Yahoo Movies 7 actors who just can't launch a franchise
Look, it's not easy to launch a movie series that lasts long enough to be called a franchise (three movies or more).
Some actors don't even manage a single sequel to films that were supposed to carry on forever.
What follows is our collection of those unlucky souls who, despite being absolutely brilliant movie stars, just can't seem to get major film franchises off the ground.
1. Armie Hammer - The Lone Ranger / Man From UNCLE
Poor old Armie Hammer. The Lone Ranger and Man From UNCLE are both perfectly respectable blockbusters, fun, action-packed and with both containing fine performances from the man named after some toothpaste.
Seriously, if you – like most people – didn't bother with them, they're both worth a watch.
Sadly, they were both inspired by old TV shows that no-one particularly cares about any more, and were costly bombs.
Weirdly, the only sequel Hammer's managed to make has been Call Me By Your Name 2, but we're still holding out for The Social Network 2: Fake News.
2. Russell Crowe - Master & Commander / The Mummy / Gladiator / LA Confidential
Few actors have fronted as many films that were treated as overtures to longer franchises. Master & Commander was hoped to be the first instalment of a movie franchise that could potentially adapt a staggering 20 books, but only one film (albeit cherry-picking bits from several of the books) was made.
Also, Crowe's Jekyll was supposed to be the Nick Fury of Universal's much-hyped Dark Universe monster movie series – but that was binned after The Mummy.
Even some of his films that felt like one-offs were supposed to have sequels that fell through, with a Nick Cave-penned Gladiator 2 and LA Confidential follow-up White Jazz both languishing in development hell. At least we've got that The Nice Guys sequel to look forward to, right Russell? Russell?
3. Will Ferrell - Step Brothers / Elf / Old School
Ferrell's an interesting example of an actor who's led a load of movies that should have had sequels, but don't because he doesn't want to do them.
Anchorman 2 aside, Ferrell seems extremely reticent to return to the movies that made his name. He's turned down Elf 2 and Old School 2, preferring to do Daddy's Home 2 and Zoolander 2 instead.
None of his films have made it past the first sequel stage – taking them to that all-important trilogy stage of a franchise's development.
Still, he has said he'll be up for Step Brothers 2, so here's hoping that turns into a MCU-style shared universe consisting of 23 movies. Seriously, we'd watch that, Step Brothers is ace.
4. John Travolta - Pulp Fiction / Battlefield Earth
Again, Travolta has done sequels (and even a trilogy – though the main draw of the Look Who's Talking films were the talking babies, so it doesn't really count), but they've been uniformly rubbish: step forward Staying Alive and Be Cool.
And anyone who made Wild Hogs and New Dogs (which sound like they should be sequels to each other) deserves a place on this list.
But the main reason he's here is Battlefield Earth, which was supposed to be the first part of a franchise that would make Star Wars look like Battlestar Galactica. Sadly (or thankfully), it was laughed out of cinemas.
Spare a thought for the long-mooted Pulp Fiction prequel The Vega Brothers, which probably isn't going to happen now that Tarantino announced he has only one film left to make after Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.
5. Nicole Kidman - The Golden Compass / Bewitched
Okay, so Nicole Kidman is a super weird example of this phenomena. Not only has she appeared in two films that were supposed to have sequels (The Golden Compass and Bewitched), she's been in a LOT of films that did have sequels, but didn't involve her.
She didn't return for Paddington 2, Happy Feet 2, anything after Batman Forever, or the Practical Magic prequel. She was even recast in Dogville's follow-up, Manderlay.
So, the chances of her returning for Aquaman 2 - 3 are probably roughly the same as Jason Momoa winning the Best Actor Oscar next year for the same film. "My man!"
6. Angelina Jolie - Salt / Wanted / Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow / Cyborg 2
Jolie's had one major two-part series that she fronted – Tomb Raider. She's had one animated franchise – Kung Fu Panda. She's about to return for Maleficent 2, which could go to a trilogy.
But she's has more failures than successes, with no Salt 2, Wanted 2, Sky Captain 2, Cyborg 3 (she only appeared in Cyborg 2). We'd also suggest that the chances of a Mr & Mrs Smith 2 are getting more unlikely as each day passes.
7. Taylor Kitsch - John Carter / Battleship / X-Men Origins
STOP TRYING TO MAKE TAYLOR KITSCH HAPPEN.
Taylor Kitsch's terrible Gambit cameo in X-Men Origins might not have been the thing to kill the 'Origins' concept (it was supposed to be the first example of a whole bunch of X-Men prequels) but it certainly didn't help.
Still, he must have thought 'I'll show them' in 2012 when he had two HUGE blockbusters out in the same summer. Sadly, they were 'the next Star Wars' John Carter and 'the next Transformers' Battleship – both of which were profound duds at the box office.
Kitsch turned to TV to salvage his CV, adding the near-universally hated True Detective season 2 to it.
The tragedy is that he's a good actor, just always in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's still doing interesting stuff – with his recent mini-series 'Waco' receiving positive buzz.
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