If there’s one thing that ruins a great movie, it’s the need to make it into a sequel. While there are exceptions where the sequel actually turns out to better than the first one, they usually end up being a disappointment. As if one sequel isn’t enough to ruin a good idea, a third installment to a series is where it really becomes a shell of itself. With third installments being more about making money than about making a good movie, the final product usually leaves audiences confused, angry, and cheated out of two hours they’ll never get back. Let’s not waste any more time as Konscious Kurt breaks down the 10 Worst Third Installments in Movie Franchises:
10. Friday After Next (2002)
A great script co-written by Ice Cube that showed the comedic side of living in the hood, 1995’s Friday is widely considered one of the best comedies of all time. While its sequel Next Friday wasn’t as good and was missing popular co-star Chris Tucker, it was still funny enough to make it a passable movie that made even more money than the original. Not knowing how to quit while they were ahead, they made a Christmas themed sequel Friday After Next that hit theaters in 2002. The end result was a movie so bad that felt like a huge slap in the face to fans of the franchise. While Terry Crews and Kat Williams were the few parts about the movie that were funny, it just didn’t make up for how unfunny the rest of the movie was.
9. Scream 3 (2000)
One of the more creative and out of the box movies of its era, the first Scream was a huge hit that reignited the horror genre in the late ‘90s. Although not as good as the original, Scream 2 was still a solid enough effort that was worth checking out. However, the same just can’t be said for Scream 3 as it lacked everything that made people fall in love with the first one. As the whole mystery killer storyline had been done to death by this point, the third Scream felt uninspired and unnecessary. Although some of the later sequels that followed were an improvement, many fans agree that Scream 3 was when the franchise jumped the shark.
8. Beverly Hills Cop III (1994)
Hitting theaters in 1984, the success of the original Beverly Hills Cop helped popularize buddy comedies and made Eddie Murphy a movie star. Although the 1987 sequel was one of the highest grossing movies that year, it was a clear step down in quality from the first one. While the second one was at least mediocre, the third one that followed was much worse. With most of the movie being centered around a theme park, Beverly Hills Cop III lacked all the spark, comedy, and fun that could be found in the first two. With Murphy himself even admitting he wasn’t a fan of the movie either, it proved to be nothing more than a money grab and waste of time for anyone who had to sit through it.
7. Little Fockers (2010)
The chemistry between Robert DeNiro and Ben Stiller made the original Meet the Parents one of the best comedies of its era. Although some argued that it wasn’t necessary, its sequel Meet the Fockers was a decent continuation to the story that was good for what it was. The same couldn’t be said for the third installment Little Fockers, as it turned out to be a sad attempt at keeping the franchise going. With only a 10% approval rating, it was clear that the spark that was there for the first two films was long gone. With a fourth installment set to hit theaters later this year, it’ll be hard for it to be any worse than this one was (or maybe it will be).
6. Rush Hour 3 (2007)
The undeniable chemistry between Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker is one of many things that made 1998’s Rush Hour so good. That momentum continued going into the sequel as Rush Hour 2 was also a huge hit that many fans argue is even better than the first one. With heavy anticipation for Rush Hour 3 once it hit theaters in 2007, that anticipation quickly turned into disappointment. Unfortunately, the duo of Tucker & Chan wasn’t enough to make the third movie worth watching as it fell far below the bar that was set by the first two. If by some chance we end up getting another Rush Hour, it’ll take a lot for it to make up for how bad this one was.
5. Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
2015’s Ant-Man was a fun addition to the Marvel verse that went over well with critics and audiences. Considering that it’s a Marvel movie, a sequel was inevitable. While the 2018 sequel was also a success, the same can’t be said for the sequel that followed. Hitting theaters in 2023, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is widely considered an embarrassment to the character and the whole franchise. In addition to being panned by just about anyone who saw it, the movie was also a disappointment financially as it’s one of the few MCU movies to not break even.
4. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Hitting theaters in the Spring of 2002, the first live action Spider-Man more than lived up to all the hype behind it. In one of the rare cases where the sequel was better than the first one, Spider-Man 2 is considered by hardcore fans to be the peak of the Tobey Maguire version of the franchise (and it was all downhill from there). Featuring way too many villains and an out of character dance routine (yes that really happened), Spider-Man 3 was nothing more than a money grab. While it was a success in that sense as it made the most money out of any movie in the trilogy, all the hate it received from its critics is justified. Fortunately, there have been multiple live action Spider-Man films made since then that have helped erase the bad taste that was left by this one.
3. The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
Thanks to its inspiring underdog story and the chemistry between its stars Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita, The Karate Kid was one of the defining movies of the ‘80s. While a step down from the original that didn’t even have most of the same cast, Karate Kid Part II was a decent enough sequel that made the most money out of any film in the franchise. By the time part three hit theaters in the Summer of 1989, it was clear that the series just wasn’t hot anymore. Whether it was the storyline, the tone, or the fact that Macchio was clearly too old to be playing a teenager by this point, the third one is a sad reflection of how hard the series had fallen off. While the Terry Silver character from it was a good villain that made an even better one in Netflix’s Cobra Kai years later, it still doesn’t change the fact that this movie wasn’t good.
2. The Hangover Part III (2013)
Arguably the best comedy of the 2000s, the original Hangover is a cult classic thanks to its great cast and the crazy shenanigans that happened throughout it. While unnecessary and more or less a carbon copy of the original, the sequel still had enough elements from the original to at least make it a fun movie to watch in theaters. By the time the third Hangover hit theaters in 2013, there was nothing that could save it from being a disaster. With a horrible plot and lacking the creativity that made the original so good, it’s no surprise that this sequel crashed and burned as hard as it did. Panned by critics and making the least money out of any movie in the franchise, The Hangover Part III is a strong example of what happens when a movie franchise gets pimped out.
1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)
Having a healthy balance between being dark and kid friendly made the first live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie a hit with audiences and critics. While the sequel that followed only a year later was also a success, how corny it was combined with the fact that it abandoned the dark tone from the original didn’t sit well with hardcore fans. Those feelings would become even stronger once audiences were forced to sit through the third installment that was released in 1993. With this entry in the franchise featuring the turtles going back in time to Japan and without popular villain Shredder, it should be considered a crime that the idea for this movie was approved by someone. As the ninja turtle frenzy from the early ‘90s was played out by this point, this movie and everyone’s response to it was a harsh reflection of that.
Honorable Mentions:
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
• Child’s Play 3 (1991)
• Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (2011)
• House Party 3 (1994)
• Blade: Trinity (2004)
