Which Movie or TV franchise has been destroyed the worst?

Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
edited July 29 in General Movies & TV Posts: 25,410
Which Movie or TV franchise has been destroyed the worst?
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  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,827
    Superman.
  • DaltonforyouDaltonforyou The Daltonator
    Posts: 556
    Indy. They need to retcon DOD and lure Harrison back with a king's ransom.
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    Posts: 3,800
    Star Wars, I've liked that series for so long, but it's grown repetitive to me, no more directions left for the creators to go.

    It became stale, generic and formulaic (especially the story), and now that the Dune series has been out, it even shows what the Star Wars franchise were really (and have been) lacking, no longer interesting, it's like an endless story now made to keep the Star Wars' relevance and not to be forgotten by people.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,207
    I'd make a case for Jaws.

    Going from what is considered one of the best films ever to what is considered one of the worst films ever with Jaws: the Revenge.
  • ProfJoeButcherProfJoeButcher Bless your heart
    Posts: 1,714
    I guess I would say Star Wars. Whether you enjoy just three films, or six, or even if you enjoy some of the newer stuff, when people say "Star Wars" today, you generally think of things that don't really resemble the original films in tone, style, or plot at all.
  • Terminator.

    Rings of Power was awful; made the Hobbit films look like masterpieces (which they had flashes of).

    Star Trek has had some right turds in the last 15 years or so.

  • Posts: 1,448
    Yeah, Terminator and Jaws.

    But you can't make a franchise of Jaws, that was their first mistake.

    Robocop had a lot of potential. The sequel is pretty good but they lost their way. Maybe it was never popular enough.
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    edited July 20 Posts: 3,800
    Terminator.

    Rings of Power was awful; made the Hobbit films look like masterpieces (which they had flashes of).

    Do you think no new releases in that series could beat LOTR?

    Haven't seen Rings of Power yet, and I've quite enjoyed The Hobbit (but it's still not on par with LOTR).

    Back to the main topic by the way: speaking of British Films, maybe the magicians series 😅 is it the Fantastic Beasts? Or Harry Potter?
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,477
    I can think of a few.

    Star Wars

    We knew Disney was going to "expand" the universe. I actually think it could have gone well and there were some interesting places and characters to explore. However they have done just about the worst job doing it. It started with not really having a laid out trilogy for episodes 7-9. They ended up with a hash and mash of styles. I felt for JJ having to bring threads of Rian's story to a conclusion. They butchered having Luke, Han and Leia together and that should have hinted at the problems.

    The TV shows have played fast and loose with cannon and continuity. Having Obi-Wan spend so much time with Leia and ignoring Luke. Lazy writing and lazy execution of the ideas was disappointing to see. I am reminded of the "sausage factory" idea of churning out product without much thought. The Acolyte was a great summation of all that is wrong with this universe now. They would be wise to think about things going forward.

    Lord of The Rings

    Another universe that seemed to be right to explore and expand. Tolkien certainly gave them quite a bit to work with and places to explore. Instead of being true to the subject matter, the powers that be decided that this needed to be injected with some modern ideas and concepts. They pissed off the loyal fans chasing after an expanded audience and the result left everyone disappointed.

    Marvel

    It started out well. Great movies with strong plots. The characters were well cast and there was even an over-arching story that could be followed even if you missed some of the movies. We hit the ground running with the larger than life heroes. It was all in good fun. But then the creative folks decided to bring in TV shows and that those TV shows would be connected to movies. The movie wasn't as enjoyable unless you watched the TV show that had fed into it. The sausage factory was in evidence here as well. We ended up with some shoddy special effects and one release after another. It seemed to be with less care and more about getting out content.

    Then an unfortunate casting of the main baddie for the next series of movies led to story ideas being re-worked and down played. The next tier of heroes featured wasn't as good as the first group. Which made the movies less fun and less popular.

    The introduction of the "multi-verse" created a world where the stakes weren't high or as final. Characters could die in one universe only to re-appear in another.

    Of the three I have mentioned, I think Marvel is the closest to being rescued. I think the one that is in the biggest mire of shite is Star Wars.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,256
    @Fire_and_Ice_Returns
    When you say, franchise, you mean 'film series'? A 'franchise' comprises much more than just the films. So when people answer, for example, Star Wars, I disagree. Besides the films there are also books, video games, comics, toys, clothes and tons of merchandising. In many of those regards I think Star Wars is still going strong, very strong, in fact.

    In fact, I doubt any of the aforementioned 'franchises' has destroyed itself, including Terminator. And LOTR is still selling its books and tons of merchandising with ease. A pretty strong franchise still, regardless of the movies.

    Furthermore, I don't think franchises or film series really ever destroy themselves. Even when the films reach an all-time low, they are just one brilliant reboot away from being revived. A few examples:

    Planet Of The Apes was considered dead after Battle, and especially after the Burton film. Then the recent films happened... Some considered Star Wars dead after the prequels. TFA and its sequels, despite what many people think, made a ton of money and generated a whole new generation of fans. The recent Disney+ series then? Well, they are only a single Mandalorian S01 away from being immensely popular again. People called Batman dead after B&R but failed to take into account DC Comics, the Animated Series, toys and much more. And then Batman Begins happened, and Batman was back in business in cinemas too.

    All I'm saying is that successful 'franchises' are hard to kill, even with one or two disappointing films and whatnot. Even film series can always return with a bang.

    If I had to answer the question, shotgun to my head, I'd probably say that the future doesn't look too good on the film series A Nightmare On Elm Street, but merely because of these damned rights issues that for a long time seemed impossible to resolve. The rights have recently reverted to Craven's estate, so I guess that even this dead series can be revived some time soon.
  • DenbighDenbigh UK
    edited July 20 Posts: 5,970
    Friday The 13th?
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,477
    I could add Harry Potter, or do we call it Fantastic Beasts or do we call it the Wizarding World? The 8 films about the novels are a wonder and really did a nice job of pleasing hardcore fans and bringing in those who hadn't read the books. The Fantastic Beast movies show us that maybe J.K. is better as an author. The series has been uneven in execution. Casting choices might have played a role too. Now there is a project in development to revisit the Potter books? Isn't that a fools game? The poor actors will be compared to the original cast and do we really need all the stories and subplots that the films left out?

    I do love the Harry Potter world in Universal Florida. Excellent attention to detail and fantastic rides. It really immerses you in the world of Harry Potter. Can't wait to see the new ride in 2025.
  • edited July 20 Posts: 12,521
    A big one that comes to mind for me I didn't see here yet is Pirates of the Caribbean. The original film is one of my favorite movies ever, and while flawed, I thought Dead Man's Chest and At World's End were solid sequels that should have wrapped up a fine trilogy. On Stranger Tides was superfluous and I didn't like it, and then Dead Men Tell No Tales was worse. They basically feel like self-parody films, and Jack Sparrow, who started off as one of film's most original and fun characters back in Curse of the Black Pearl, is unbearably obnoxious and unlikable in Dead Men Tell No Tales. Things just got so lazy and unnecessary. It's probably not objectively the right answer for this thread, but I definitely think it's a franchise worth bringing up as a classic example of diminishing returns; I'd literally rank them 1 > 2 > 3 > 4 > 5.
  • Posts: 380
    The Matrix was a great groundbreaking movie. Reloaded and Revolutions were both truly awful. And who the hell even wanted or needed Resurrections.
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,477
    FoxRox wrote: »
    A big one that comes to mind for me I didn't see here yet is Pirates of the Caribbean. The original film is one of my favorite movies ever, and while flawed, I thought Dead Man's Chest and At World's End were solid sequels that should have wrapped up a fine trilogy. On Stranger Tides was superfluous and I didn't like it, and then Dead Men Tell No Tales was worse. They basically feel like self-parody films, and Jack Sparrow, who started off as one of film's most original and fun characters back in Curse of the Black Pearl, is unbearably obnoxious and unlikable in Dead Men Tell No Tales. Things just got so lazy and unnecessary. It's probably not objectively the right answer for this thread, but I definitely think it's a franchise worth bringing up as a classic example of diminishing returns; I'd literally rank them 1 > 2 > 3 > 4 > 5.

    I concur, I didn't even bother watching 4 and 5. To me the first three worked because of the cast and the ensemble feel of it. You had Sparrow but he wasn't the whole movie, though he slowly took over. There has been talk of a reboot with Margot Robbie being the main pirate, but I am not sure that is going forward as she is now pregnant.
  • Last_Rat_StandingLast_Rat_Standing Long Neck Ice Cold Beer Never Broke My Heart
    Posts: 4,600
    cooperman2 wrote: »
    The Matrix was a great groundbreaking movie. Reloaded and Revolutions were both truly awful. And who the hell even wanted or needed Resurrections.

    I can agree with Resurrections now that a few years have passed. Hard disagree on Reloaded. Or put it this way, watch an action scene from Resurrections and then from Reloaded. Night and day.
  • mattjoesmattjoes Pay more attention to your chef
    Posts: 7,057
    Blockbuster
    Burger King
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,343
    James Bond, according to some people on this forum.

    Exhibit: No Time to Die.
  • RichardTheBruceRichardTheBruce I'm motivated by my Duty.
    edited July 20 Posts: 13,916
    Winnie the Pooh.


    Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey Trailer #1 (2023) (2:02)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3E74j_xFtg

    Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 Trailer #1 (2024) (2:09)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9-jhznkB3g

    original-1.gif
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    Posts: 3,800
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    James Bond, according to some people on this forum.

    Exhibit: No Time to Die.

    Oh probably you've hit the nail on the head! 😁

    How I did not realized that? Oh, I remember I'm in MI6community.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited July 21 Posts: 18,343
    SIS_HQ wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    James Bond, according to some people on this forum.

    Exhibit: No Time to Die.

    Oh probably you've hit the nail on the head! 😁

    How I did not realized that? Oh, I remember I'm in MI6community.

    I suppose that it's so obvious that it doesn't even need mentioning. ;)
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    edited July 21 Posts: 3,800
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    SIS_HQ wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    James Bond, according to some people on this forum.

    Exhibit: No Time to Die.

    Oh probably you've hit the nail on the head! 😁

    How I did not realized that? Oh, I remember I'm in MI6community.

    I suppose that it's so obvious that it doesn't even need mentioning. ;)

    I'm just afraid of being ostracized and have the members here tie me up and offer me to Baron Samedi for some sacrifice..... :-SS
  • ArapahoeBondFanArapahoeBondFan Colorado
    Posts: 69
    DC.
    Exhibit: The Snyderverse.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,343
    SIS_HQ wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    SIS_HQ wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    James Bond, according to some people on this forum.

    Exhibit: No Time to Die.

    Oh probably you've hit the nail on the head! 😁

    How I did not realized that? Oh, I remember I'm in MI6community.

    I suppose that it's so obvious that it doesn't even need mentioning. ;)

    I'm just afraid of being ostracized and have the members here tie me up and offer me to Baron Samedi for some sacrifice..... :-SS

    Don't worry, my eyes will protect you from any harm. 👀
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,477
    I do wonder when does the Bond franchise get some damage from the wait between films? Based on what I am seeing is it unreasonable to expect the next film in 2026? Or is 2027 more likely? That will make it 5 years? The series was paused in 1989 when the legal woes grounded things to a halt and no Bond movie for 6 years but that was self inflicted by legalities. This seems more damaging to me as it's the producers who are the cause of the pause.

    As mentioned earlier a franchise can be more than the films. In this case the producers have not shown any enthusiasm to have spin off characters or series like Star Wars, or Fantastic Beasts. They don't control the publishing of the books. They can license the property for video games and while their is product in the pipeline it isn't coming out any time soon.

  • Posts: 4,300
    To be fair, I don't think spin offs in visual media like the Fantastic Beasts films would benefit Bond. There's a case to be made it'd weaken the main Bond films (ever so slightly anyway) due to viewers being exposed to too much Bond related stuff, especially if they're of lesser quality than the main films (that's seemingly what's happened with Star Wars anyway, and the Fantastic Beasts films have had diminishing returns).

    To be fair to EON as well, they've taken an active role in the recent reality show (not that I've heard stellar reviews of it, but oh well) and the new video game (which could potentially be successful and a nice way of engaging fans and new audiences before a film). But otherwise I'm glad we don't have spins offs of supporting Bond characters (I don't think anyone is crying out for a trilogy of prequel films about Judy Dench's M/her origin story).
  • thedovethedove hiding in the Greek underworld
    Posts: 5,477
    I agree @007HallY I wonder if they are damaging the franchise by waiting this long between films? Or is this an acceptable amount of time between films? Course with the pandemic I think 2021 seems longer ago than it actually is.
  • Posts: 4,300
    thedove wrote: »
    I agree @007HallY I wonder if they are damaging the franchise by waiting this long between films? Or is this an acceptable amount of time between films? Course with the pandemic I think 2021 seems longer ago than it actually is.

    I don't think they're damaging the franchise by waiting this long. It's going to be a new Bond era anyway. A bit of distance helps (I know we as fans get a bit twitchy about this wait, but most people don't think about Bond much in between films, but can get hyped for a new film when publicity for it begins).
  • Vinther1991Vinther1991 Denmark
    Posts: 64
    So, in conclusion, I will say it is a three-way tie:
    1. Indiana Jones - For wasting most potential. Could have been a James Bond competitor, had they recast the title character in the 90s. Imagine if EON had been so obsessed with Connery that they refused to make any more films without him, yeah that would also have killed that franchise. Harrison Ford is not Indiana Jones, by pretending that he is, we get movies with 80-year old men pretending to be action heroes. Was never a huge fan of this franchise in the first place, but Raiders and Crusade are good enough.

    2. Star Wars - For destroying its own legacy the most. Was never a huge fan in the first place, but used to like the first two. Now with the amount of crap they have released, I can't even enjoy the first two. The mythology and fandom makes me sick.

    3. Marvel Cinematic Universe - For damaging film culture the most, and by dragging other promising franchises into a generic connected universe. The MCU itself was never any good in the first place though.
  • DenbighDenbigh UK
    edited July 25 Posts: 5,970
    007HallY wrote: »
    thedove wrote: »
    I agree @007HallY I wonder if they are damaging the franchise by waiting this long between films? Or is this an acceptable amount of time between films? Course with the pandemic I think 2021 seems longer ago than it actually is.

    I don't think they're damaging the franchise by waiting this long. It's going to be a new Bond era anyway. A bit of distance helps (I know we as fans get a bit twitchy about this wait, but most people don't think about Bond much in between films, but can get hyped for a new film when publicity for it begins).
    Franchise films are in a strange place right now, I think the time EON are taking is only a positive to be honest.
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