Much of the recent criticism of Hollywood comes from the seemingly endless stream of reboots and remakes. The world of cinema is making a vain attempt to exploit a played-out property, like making an eighth Children of the Corn sequel or rebooting the original twice, which sadly actually happened.

The movie business is generally geared toward making money, which is why studios favor proven properties over fresh ideas, but recycling established films and franchises doesn’t always make sound financial sense. Cranking out more MCU films is a no-brainer, but there are tons of confirmed upcoming sequels and reboots that nobody asked for.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on October 4, 2024: Whether classic films that shouldn’t be touched or seemingly endless franchises that keep cranking out new movies, Hollywood can’t always help churning out new sequels and remakes. This list has been updated with new entries and adheres to CBR’s current formatting guidelines.

15  How to Train Your Dragon Could Set a Dangerous Precedent

Dreamworks is Trying its Hand at Live-Action Remakes

Dreamworks is resurrecting one of its most beloved animated franchises in 2025 with a live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon. The original film surprised viewers with its unexpectedly heartfelt message about love and friendship between a boy and his dragon. The film, still remembered fondly today for its incredible animation and musical themes, spawned two sequels and multiple television series.

While fans aren’t completely unexcited to see the franchise’s dragons brought to life with CGI, the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon could set a dangerous precedent for Dreamworks moving forward. As the studio moves away from animating in-house, Dreamworks may follow Disney’s lead in producing live-action remakes of its most popular films. While a How to Train Your Dragon remake might be worth watching, no one wants to see a live-action Shrek.

14The Naked Gun is Getting a Reboot

Liam Neeson Takes Over for Leslie Nielson in this Comedy Reboot

Comedy legend Leslie Nielson is at the top of his game in the original Naked Gun. The adventures of bumbling detective Frank Drebin make for one of the most classic comedy films of all time, spawning a franchise of lesser but still beloved films. However, fans of Nielson were underwhelmed by the announcement that Liam Neeson would be leading a reboot of The Naked Gun, set to be released in 2025.

The very existence of The Naked Gun reboot is strange. While popular, the original film doesn’t have large enough a following among newer generations to make a reboot necessary. Moreover, Liam Neeson is a strange choice to fill Leslie Nielson’s shoes, as his strengths have always been in action and drama. Needless to say, fans of the original Naked Gun aren’t particularly excited for the upcoming reboot.

13Pixar is Making Toy Story 5

Most Fans Feel the Toy Story Movies Should Have Stopped at Three

Toy Story is one of the most beloved animated film franchises of all time and the crowning jewel of Pixar Animation. With four highly-rated films that all performed well at the box office, it makes sense that Disney and Pixar would want to bring the franchise back for a fifth installment. Announced at D23, Toy Story 5 will follow Buzz, Woody, and the gang as they combat the rising role of technology in children’s lives, making toys feel obsolete.

Although the premise is interesting, most fans agree that Toy Story 5 is unnecessary. The near-unanimous opinion on the franchise is that it had the perfect ending with its third installment and that anything thereafter is a cash grab on Disney’s part, even if the remaining sequels were well-received. Nevertheless, the franchise’s heart and humor are simply too charming for even the most pessimistic fans to skip out on seeing a fifth installment in theaters, making Toy Story 6 and beyond feel inevitable.

12The Harry Potter Franchise is Getting a Television Reboot

Max is Hard at Work Making Another Harry Potter Adaptation

Fans of the Wizarding World were surprised to learn that Warner Bros. Studios was working on developing a Harry Potter television reboot, axing the current plans to move forward with spinoffs on the beloved original film franchise. The reboot is currently in pre-production but moving forward fast, with a plan to air new seasons on Max beginning in 2026.

Reactions to the planned Harry Potter reboot were decidedly mixed. While some fans welcome the show’s plan to adapt one book per season and therefore include more of the original story, others aren’t pleased about the idea of the films being replaced as the dominant adaptation. Unlike other book-to-film franchises that followed similar paths (i.e., Percy Jackson), fans feel that they got an adequate adaptation with the Harry Potter movies.

11Pirates of the Caribbean Needs a Sequel Not a Reboot

Fans Want the Return of Captain Jack Sparrow

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been dead in the water for several years as Disney tries to figure out what to do with the sea-faring, swashbuckling story. Multiple new films have been in development with little news coming out about any of them in recent months. However, Disney seems determined to push out a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean film, which is heavily rumored to reboot the franchise with a fresh cast and new stories.

Above all else, Pirates of the Caribbean fans don’t want a reboot. Viewers unanimously agree that the single best part of the original franchise is Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow. Without Depp, there isn’t much of a point in making any additional Pirates of the Caribbean movies. While fans would be open to a sixth film starring Depp’s iconic pirate captain, anything else would be an unnecessary installment in the franchise–and would likely lose money at the box office.

10The Halloween Franchise Won’t Die

Despite a Rocky New Trilogy, Halloween is Coming Back Again

As amazing as the Halloween films have been, well, at least some of them, it is a horror franchise that has gone on too long. Producers of the last installment, Halloween Ends, must have sensed that fact and killed off Michael Myers in a way that left no possibility of him returning to Haddonfield for another round of massacres. The movie was the third part of a reboot trilogy that began with 2018’s Halloween and seemed to put an exclamation point on the franchise.

Much like how The Shape wouldn’t stay dead for 12 films, it appears Halloween will also be rising from the grave. Miramax and Trancas International Films have regained the rights to the franchise and are planning more films as well as a TV series. The series is reportedly going back to John Carpenter’s original film, but it’s hard to imagine that there is anything that it could add to that masterpiece. It is time to let Michael Myers rest in peace.

9Not Another Freakin’ Freaky Friday

Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsey Lohan Are Reuniting for Another Movie

Freaky Friday is a 1976 fantasy comedy, starring Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster as a mother and daughter who switch bodies to be given an appreciation for each other’s lives. It was a fun film that spawned several imitators but is also one of the most remade movies ever. There were additionally a couple of sequels involving the dad of the family with Summer Switch in 1984 and A Billion for Boris the year after that.

In terms of remakes, the made-for-TV movie Disney’s Freaky Friday came out in 1995 with Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffmann as the mother/daughter body-switchers. In 2003, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan took over the roles in a Freaky Friday reboot, and then in 2018 there was another television movie based on the musical stage adaptation. Now, a sequel is in development that would reunite Curtis and Lohan, filling the void for the 12 people who need more of this.

8Blair Witch Is The Franchise That Couldn’t

The Original Horror Film Never Needed a Sequel in the First Place

Released in 1999, the ultra-low-budget horror The Blair Witch Project was a novel idea that, for better or worse, popularized the found-footage genre. It was a huge hit, praised for its originality, but the rushed sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, is regarded as one of the least interesting films ever made. In 2016, Blair Witch, a direct sequel to the original, was released, with the nicest thing critics could say about it was that it didn’t suck as bad as Book of Shadows.

With some awful video games, novels, comic books, and a failed attempt at a TV series, Blair Witch is a media franchise that nobody seems to want. That isn’t stopping rights holders from pressing on, as there is an untitled Blair Witch movie in the works. Lion’s Gate Entertainment and Blumhouse Productions are working on, what has been described as a Blair Witch reboot, which will surely prove that throwing a bunch of money at something will fail to capture the DIY charm of the original.

7Jungle Cruise 2 Is Sure To Capsize

The Original Film Failed to Sail its Way to Success

Disney’s habit of making movies out of attractions from their theme parks has delivered mixed results. While The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has done well for the studio, The Country Bears and Tomorrowland were box office failures. Then, there was Jungle Cruise, released in 2021, which was a colossal flop. With a budget of $200 million, it only earned $220 million in theaters, meaning it likely lost $180 million, ranking as one of the all-time biggest bombs.

For whatever reason, Disney has decided that this was a franchise fans wanted to see more of, so they are developing a sequel that will once again star Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. The sequel was announced after the original had already flopped at the box office and it is set to fill in all the questions of the first film, which was a fairly linear and easy-to-follow movie.

6Hancock 2 Is Way Too Late

People Don’t Care About a Hancock Sequel Anymore

The 2008 Will Smith superhero movie, Hancock, was a huge success, raking in $629.4 million, even though nobody really liked it. Critics hated it, there is no tangible fanbase for the film, and it had zero cultural impact. The consensus is that it was a decent premise that was executed poorly, but again, it made money and that usually means a sequel. 16 years later, it appears like a part two may finally be happening.

The original movie languished in development hell for 12 years, and it looks like the sequel is outdoing that. Director Peter Berg, as well as stars Smith and Charlize Theron, from the original, are said to be on board for a sequel, plus there is supposedly a third big star who will have similar powers to the John Hancock character. The time for this sequel was a year or two after the first one, but now people don’t even remember the movie.

5Midnight Run Is Looking To Run Itself Into The Ground

All-Female Reboots Haven’t Had Their Run Just Yet

The 1988 action comedy, Midnight Run, was a hilarious pairing of Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin in a truly entertaining story. It wasn’t a franchise-building film, nor did it leave open any pressing unanswered questions. Despite those facts, Universal turned it into a trio of cringey made-for-TV movies that had none of the original stars, which aired in the early 1990s. As if that weren’t bad enough for the legacy of this great film, there is confirmation of a theatrically released sequel in the works.

Universal Pictures has announced it is developing a Midnight Run sequel that will star Regina Hall, presumably as a female version of De Niro’s character Jack Walsh. It’s like they learned no lessons from the disastrous all-female reboot of Ghostbusters. It is possible to reimagine characters with different genders and/or ethnicities if done intelligently, but without a strong story behind it, it can be hard to bring audiences on board with the changes.

4American Pie 5 Has Passed Its Expiration Date

American Pie Has Lost Its Appeal to New Generations

Despite having humor based on situations with zero plausibility, American Pie, released in 1999, was a fun movie that captured the time. It was also a huge success, raking in $235.5 million versus an $11 million budget, so a sequel was inevitable. It spawned an entire franchise with four main movies and five spin-offs. The joke, however, got more stale than baked goods passed their expiration date, and the box office totals declined, with the last few going straight to video.

With seemingly nowhere left to go, the main film is getting an unwarranted fifth installment, with presumably most of the original cast on board. Seann William Scott has stated that there is “a great idea” for American Pie 5 in development, while Tara Reid has claimed there is already a script. A lot has changed in the 25 years since the original was released and naughty hijinks aren’t exactly a box office draw anymore, but the biggest issue is assuming audiences want to see a teen sex comedy starring a bunch of people in their 40s.

American Pie is a raucous teen comedy and the film that launched a revival of the genre. It follows a group of high school friends determined to lose their virginity before graduation and delves into the misadventures of the four boys as they navigate the complexities of relationships, peer pressure, and parental mishaps. You’ll never look at warm apple pie the same again.

3Escape From New York Is Trapped In Development Hell

The Adventures of Snake Plissken Should Have Ended Decades Ago

Escape From New York, released in 1981, is one of John Carpenter’s most underrated masterpieces and the most fun vision of a dystopian future to ever hit the big screen. It seems funny now because that future world was set in 1997, but it’s a great movie that still holds up today. The 1996 sequel, Escape From L.A., on the other hand, is one of Carpenter’s worst films, despite Kurt Russell reprising his iconic Snake Plissken role.

There is a sequel or reboot of Escape From New York on the way and there is much trepidation among fans because that last installment was so bad. There is no way a new one will capture the magic of the original and chances are this remake is going to be awful. It has been in development hell since at least 2010 and has flipped several directors, including Brett Ratner and Robert Rodriguez. Even Wyatt Russell, Kurt’s son, turned down a chance to play his dad’s role, citing it as “career suicide.”

 2Nothing Can Top The Thing

The Thing Was Perfect–So It Doesn’t Need a Reboot

Sci-fi horror The Thing is another work of brilliance by John Carpenter that was woefully underappreciated upon its release in 1982. The movie, which featured groundbreaking and disgusting practical effects, actually didn’t fare well at the box office, but later grew into a cult favorite. In 2021, a prequel titled The Thing underwhelmed fans and became one of the biggest horror bombs of all time. Undeterred by reality, Universal Studios and Blumhouse Productions are developing a remake of the original.

This remake is said to incorporate elements of Carpenter’s original film as well as the writings of sci-fi author John W. Campbell, on which it was based. This seems like another case of trying to improve on perfection, which never works out well. CGI effects can’t possibly match the gory brilliance of the first movie, and there is about a zero percent chance that it will have a more compelling story or better performance.

1Night of the Living Dead Rises From The Grave To Die Again

Too Many Classic Horror Films Get Awful Remakes

Besides the fact that zombie movies are completely played out, George A. Romero’s 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead is a perfect horror movie that needs no update and is impossible to improve upon. Regardless, Village Roadshow Pictures is shopping an untitled remake or sequel, written by The Walking Dead’s Latoya Morgan and directed by Nanny creator Nikyatu Jusu. All of this is apparently in conjunction with the late Romero’s production company, so it seems like something that will happen.

It, however, shouldn’t. Make-up effects genius Tom Savini, who provided some of the best gore for Romero films, directed a color remake of Night of the Living Dead in 1990, and it simply wasn’t very good. The movie has had at least nine attempts at reboots, that nobody has ever heard of before because they were all awful. Granted, the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead was quite good, but it didn’t have to live up to the creepy, low-budget genius of the original Night of the Living Dead.