom Cruise and Steven Spielbergwho was looking for a project to collaborate on.
It took five years for both Cruise and Spielberg to find time between their commitments to make the film. It was a critical and box office success and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Sound Editing.
9 ‘Colombiana’ (2011)
plans to follow up on Leon: Professional it happened right after the hit movie. Luc Besson he wrote the script Mathilda, which would follow Natalie Portman’s as an adult character, and Portman planned to reprise her role. Director Olivier Megaton he said“We decided to do it ten years ago”Mathilda,’ which was’professional‘ sequel, but we couldn’t do it because of the way things turned out.” One of those things was the break with the Gaumont Film Company, who owned the rights. professional.
“When we decided to change the script and make another movie with a revenge story like ‘Mathilda,’ he had to leave everything about Mathilda,” explained Megaton. Besson and Megaton reworked it into a standalone project that turned it into a film Colombia. The film did not find an audience but remains the closest thing to a Leon: Professional Successive viewers will get it.
