Three strikes and out?

[The Curmudgeon]

Question: Why do movie franchises all seem to bow out on the third one?

Think of some recent movies that have reached their second sequel: Mission Impossible III, Blade III, X-Men III, Matrix Revolutions, Spy Kids 3-D.. what do they all have in common? They're all the last part of their respective franchises. No big surprise there - and that's the problem. It's almost compulsory now for movies to end after the third movie. It's not a recent thing; think Back To The Future, Godfather, Die Hard, Naked Gun.. it's a long-standing tradition.

Now, Spider-Man 2 was barely out and people were talking Spidey 3 and how it would be "the last one". Pirates Of The Caribbean has been announced that it will be a three movie franchise.

I don't get it. Sure, with the likes of Lord Of The Rings they couldn't (and shouldn't) make any more (thank GOD for that, bloody awful movies) but surely if there's good writers and the same inventiveness, charm, laughs, action/whatever that was in the original movie then why not try and make a long running franchise?

Look at James Bond. 20 odd movies in and (odd duffer aside) there's been no dipping in that franchise's popularity. Harry Potter isn't exactly going to go straight to video with his fifth, sixth and seventh movie outing.

I guess I just hate to see things with promise end. When Spidey 3 comes out, if they're true to their word, then it will be a sad day indeed. Endless possibilities with characters as rich as Spidey and co shouldn't be confined to 6 hours of screen time. If the story is there, if the writers are there - then surely the show must go on?

I mean, imagine the limitless possibilities of the Snakes On A Plane sequels.....?

www.qh2.com/story.php?id=768

[hackersanonymous]

3 seems to be where the Hollywood brain runs out. Or maybe they've just been taking the lyrics of the Blind Melon (or maybe De La Soul while smoking a fat one) song as gospel?

In some cases, it's a blessed relief that there isn't a 4 - Blade III? Gads! I damn near put my foot through the, erm, cinema screen at that one - female vampire hunters wearing IPods, for the love of God..

Die Hard IV is rumoured to be in the pipeline, somewhat officially. It was apparently written into a contract someplace that Bruce had to do it if he was allowed time off from one film to do another. That's possibly/probably urban legend.

Indy 4 is another one of those ones that sort of floats around, though the title is likely to be Search For The Lost Pension if they hang around much longer.

MI3 really, REALLY should be the last. 1 was pretty good, in that they at least made some vague attempt at something. 2 was just John Woo and Tom Cruise playing mutual filmic masturbation. 3 was also largely "OOh, isn't Tom handsome", with some plot wedged in where possible.

Then, of course, there are the ones which should never be made into "proper" trilogies - M'Lud, I give you The Matrix.

However, as The Curmudgeon says, there should be NO reason why some films HAVE to end at three. Comic Book licences, for example..

Is it that Hollywood fears that Joe Public's attention span just doesn't stretch past the number tree? Is that where The Scum stop absorbing information? Simple - don't create numerical sequels.

Toodles!

[The Curmudgeon]

I had no initial problem with the Matrix having sequels. Its when I actually SAW them that I began to have problems with them.

I haven't actually seen MI3 yet either, but from what I've heard it's.. well, basically what you just said.

It's a shame, I suppose, that's its only the really bad movies that get about ten sequels. And, oddly enough, why I have a few of them. Got the Friday 13th boxset, bought all the Halloween movies and, dear Lord, the Police Academy boxset just came in today....

Simpsons (kind of) quote time:

Homer: I can't believe it! You! Stealing! What do you think I took you to see all those Police Academy movies for? For fun? Well, I didn't see anyone else laughing, did you?!

[trashcanman]

I'll proudly go on record as being a massive LOTR geek. That said, the stuff is vagina-repellant and I can see why a lot of people aren't into it. I'm actually pretty angry that the X-men franchise is over with no Gambit, no White Queen, no Scarlet Witch, and no super-powered badass Rogue among other things (Magneto isn't the only X-men supervillain, you know). There are rumors of numerous spin-offs aside from the uber-obvious Wolverine one. But I want more X-men DAMMIT!!! And I will be seriously up in arms if Spiderman ends with no Lizard, no Scorpion, no Chameleon, and NO MOTHERFUCKING CARNAGE! Some stories are best told in trilogies (Star Wars, LOTR, even The Matrix), but ongoing stories that have stayed great for decades and have countless memorable charactersand events are best left open-ended.