Hollywood often gets criticized for pumping out franchise films as fast as McDonald’s makes French fries.
And this summer was no exception, playing host to 14 sequels — four more than last year and tied with 2007 for the most of all time. (And that’s not counting films like “The Legend of Tarzan” that were released in hopes of creating lucrative new franchises.)
But only three of this year’s sequels — Universal-Blumhouse-Platinum Dune’s “The Purge: Election Year,” Disney-Pixar’s “Finding Dory” and Disney-Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” — outperformed their predecessors at the box office.
For studios, the franchise business is worthwhile even in an environment of diminishing returns. Fox has committed to more “X-Men” movies even though May’s “Apocalyse” topped out at $155.4 million domestically — $80 million less than the previous film.
In rare instances, a blockbuster doesn’t guarantee a follow-up. A source close to Disney told TheWrap there are absolutely no plans right now to make followup films for “Finding Dory” or “Captain America” — though Chris Evans‘ superhero will appear in the upcoming “Avengers: Infinity War.” Meanwhile, a “Dory” followup wouldn’t conceivably come for at least another six years given the fact that Pixar is hitting a hard pause button on sequels until roughly 2022.
TheWrap has taken a hard look back at this sequel-stacked summer, which also played host to new films that have set the stage for future franchises. Here are five lessons we have unearthed:
1. Too many sequels can be a snore. As most new franchise installments fell on their faces, sequelitis was certainly the scourge that the summer couldn’t shake. Among the biggest losers were Disney’s “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” Universal’s “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,” Fox’s “Ice Age: Collision Course” and Paramount’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.”
“It was the audience who voted with their absence from what were expected to be the most likely sure bets of this or any given summer season,” Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at comScore, told TheWrap. “It may not be so much of a bias against sequels, but more the immediate social media and critical reaction to movies that are perceived as less than stellar.”
2. There’s hope for original ideas. The summer gave rise to its first new franchise when Universal announced a sequel for the animated hit “The Secret Life of Pets.” After that, New Line announced a followup to its scary movie “Lights Out” less than two weeks after it opened in theaters.
There are also other movies that are in prime position to launch their own first set of followup films: Warner Bros. seems seconds away from announcing a sequel to “Suicide Squad” (outside of the previously announced spinoff of Margot Robbie‘s Harley Quinn in “Birds of Prey”); it’s looking good for another “Sausage Party” from Columbia and Annapurna, TheWrap has learned. And STX’s “Bad Moms” is all but a sure bet for a sequel.
An “Angry Birds” sequel from Rovio and Sony is also a strong probability. “All the merch associated with that franchise is hard to pass up,” said Jeff Bock, senior analyst at Exhibitor Relations.
The trick for studios will be in applying the hard lessons learned from the many failed sequels this summer to make the best possible followup movies. “Don’t break the bank on budgets and mount great marketing campaigns for each,” warned Dergarabedian. “The most important ingredient is that the quality of the next installments must be the top priority and not the exploitation of a popular original concept to turn a quick profit.”
Bock agreed: “As much as studios want roman numerals, they need to slow down or risk burning out the franchise.”
3. Reviving dormant franchises isn’t a sure thing. “The Legend of Tarzan” joined other box office disappointments this year that attempted to reboot movies or franchises that have been off the screen for a decade or more, including “Independence Day: Resurgence,” “Ghostbusters,” “Pete’s Dragon” and “Ben-Hur.”
“Ghostbusters,” “Independence Day,” “Ben-Hur” and “Tarzan” are, in particular, cases where studios gambled on pricey reboots of very old properties. “They’re not truly craved by fans,” Bock told TheWrap of the glut of years-later reboots and sequels.
Though, in spite of tens of millions that were lost on the female-led “Ghostbusters” movie, an animated feature is still in the works as the brand is alive and well within the walls of Sony, sources tell TheWrap.
While the very successful “Finding Dory” came out 13 years after “Finding Nemo,” it was the exception and not the rule among Hollywood’s dusted-off ideas that entered multiplexes this summer.
Other modestly budgeted scary movies, including “The Shallows,” “Purge: Election Year” and “Don’t Breathe” have also opened strongly this summer with a sequel already in store for the very profitable “Lights Out.”
5. Foreign markets matter. The U.S. is still the center of the entertainment world, but the fast-growing international box office is more important than ever in determining which films end up making money — and which make sense for a sequel.
“Captain America: Civil War” and “Finding Dory” dominated every market, but that’s increasingly unusual nowadays.
The Chinese box office, which could become the world’s largest as soon as 2017, boosted the fortunes of domestic underperformers, making “Warcraft 2” and “Now You See Me 3” possible.
“Now You See Me 3” is a co-production between Lionsgate and a Beijing film company and will feature a heavily Chinese cast, while “Warcraft 2” may not even get a U.S. release.
6. Brands kept barely alive.
Fox’s rights to Marvel’s “X-Men” series is on a use-it-or-lose-it basis. While the studio would have loved to see more success with “X-Men: Apocalypse,” which came in nearly $80 million lower than its predecessor “Days of Future Past,” filmmakers are incentivized to keep up fast clip or risk relinquishing the rights to Disney-Marvel.
This summer’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” sequel didn’t do that great at the box office either, but that won’t stop Paramount from turning a lucrative merchandise profit from a sagging movie series. That studio also faces a ticking clock on rights to the franchise.
Fox’s “Ice Age: Collision Course” markedly underperformed — but so what? There are other revenue streams aside from movie ticket sales.
Summer Movie Report Card: Will There Be Sequels of 'Finding Dory,' 'Bad Moms,' 'Warcraft'? (Photos)
This was the summer of sequels, but not every follow-up was created equal. "Finding Dory" clearly met a craving the worldwide film audience had for another animated fish adventure, but plenty failed to land. Here's TheWrap's franchise report card.
Various
"Captain America: Civil War" (May 6)
Worldwide Box Office: $1.15 billion
Budget: $250 million
Forecast: No time soon (but not because of box office)
The Disney-Marvel hit surpassed $1 billion worldwide in just three weeks and went on to become the highest grossing movie in the Cap franchise. Yes, there are a ton of Marvel movies in the pipeline, including two Avengers "Infinity Wars" movies featuring Captain America. But those close to the franchise tell TheWrap there are no plans for a follow-up movie starring just Cap -- and reports suggest that Chris Evans (and his onscreen persona, Steve Rogers) may abandon the red-white-and-blue shield in the not-too-distant future.
Marvel
"The Angry Birds Movie" (May 20)
Worldwide Box Office: $347.1 million
Budget: $73 million
Forecast: Up in the air
Video game makers at Rovio are raring to go on an "Angry Birds Movie" sequel, TheWrap has learned. The movie is just awaiting a green light from Sony, which seems likely based on the movie’s $347.1 million worldwide gross. But will "Angry Birds" be relevant several years from now?
Sony
"Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising" (May 20)
Worldwide Box Office: $107.9 million
Budget: $35 million
Forecast: When pigs fly
Universal's "Neighbors 2" "did not live up to expectations, so a sequel may not make sense," a source close to the studio told TheWrap. The sequel made nearly $100 million less at the domestic box office than the first "Neighbors," which was a surprise 2014 hit.
Chuck Zlotnick
"Alice Through the Looking Glass" (May 27)
Worldwide Box Office: $295.1 million
Budget: $170 million
Forecast: When pigs fly
“Alice Through the Looking Glass" was one of the few summer disappointments out of Disney and isn’t being positioned for a sequel, TheWrap has learned. One factor: Lewis Carroll only wrote two "Alice" books.
Disney
"X-Men: Apocalypse" (May 27)
Worldwide Box Office: $542.9 million
Budget: $178 million
Forecast: Definite sequel
20th Century Fox has yet to announce a release date for the next "X-Men," but based on what producer and writer Simon Kinberghas said, audiences will be seeing it as soon as 2019. He needs to clear the decks first on "Deadpool 2" before he can start writing the new "X-Men" script.
Fox
"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows" (June 3)
Worldwide Box Office: $242.8 million
Budget: $135 million
Forecast: Sequel is a strong possibility
While no official announcements have been made, it's a fairly safe assumption that Paramount will move forward with the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" franchise. The series is a merchandising cash cow despite disappointing box office returns for the 2016 action sequel.
Paramount
"The Conjuring 2" (June 10)
Worldwide Box Office: $319.5 million
Budget: $40 million
Forecast: Sequel is a strong possibility
Another Warner Bros. horror gold mine did $102.5 million domestically and $319.5 million worldwide on a $40 million budget, which makes a third edition a safe bet. The "Conjuring" franchise has already delivered two spin-offs, 2014's "Annabelle" -- which has its own sequel coming next year -- and "The Nun," currently in the works.
New Line
"Now You See Me 2" (June 10)
Worldwide Box Office: $324 million
Budget: $90 million
Forecast: Definite sequel
More than a year before “Now You See Me 2” hit theaters, Lionsgate announced that a third installment was in process. “Now You See Me 2” underperformed the original in most markets, but hit nearly $100 million in China. As a result, “Now You See Me 3” will be a co-production between Lionsgate and China’s Leomus Pictures and will star a mostly Chinese cast.
Lionsgate
"Warcraft" (June 10)
Worldwide Box Office: $433.5 million
Budget: $160 million
Forecast: Sequel is a strong possibility
"Warcraft" was a box office bomb in the U.S., making just $47.2 million on a $160 million budget. But the video game fantasy epic scored big in foreign markets, especially China, where a massive marketing push helped it bring in $220.8 million. Based on that international appeal, a sequel is likely -- although it may not be released in U.S. theaters.
Universal
"Central Intelligence" (June 17)
Worldwide Box Office: $212.6 million
Budget: $50 million
Forecast: Sequel is a strong possibility
New Line's "Central Intelligence" grossed $127.4 million domestically and $212.6 million worldwide on a $50 million budget. Headliners Kevin Hart -- who also starred in "The Secret Life of Pets" -- and Dwayne Johnson are also two of Hollywood's most bankable leading men, so it would be a smart move for them to team up again (though nothing is confirmed yet).
New Line
"Finding Dory" (June 17)
Worldwide Box Office: $930.9 million
Budget: $200 million
Forecast: No time soon (but not because of box office)
"Finding Dory" is the No. 1 movie of the year so far. Disney-Pixar have no plans at the moment for a feature-length sequel, TheWrap has learned. When asked, co-director and co-writer Andrew Stanton has simply said, "We'll see." Pixar has already hit a hard pause button on sequels until roughly 2022.
Pixar
"Independence Day: Resurgence" (June 24)
Worldwide Box Office: $383 million
Budget: $165 million
Forecast: Up in the air
"Independence Day: Resurgence" was a pretty big bomb for Fox domestically, earning $103 million domestically on its steep $165 million budget. But, even without Will Smith reprising his role, it still managed to make a decent $279.5 million abroad. So, while it's likely not at the top of the priority list for Fox, who declined comment, a sequel may not be completely out of the picture.
Claudette Barius
"The Shallows" (June 24)
Worldwide Box Office: $93.3 million
Budget: $17 million
Forecast: Up in the air
"The Shallows," the sea-set thriller starring Blake Lively, opened twice as strong as expected, quickly swimming out of the red during its first few weeks in theaters. But a source close to the project said a sequel is currently in unclear waters.
Sony
"The Legend of Tarzan" (July 1)
Worldwide Box Office: $354.7 million
Budget: $180 million
Forecast: Up in the air
Warner Bros.' Tarzan reboot with Margot Robbie and Alexander Skarsgård made just $354.6 million worldwide on a $180 million budget, but that does not necessarily preclude a follow-up. However, there are only so many novel approaches to take with the familiar Tarzan story.
Warner Bros.
"The Purge: Election Year" (July 1)
Worldwide Box Office: $105.6 million
Budget: $10 million
Forecast: Sequel is a strong possibility
Universal's horror sequel is also in the wait-and-see camp, but the fact that it topped the domestic box office performances of the two previous installments in the series should work in its favor, a source close to the studio told TheWrap.
Universal
"The Secret Life of Pets" (July 8)
Worldwide Box Office: $725.8 million
Budget: $75 million
Forecast: Definite sequel
In a year when animated fare ruled -- Disney's "Finding Dory" remains the No. 1 film of the year -- Universal's "Secret Life of Pets" roared its way to $353.7 million in the U.S. and double that internationally. The movie featuring the voices of Kevin Hart, Louis C.K. and Jenny Slate already has a sequel in development and a release date of July 13, 2018.
Universal
"Ghostbusters" (July 15)
Worldwide Box Office: $217.8 million
Budget: $144 million
Forecast: Up in the air
With an animated feature in the works, the "Ghostbusters" franchise is alive and well at Sony. But, the studio is mum about a follow-up to this summer's female-led reboot, which underperformed at the box office and may trigger a write-down in the range of $50 million.
Sony
"Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie" (July 22)
Worldwide Box Office: $35 million
Budget: n/a
Forecast: When pigs fly
Fox Searchlight's "Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie" did pretty well in the U.K., reeling in $20.9 million. But the film, which topped out at 355 theaters, never caught on in the U.S., sputtering to only $4.7 million -- less than it earned in Australia. American audiences don't appear to be clamoring for a sequel, and the U.K. market is probably not big enough by itself -- unlike China -- to justify one.
Fox Searchlight
"Ice Age: Collision Course" (July 22)
Worldwide Box Office: $373.7 million
Budget: $105 million
Forecast: Up in the air
Even though "Ice Age: Collision Course" underperformed by $100 million against the next lowest grossing movie in the series, it still looks highly probable that a sixth one will be coming from Fox... and a seventh? Do we hear an eighth? Moviegoers can only hope there's no "Ice Age: Retirement Home."
Blue Sky Studios
"Lights Out" (July 22)
Worldwide Box Office: $126.1 million
Budget: $5 million
Forecast: Definite sequel
One of the summer's biggest sleeper hits earned $126 million worldwide on a $5 million budget. So New Line naturally announced plans for a sequel less than one week after the first installment hit theaters.
Ron Batzdorff
"Star Trek Beyond" (July 22)
Worldwide Box Office: $244.2 million
Budget: $185 million
Forecast: Definite sequel
In July, Paramount officially announced a fourth film in the rebooted franchise, with Chris Hemsworth set to appear opposite Chris Pine. The first "Star Trek" earned more than $380 million worldwide in 2009, and 2014's "Star Trek Into Darkness" grossed $460 million. But "Star Trek Beyond" came in below expectations, earning only $243 million worldwide. However, that has not derailed Paramount's plans to make another.
Paramount
"Bad Moms" (July 29)
Worldwide Box Office: $125.4 million
Budget: $20 million
Forecast: Sequel is a strong possibility
STX's R-rated momedy performed so strongly at the box office weekend-over-weekend, "of course" the studio is considering a sequel, a source close to the title told TheWrap.
STX
"Jason Bourne" (July 29)
Worldwide Box Office: $348 million
Budget: $120 million
Forecast: Sequel is a strong possibility
The latest installment in Universal's "Bourne" series "kind of reinvigorated that series, a source close to Universal told TheWrap. But given how long it took Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass to sign on, the source added, "It's kind of wait-and-see" as far as a sequel. "Jason Bourne" is closing in on $150 million at the domestic box office and has the second-highest worldwide gross out of the five "Bourne" films.
Universal
"Suicide Squad" (Aug. 5)
Worldwide Box Office: $639.2 million
Budget: $175 million
Forecast: Definite sequel
Warner Bros.' DC Comics antihero mashup "Suicide Squad" recorded the biggest August opening ever, but dropped off quickly and won't get close to the magic billion-dollar mark worldwide. That said, a female-driven "Birds of Prey" spinoff centered on Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn is in development, Warner Bros. confirmed. The studio had no comment on possible plans for a pure sequel.
Warner Bros.
"Pete's Dragon" (August 12)
Worldwide Box Office: $78.3 million
Budget: $65 million
Forecast: When pigs fly
"Pete's Dragon" was another rare Disney letdown that also isn’t being targeted for a sequel, TheWrap has learned. With its $65 million budget -- cheap for a Disney film -- and sparse marketing, the movie never seemed to grab much attention even with August's lack of heavyweight box-office competitors.
Disney
"Sausage Party" (August 12)
Worldwide Box Office: $90.6 million
Budget: $19 million
Forecast: Sequel is a strong possibility
Seth Rogen's R-rated animated feature "Sausage Party" exceeded expectations and is definitely being considered for a second serving, TheWrap has learned.
Sony
"Don't Breathe" (August 26)
Worldwide Box Office: $33.7 million
Budget: $9.9 million
Forecast: Up in the air
The Sony horror flick took the air out of its box office competitors, becoming the first August movie to knock "Suicide Squad" from the top of the charts. Sony is hopeful about a sequel, but it's still too early to say for certain.
Sony
"Mechanic: Resurrection" (August 26)
Worldwide Box Office: $9 million
Budget: $40 million
Forecast: Up in the air
The Jason Statham thriller is a follow-up to 2011's "Mechanic," which made $62 million on a $40 million budget. But "Resurrection" had a weaker opening than "Mechanic," and in any event, it's too early to say whether there will be another.
Jack English
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In a summer of sequels, only some made the grade and earned a follow-up
This was the summer of sequels, but not every follow-up was created equal. "Finding Dory" clearly met a craving the worldwide film audience had for another animated fish adventure, but plenty failed to land. Here's TheWrap's franchise report card.
Various
Marvel
