Movie sequels can be a fun way to bring a movie's universe and characters back to tell a different story that adds new information to a franchise, but unfortunately, this is not always what happens. Although several great sequels live up to their antecedent film's greatness or raise the bar even further (a good example is the John Wick series), some do not meet previously established expectations and are a significant letdown.
While making a second installment to a film is an opportunity for characters to grow, it can also be a way to make good box office money, especially when the film it follows is a highly popular one. From The Sting II to Superbabies, we rank the most disappointing movie sequels, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
10 'The Sting II' (1983)
The sequel to 1973's classic film, The Sting, is directed by Jeremy Kagan and written by David S. Ward, who also wrote the previous movie. It follows a new group of characters as they attempt to come up with a meticulous plan involving a scam bet on a boxing match.
Considered a flat, dull, and predictable movie, The Sting II does not impress many (at least on Rotten Tomatoes where it features a 24% audience score). On top of being far too slow-paced for its own good, the 1983 film fails to deliver an innovative storyline and characters, lacking originality as it tells a very similar story to the first installment.
9 'Atlas Shrugged: Who Is John Galt?' (2014)
While the entire Atlas Shrugged trilogy does not count on impressive scores both from critics and audiences, Who Is John Galt is, by far, the least liked out of the three. Set in a post-apocalyptic setting, the final installment of the science fiction drama franchise centers around a mysterious man named John Galt (Kristoffer Polaha) who holds the answer and the power to stop a totalitarian government.
From cast changes to a poorly written script, Where is John Gralt? is hardly a good movie. To fans of the novel originally written by Russian author Ayn Rand in 1957 — the source material from which the movies were adapted — it is even a bigger letdown.
8 'The Gallows Act II' (2019)
After transferring to a prestigious performing arts school and hopping in on a viral challenge involving logging into a sinister website, aspiring actress and vlogger, Auna Rue (Ema Horvath), encounters a malevolent, deadly spirit in this Travis Cluff and Chris Lofing horror thriller.
Although The Gallows Act II is brought to viewers by the same production company that brought horror hits like Paranormal Activity and Insidious (both profitable enough to warrant more than one sequel) to the movie theatres, it makes for a somewhat tedious watch.
7 'Ring 2' (1999)
As Mai Takano (Miki Nakatani) attempts to learn more about the death of her professor, she learns about a videotape haunted by the spirit of a girl named Sadako who died many years earlier. When she discovers that Ryûji's son, Yôichi (Rikiya Ôtaka), is slowly developing the same psychic abilities that Sadako had, she must find a way to stop disaster before it unfolds.
Given how prized the franchise's first installment is (even inspiring the memorable horror flick The Ring), it isn't hard to wonder why expectations were so high regarding Hideo Nakata's film. Although it could've been a much better sequel, the Japanese horror movie Ringu 2 is arguably still a better movie than many of the genre.
6 'Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol' (1987)
When the police force is overworked and understaffed, Commandant Eric Lassard (George Gaynes) has the idea of recruiting volunteers. The fourth installment of the crime comedy Police Academy follows the graduates as they are assigned to train a group of civilians to fight crime on the streets.
Jim Drake's sequel to the popular franchise turned out to be a huge disappointment. According to critics on the website, the installment is not remotely as funny as the previous movies and delivers a predictable, cheesy plot.
5 'Highlander II: The Quickening' (1991)
Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery reprise their roles in Highlander II, which is set in the year 2024. The movie follows Connor MacLeod as he attempts to prevent the destruction of Earth caused by the radiation caused by the damage in the ozone layer.
Suffering the same fate as many franchises, the quality of Russell Mulcahy's sci-fi fantasy series dropped significantly with the release of the 1991 installment. Highlander II fails to meet expectations by delivering a dull and uneventful screenplay that barely adds anything to the previous film.
4 'Staying Alive' (1983)
In this sequel to Saturday Night Fever, John Travolta reprises his role as former disco king Tony Manero who has left Brooklyn and now resides in Manhattan. Set five years after the events of the first installment, Staying Alive follows the character as he attempts to succeed as a Broadway stage dancer.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the Sylvester Stallone movie is considered unnecessary and a true letdown on top of not showcasing any understanding of what made its predecessor film work. Ultimately, Staying Alive is a disappointing sequel that fans of the first film would probably be better off without.
3 'Return to the Blue Lagoon' (1991)
The sequel to 1980's iconic The Blue Lagoon starring Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins, Return to the Blue Lagoon introduces audiences to Brian Krause and Milla Jovovich's Richard and Lilli, two children stranded on an island in the South Pacific.
Return to the Blue Lagoon makes for a pointless sequel that is not interesting and different enough to inspire a good follow-up. In addition to its monotonous storyline, it also counts on similar characters. The bottom line is William A. Graham's film is not quite as good as the original movie.
2 'Jaws: The Revenge' (1987)
Joseph Sargent's follow-up to Steven Spielberg's legendary action thriller Jaws leaves out much to be desired. The movie follows Ellen Brody (Lorraine Gary), Chief Brody's (Roy Scheider) widow, who believes that her family is being targeted by yet another killer shark who seeks revenge.
While it makes for a somewhat entertaining watch (much like many so-bad-they're-good flicks), Jaws: The Revenge lacks tension, logic, and a good premise. It is undoubtedly a disheartening chapter in such a once-great franchise, which explains why it is frequently considered the worst installment of the series.
1 'Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2' (2004)
The sequel to 1999's Baby Geniuses (which doesn't count on great reviews, also), Superbabies is a kids and family comedy directed by Bob Clark. The movie centers around a group of toddlers who put their special abilities to the test in order to stop a media mogul (played by Jon Voight) to alter the minds of many children.
Sci-fi movie Superbabies counts on unfunny jokes and an uninteresting premise that makes viewers wonder why it exists in the first place, especially given how unsuccessful the first film was. Still, it is worth mentioning that the movie is certainly not supposed to appeal to adult viewers.