Fantasy connotes big world-building which could serve sequels well, but some amazing fantasy movies that deserved sequels never got them. It seems like sequels people wish for are scrapped, while too many unwanted movie remakes and sequels are coming sooner rather than later. Famed fantasy movies in a variety of mediums work as excellent standalones but leave open the potential for an equally great sequel.
Complicating matters is that some of the best standalone fantasy movies might deserve a sequel, but they don’t necessarily need one. If the story has come to a natural conclusion and forcing it to carry on would malign it, it is best that the movie is left alone. However, several fantasy movies that are effectively standalones imply some interesting possibilities for sequels, which would cleverly segue into an organic new story.
10 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Tim Burton Isn’t Interested In The Potential Of A Jack Skellington Sequel
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After The Nightmare Before Christmas overcame a tumultuous production and a lackluster release by becoming a cult classic, interest in a sequel only grew. Fans of Jack and Sally have been clamoring for the next adventure for years, potentially exploring more of the setting where holidays are produced by appropriately themed towns.
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8.7/10 The Nightmare Before Christmas PGAnimationFantasyHoliday
Henry Selick directs The Nightmare Before Christmas, a stop-motion fairytale from the mind of Tim Burton. Jack Skellington is the king of Halloween and one of Halloweentown’s most beloved citizens, but he longs for something more. When he stumbles across a magical door that leads him to discover Christmas, he makes it his mission to replace Santa Claus and bring festive cheer to his perpetually spooky hamlet.
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*Availability in US Director Henry Selick Release Date October 29, 1993 Writers Caroline Thompson Cast Catherine O’Hara , Glenn Shadix , Ken Page , William Hickey , Chris Sarandon , Paul Reubens , Danny Elfman Runtime 76 minutes
However, Tim Burton has in no uncertain terms said that he has no interest in making The Nightmare Before Christmas 2. Depending on Burton’s legal sway over The Nightmare Before Christmas, it may be a movie that actually can’t be rebooted or get a sequel without his permission. Burton did not direct The Nightmare Before Christmas but is the creator of the original idea, conceptualized while he was working for Disney.
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Following up on the original would be a challenge, but the creators would only need to repeat the roundabout plot with some relatable beats and fantastic music. Another wacky adventure featuring Jack Skellington (hopefully with Danny Elfman returning) is narratively possible if the people involved want to go for it.
9 Power Rangers (2017)
The Underrated Power Rangers Reboot Should Be Expanded Into A Sequel
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While the Power Rangers reboot struggled at the box office, it was well-received by the franchise’s oldest fans, striking a balance between a serious story and an inherently goofy premise. The characters were well-developed with a good overall dynamic, played by some underrated up-and-coming stars. Yet as Hollywood closes in on a decade since, some fans can’t accept that 2017’s Power Rangers doesn’t have a sequel.
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Power Rangers PG-13ActionAdventureFamilySci-FiSuperhero
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*Availability in US Director Dean Israelite Release Date March 24, 2017 Writers John Gatins , Matt Sazama , Burk Sharpless , Michele Mulroney , Kieran Mulroney , Haim Saban Cast Elizabeth Banks , Bryan Cranston , Becky G. , Naomi Scott , Dacre Montgomery , Caroline Cave Runtime 124 minutes
This is a good setup for a series of epic Power Rangers movies that can hold their own in a world of grim yet funny superhero blockbusters. It might not have been the biggest earner in Hollywood, but could have been financially successful if given more time to build up goodwill in the industry. However, Hollywood rarely takes another chance after a financial failure, which spelled the end of this iteration of the Power Rangers.
8 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
The Who Framed Roger Rabbit Sequel Never Saw The Light Of Day
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One of the main things to know about the canceled Roger Rabbit sequel is that while Zemeckis wanted to make it, Disney did not.
Following Who Framed Roger Rabbit‘s massive success, director Robert Zemeckis workshopped some ideas for a sequel, each just as crazy as the original movie. His first idea was the World War II-set Roger Rabbit: The Toon Platoon, which would have featured Roger and other toons trying to rescue Jessica from Nazi Germany. Later, Zemeckis worked on Who Discovered Roger Rabbit, essentially about Roger investigating his origins.
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6/10 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) PGComedyFamilyMysteryAnimationCrimeAdventureFantasy
Who Framed Roger Rabbit combines live-action and animation to create a world where humans and cartoon characters coexist. Set in 1940s Hollywood, the film follows a private investigator who is contracted to work on the case of a cartoon framed for murder, despite his dislike of cartoons. Bob Hoskins, Charles Fleischer, Christopher Lloyd, and Kathleen Turner all star.
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*Availability in US Director Robert Zemeckis Release Date June 22, 1988 Writers Peter S. Seaman , Jeffrey Price Cast Amy Irving , Christopher Lloyd , Charles Fleischer , Bob Hoskins , Kathleen Turner Runtime 104 minutes
One of the main things to know about the canceled Roger Rabbit sequel is that while Zemeckis wanted to make it, Disney did not, worried about some potentially insensitive elements being received poorly today. However, Roger Rabbit could still be a fun vehicle for a 3D vs. 2D animation movie, much like what Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers eventually became. Yet with the anticipation of a legacy sequel, Roger Rabbit would likely do even better.
7 The Dark Crystal (1982)
A Movie Sequel Would Have Served The Dark Crystal Better Than The TV Show
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A Jim Hensen Creature Shop classic, The Dark Crystal sets up an interesting world that references a lot of history, which naturally allows for more story. However, Netflix took things a step too far with The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. This prequel series takes itself too seriously, trying to tell a fantasy action epic entirely with puppets. Yet Age of Resistance accomplishes some good world-building with more Gelfling characters.
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7/10 The Dark Crystal 10+FantasyFamily
Directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz, and featuring Henson’s signature use of puppetry and animatronics, The Dark Crystal tells the story of two Gelflings, a fictional race of elf-like fantasy creatures, who must embark on a quest to restore balance to their world through the mending of an all-powerful crystal, broken and corrupted by a malevolent race known as the Skeksis. Stephen Garlick and Lisa Maxwell voice the protagonists, Jen and Kira.
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*Availability in US Director Jim Henson Release Date December 17, 1982 Writers David Odell , Jim Henson Cast Jim Henson , Frank Oz , Dave Goelz Runtime 93minutes
The Dark Crystal deserved a continuation, but this might have worked better in the form of a contained sequel or prequel movie that expands the world while embracing the tone of the original. This movie probably should have come out decades ago, garnering the classic feel of many goofy fantasy titles that arose out of the 1980s and 1990s. The Dark Crystal missed out on its perfect sequel when Netflix overestimated the context in which people would accept the puppets.
6 Brave (2012)
Disney’s Independent Princess From Before Frozen Deserved Better
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Brave is a hugely underrated Disney-Pixar movie, and Merida is just as underappreciated a heroine. Frozen was widely lauded as the “modern” Disney Princess movie when Merida charged onto the big screen ready to topple the patriarchy a year earlier. Yet in this regard, Brave undermines its own protagonist.
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6.7/10 Brave PGAnimationActionAdventureComedyFamilyFantasy
Pixar’s Brave follows Princess Merida of DunBroch (Kelly MacDonald), the daughter of a clan chief in medieval Scotland. When Meridia is told she must marry the suitor of her parents’ choosing, she refuses, defying an age-old tradition and causing chaos in the kingdom. This starts a chain of events that causes Merida’s mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), to fall victim to a magical curse, the princess sets off into the wild to rescue her.
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*Availability in US Director Mark Andrews , Brenda Chapman , Steve Purcell Release Date June 21, 2012 Writers Mark Andrews , Steve Purcell , Brenda Chapman , Irene Mecchi Cast Kelly Macdonald , Billy Connolly , Emma Thompson , Julie Walters , Robbie Coltrane , Kevin McKidd Runtime 1h 33m
Brave was advertised as a princess wanting to get out of an arranged marriage, but the movie ended up being more about balancing independence with duty and Merida repairing her relationship with her mother. However, these themes are still well-executed, and a Brave sequel could have made up for the first movie’s shortcomings by expanding upon Merida fighting for autonomy.
Related 10 Underrated Fantasy Animated Movies That Don’t Get Enough Love
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Like with a lot of fairy tales and Disney movies, Once Upon a Time of all things started on something interesting with Brave, even if it didn’t do that good a job with it. Yet the plot of Merida wanting to inherit her father’s throne in her own right mixed with more magic based on Celtic folklore is the makings of a good sequel.
5 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)
The Rip-Roaring Action Flick Based On D&D Needs Its Follow-Up
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Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves 2 is not confirmed, but the actors and directors seem casually interested in making it. However, this only irritates people who want them to start working on it immediately. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves wasn’t a massive success at the box office, but managing to turn any kind of profit is good in this era when movies like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga flopped for external reasons.
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8.9/10 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves PG-13FantasyAdventureAction
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is a fantasy action-comedy film based on the popular tabletop game and set in the Forgotten Realms campaign by the original creators. Chris Pine stars as a song-slinging thief named Edgin Darvis, who is hired to find a lost relic but manages to anger the wrong people along the way. With his mismatched crew, each inspired by a race and class from D&D lore, Edgin will lead his team to complete their task – and many innocent lives depend on it.
Director Jonathan Goldstein , John Francis Daley Release Date March 31, 2023 Writers Michael Gillio , Jonathan Goldstein , John Francis Daley Cast Hugh Grant , Rege-Jean Page , Chris Pine , Justice Smith , Chloe Coleman , Michelle Rodriguez , Sophia Lillis Runtime 134 Minutes
The big-budget Dungeons & Dragons movie proved to be great fun and comedy with well-planned action and world-building, driven by charismatic actors. There is plenty to draw upon from the source material and give rise to the sequel, after the straightforward story of the first movie. Getting back Chris Pine, Regé-Jean Page, and Michelle Rodriguez is also key, setting the stage for an action romp as good as its predecessor.
4 Megamind (2010)
DreamWorks’ Wildly Amazing Superman Spoof Deserved A Sequel Right Away
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With more people having realized how good Megamind is, the sequel could have expected more success.
Megamind hilariously deconstructs the superhero mythos in an underrated animated movie stocked with amusing references to Superman. After suffering a life crisis due to defeating his heroic counterpart, creating a new hero who turns evil, and becoming Metro City’s hero himself, Megamind is primed for a sequel where another villain shows up, and he is forced to question how suited he is for the role. With more people having realized how good Megamind is, the sequel could have expected more success.
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8.3/10 Megamind PGComedyFamily
From Dreamworks Studios, Megamind follows the titular character, played by Will Ferrell, an alien supervillain who, after defeating his arch nemesis Metro Man (Brad Pitt), must do battle with the new superhero he created to replace Metro Man when his powers start to become out of control. Along the way, Megamind struggles to share his true self with Roxanne (Tina Fey), a reporter who has been dating in the disguise of a normal human.
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*Availability in US Director Tom McGrath Release Date November 11, 2010 Writers Will Ferrell , Brad Pitt Cast Will Ferrell , Ben Stiller , Brad Pitt , Jonah Hill Runtime 96minutes
Just in 2024, fans got the Megamind Rules! series and the TV movie Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate, both met with a poor response. With such unceremonious releases, it doesn’t seem as though DreamWorks is giving this property the attention it deserves and needs to thrive. Megamind also could have benefited from a sequel that came out sooner after the first movie and was given the treatment of a theatrical release.
3 Spirited Away (2001)
The Defining Studio Ghibli Movie With Maybe The Most Sequel Potential
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Studio Ghibli has not made a habit of producing sequels, unlike its Hollywood counterparts. However, one of Ghibli’s best movies might be the answer to what the studio could do in a sequel. It’s not as though the concept is inherently a cash grab when good animated sequels like Toy Story 2 and Kung Fu Panda 2 exist. There have never been any plans for a Spirited Away sequel, but the vibrant world offers many avenues for more stories.
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9.8/10 Spirited Away PGAnimationFamilyFantasy
Spirited Away, a masterpiece by Hayao Miyazaki, is an animated fantasy film that follows the enchanting journey of a young girl named Chihiro. Trapped in a mystical world after her parents are transformed into pigs, Chihiro must navigate a realm filled with spirits and peculiar creatures to save her family.
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*Availability in US Director Hayao Miyazaki Release Date July 20, 2001 Writers Hayao Miyazaki Cast Rumi Hiiragi , Miyu Irino , Mari Natsuki , Takashi Naitô , Yasuko Sawaguchi , Tsunehiko Kamijô , Takehiko Ono , Bunta Sugawara Runtime 125 minutes
Chihiro ends Spirited Away having been fundamentally changed by her otherworldly experience, and now with the knowledge of how Haku has always been a part of her life. How this place and its inhabitants affect her life going forward is the foundation of a sequel. Additionally, Chihiro’s coming-of-age arc could be given even more depth by showing her in her teen years, delving into her becoming an adult in age and not just symbolically through adventure.
2 The Green Knight (2021)
The Green Knight Could Be The Start Of A Hollywood King Arthur Franchise
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Hollywood has been chasing an epic King Arthur action franchise for years, never quite getting it right. Riding on the success of the first Pirates of the Caribbean, Jerry Bruckheimer hopefully produced King Arthur, which flopped. The more recent King Arthur: Legend of the Sword planned on six sequels — plans which crashed and burned.
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8.5/10 The Green Knight RAdventureDramaFantasy
An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, The Green Knight tells the story of Sir Gawain, King Arthur’s reckless and headstrong nephew, who embarks on a daring quest to confront the eponymous Green Knight, a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger and tester of men. Gawain contends with ghosts, giants, thieves, and schemers in a more profound journey to define his character and prove his worth in the eyes of his family and kingdom by facing the ultimate challenger.
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*Availability in US Director David Lowery Release Date July 30, 2021 Writers David Lowery Cast Dev Patel , Emilie Hetland , Ralph Ineson , Helena Browne , Alicia Vikander , Joel Edgerton , Erin Kellyman , Barry Keoghan , Anthony Morris , Sean Harris , Kate Dickie , Sarita Choudhury Runtime 125 minutes
Yet the industry might have stumbled upon the movie that could lead to a bigger Arthuriana universe without even realizing it. The Green Knight is based on the medieval text Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, reframing the plot to showcase a scathing depiction of the destructive powers at play in King Arthur’s court. Gawain goes on a brutal journey where he realizes that he is no exception.
Related Every King Arthur Movie, Ranked Worst To Best
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Filmmakers could pick up the story focusing on Arthur or another one of his knights in an anthology movie series. Medieval Arthuriana is mostly many loosely connected adventures, and The Green Knight has proven to be the most impactful and thematically profound take on the Round Table seen yet in cinema — the world would benefit from more movies like it.
1 Inkheart (2008)
Inkheart Is A Majorly Underrated Fantasy Movie With Sequel Source Material
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Inkheart is a dazzling movie based on a popular fantasy novel, with a great premise, perfect pacing, and a strong cast including Helen Miren and Andy Serkis. It largely flies below the radar of fantasy movies because of the changes it makes to the source material, simplifying the narrative for a contained story. While this might have disappointed the books’ biggest fans, it is made into a great movie that still could have been continued.
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Inkheart PGAdventureFamilyFantasy
Inkheart is a fantasy adventure film directed by Iain Softley, based on Cornelia Funke’s novel. Brendan Fraser stars as Mo Folchart, a “silvertongue” who can bring characters from books to life by reading aloud. When an ancient villain escapes into the real world, Mo, his daughter Meggie (Eliza Bennett), and a band of allies must stop him. The film explores themes of literature, magic, and family bonds.
Director Iain Softley Release Date December 11, 2008 Writers David Lindsay-Abaire , Cornelia Funke Cast Brendan Fraser , Sienna Guillory , Eliza Bennett , Richard Strange , Paul Bettany , Helen Mirren Runtime 105 minutes
If the fans wanted a more detailed world from the movie adaptation, a sequel could have been the way to do it. Cornelia Funke wrote four Inkheart books, which provide the framework for the plot, but the mere fact of more screen time would have helped world-build. The nature of the story sets up an amazing literary crossover with the original characters mixed in, but people don’t give the first movie enough credit to warrant a sequel.