The Longest Waits For Movie Sequels In History
With the news that a sequel to Sylvester Stallone's 1993 Cliffhanger flick was to begin filming this fall, have you ever wondered why some fans of top-rated movies have been waiting years or decades for their once favorite film to return to the big screen for another run?
Let's examine which movie sequels fans had to wait a loooooooong time for.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2: 12 Years
When The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released in 1974, it broke new ground in the horror genre, following friends who fall victim to a group of cannibals while making their way to a homestead. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre would become a franchise and a cult classic among horror flick fans, but they did have to wait 12 years for a sequel, as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 was released in 1986.
The Cannon Group, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
Finding Dory: 13 Years
A sequel to the "rescue mission" classic of Finding Nemo (2003) was always going to be a challenge. It's no wonder Disney took their time with it.
Dory, a Blue Hippo Tang fish, was introduced to viewers as a lovable and faithful, if a little forgetful friend to Nemo. Finding Dory begins 13 years following the conclusion of Finding Nemo, when Dory sets out alone to find her parents, whom she never knew by all accounts.
Walt Disney, Finding Dory (2016)
Avatar: The Way of Water: 13 Years
Avatar was released to great fanfare in 2009, as the futuristic sci-fi film took on big corporations, climate change and social issues, all in one epic journey. Avatar is the highest-grossing motion picture of all-time. A tall order for Avatar: The Way of Water to live up to the hype (and ticket sales) created by its predecessor, then. Well, Avatar: The Way of Water did live up to the hype, grossing $2.3 billion at the box office.
Twentieth Century, Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
The Incredibles 2: 14 Years
The Incredibles (2004) saw the Parr family attempt to lead normal lives while being superheroes at the same time. The Incredibles 2 (2018) caught up with the family as John was a stay-at-home Dad, with Helen providing a lead role as the face of a superhero PR campaign. As The Incredibles wasn't based on a comic, fans had to wait a long time for the second instalment.
Walt Disney, Incredibles 2 (2018)
Jurassic World: 14 Years
Chris Pratt starred in Jurassic World in 2015, a reboot of the 2001 Jurassic Park III, following the fantastic success of the original Jurassic Park in 1993 and its sequel, The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997). Jurassic Park fans may not have had to wait as long as Bad Boys or The Godfather, but 14 years is still a long time to wait for your next instalment of dinosaur destruction.
Universal, Jurassic World (2015)
The Godfather: Part III: 16 Years
The Godfather trilogy is widely considered three of the finest movies ever made, with 1972's The Godfather and 1974's The Godfather: Part II taking the cake of 1970s gangster/action movies. The Godfather: Part III concluded the story of Al Pacino's character and was a blockbuster beginning to a decade of 90s classics.
Paramount, The Godfather Part III (1990)
Bad Boys For Life: 17 Years
Bad Boys starred Will Smith and Martin Lawrence when it broke onto the screen in 1995, a dynamic duo in a comedy-police action movie. Both Lawrence and Smith have been hot on the heels of dealers for the entirety of the Bad Boys series, but with a 17-year gap between Bad Boys II (2003) and Bad Boys For Life, the pair have grown up significantly. The movie was a welcome sight for Bad Boys fans who only had to wait four years for the next instalment, as Bad Boys: Ride Or Die was released in 2024.
Columbia, Bad Boys for Life (2020)
Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull: 19 Years
Indiana Jones was a mystery/action icon in the 1980s, and three films were produced in that decade to great acclaim from fans.
"Indy" fans would have to wait 19 years for the sequel to the 1980s' final instalment: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull was released in 2008.
Paramount, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
Dumb and Dumber To: 20 Years
Yes, they misspelled it on purpose. Yes, the first one was ridiculous, but the cult following is undeniable.
Jim Carrey's breakout role in Dumb and Dumber (1994) set the stage for his career, but Carrey fans would have to wait 20 years for the sequel to Dumb and Dumber, released in 2014.
New Line, Dumb and Dumber To (2014)
TRON: Legacy: 28 Years
Before they were lovers of the sci-fi flick TRON from 1982, TRON fans may have loved its video game inspiration: Pong. That's right—that Pong. The things you learn.
Walt Disney, Tron: Legacy (2010)
Hocus Pocus 2: 29 Years
The family-friendly witchy comedy Hocus Pocus was first released in 1993, following the misadventures of teenager, Max, and his little sister who move to Salem, Massachusetts (home of all things witchy) and befriend a trio of witches. The comedy was a cult classic among fans in the 1990s, who ended up having to wait till 2022 for Hocus Pocus 2's release.
Walt Disney, Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)
The Odd Couple II: 30 Years
This 1968 comedy classic tells the story of two friends who find friendship in the throes of divorce.
One depressed divorcee moves in with his best friend and their antics are hilarious. Fans of The Odd Couple (1968) would have to wait 30 years for The Odd Couple II, released in 1998.
Paramount, The Odd Couple II (1998)
Mad Max, Fury Road: 30 Years
Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome was released in 1985, starring Mel Gibson and Tina Turner. A sequel to Thunderdome, Fury Road was released starring British actor Tom Hardy in 2015, a brutal 30 years after the conclusion of Thunderdome. Hardy has signed on for at least two more films, but Chris Hemsworth played one of the leads in the 2024 instalment entitled Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga—set between Beyond Thunderdome and Fury Road.
Village Roadshow, Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Cliffhanger 2: 31/32()? Years
As filming for Sly Stallone's Cliffhanger 2 will only begin this year, we can't expect to see the movie released until possibly 2025, or maybe 2026. Or, maybe given the longevity between Cliffhanger and its sequel: 2055.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens: 32 Years
The early 2000s might have seen a trilogy of Star Wars films released, but they were prequels and by the Gods, they don't count. The cast of some of the OG Star Wars returned for The Force Awakens in 2015, some 32 years after the last entry in 1983.
Walt Disney, Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Coming To America: 33 Years
Lovers of Eddie Murphy's comedies unfortunately had to wait over 30 years for a sequel to Coming To America (1988), starring Murphy as a prince of a fictional African nation, who travels to America hoping to find love. Murphy's role as the fictional prince drew high praise at the box office and was one of the highest-grossing films of 1988.
Cult-classic lovers of Coming To America got their wish when a sequel was released in 2021—33 years later.
Paramount, Coming 2 America (2021)
Blade Runner 2049: 35 Years
Harrison Ford in Blade Runner (1982) originally did not impress, but it has aged like fine wine and is now something of a cult classic. For lovers of the original Blade Runner, they had to wait 35 years for Blade Runner: 2049—which was released in 2017 and starred Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana De Armas, and Jared Leto.
Columbia, Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Top Gun: Maverick: 36 Years
The high-flying dogfighting action movie first took to the skies (and our screens) as Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise, in 1986. A sequel was finally released after 36 years in 2022 and grossed 1.4 BILLION at the box office.
Paramount, Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Beetlejuice: 36 Years
First produced by director extraordinaire Tim Burton, Beetlejuice is set to be returning to the big screens this year for a 2024 sequel. It will be released September 6th, 2024: are you ready?
We've been waiting 36 years for Beetlejuice—this better be good.
Warner Bros., Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Doctor Sleep: 39 Years
When The Shining was first released in 1980, it immediately became a cult classic and is still beloved to this day. It was one of the breakout roles of Jack Nicholson's career and a favorite of Stephen King fans everywhere.
So, in 2013, when King released a sequel novel entitled Doctor Sleep, fans were clamoring for another movie. Doctor Sleep was released in 2019. Not a critical success and not highly rated by King, it would seem The Shining fans were disappointed in the film overall.
Warner Bros., Doctor Sleep (2019)
101 Dalmatians II:
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Patch's London Adventure: 42 Years
The 1961 classic One Hundred and One Dalmatians starring that awful, evil woman Cruella de Vil was some of the angriest I'd ever been as a child. Right up there with Bambi. Anyway, Disney enthusiasts who loved the 1961 film had to wait 42 years for a sequel. Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure
Patch's London Adventure (2003)" data-credit-url="https://www.disneyinternational.com/" data-rel-no-follow="No" data-alt-text="Screenshot from the animated movie 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure (2003)" data-description="Screenshot from the animated movie 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure (2003), Bobby Lockwood as Patch" data-title="Screenshot from the animated movie 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure (2003), Bobby Lockwood as Patch" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Screenshot from the animated movie 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure (2003)">Walt Disney, 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure (2003)
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Easy Rider: The Ride Back: 43 Years
Those who remember Easy Rider (1969) know it adopted the themes of the era to incredible popularity. The freedom-loving hippie movement was a backdrop for the film and it gained a cult-like following.
Unfortunately, Easy Rider: The Ride Back was released in 2012 to almost no fanfare and did poorly with fans of the original.
Pan America, Easy Rider: The Ride Back (2012)
Lady And The Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure: 46 Years
Lady And The Tramp (1955) was another Disney movie that just tore your heart out as a young child, or at least it did mine. How dare you leave that dog out in the rain. Anyway, Scamp did okay out of his unfortunate beginnings.
However, fans had to wait 46 years for a sequel. Lady And The Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure was released in 2001.
Walt Disney, Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001)
Return To Neverland: 49 Years
Imagine waiting nearly half a century for a sequel. Well, fans of Peter Pan (1953) had to do exactly that. 49 years of swash-buckling piracy without the magic of Peter Pan to fight back against it. Return to Neverland was released in 2002, followed by a loose live-action adaptation of Peter Pan in 2023 entitled Peter Pan and Wendy starring Jude Law.
Walt Disney, Return to Never Land (2002)
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True: 52 Years
Cinderella was released in 1950.
Unfortunately, the sequel, Cinderella II: Dreams Do Come True (2002) did not fare well among those on Cindy's side since 1950, with fans unhappy at the departure from the original story. Waiting for over half a century for a disappointment.
Walt Disney, Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2002)
Return Of The Killer Shrews: 53 Years
They really shouldn't have made this. The Killer Shrews is an obscure 1959 independent "horror" movie about a group of scientists who come under attack by (you guessed it) the very killer shrews they're studying. It was released as Return of the Killer Shrews in 2012, after 53 years. It was an abject failure—the killer shrews should definitely not have returned.
Coal Train, Return of the Killer Shrews (2012)
Mary Poppins Returns: 54 Years
Mary Poppins (1964) was the highest-grossing Disney movie of all time during its release year. It also starred Julie Andrews and almost instantly became a family favorite.
Well, its sequel some 54 years later in 2018 did even better—grossing $345 million. Not bad for a 54-year wait.
Walt Disney, Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
Scarlett: 55 Years
The 1991 authorized sequel to Gone With The Wind (1939), Scarlett, was 55 years in the making. Although broadcast a four-part miniseries on November 13th, 15th, 16th, and 17th, 55 years was a long time for Gone With The Wind fans to wait for a film that was so successful upon it's release and is considered one of the greatest of all time.
Fantasia 2000: 59 Years
Fantasia was released in 1940 as an animated musical starring a signature character from Walt Disney: Mickey Mouse.
It was originally released as a roadshow across 13 US cities with performances occurring in theatres. After nearly 60 years, Fantasia 2000 was released as an animated musical in 1999.
Walt Disney, Fantasia 2000 (1999)
Bambi 2: 63 Years
Oh, God. It's Bambi. The release of the original was in 1942—you know, where Bambi's mother gets shot by a hunter, forever traumatizing small children.
Bambi 2 was released in 2006, taking place between Bambi's mother's death and Bambi being shown as a strong, adult buck. Bambi 2 followed Bambi's relationship with his father. It was generally well-received by those who'd recovered from the first one in time to see it.
How many of both the original and sequels have you seen? Was the wait worth it? Which movie sequels needn't have kept you in suspense so long? Head to the comments section to tell us...
