One, Two, Three, Four . . . screw that, restart

I'm sure some other people here have noticed this, although I don't know if this is the kind of thing that gets a name. I've seen in superhero movies this weird trend. In a few franchises, it starts off well, they make a sequel, which is also good. Number three starts getting a little weird though, and number four has so totally gone off the deep end that they scrap the whole thing and start over.

Examples: 1. Batman, 2. Batman Returns, 3. Batman Forever (starting to fade), 4. Batman & Robin (by some considered a crime against nature)

Time to start over: 5. Batman Begins (good) 6. The Dark Knight (amazing)

1. Superman 2. Superman II (gets a little flaky near the end, but okay) 3. Superman III (Blah, definitely should've stopped) 4. Superman IV (terrible story, terrible villain, terrible animation)

Time to start over: 5. Superman Returns (which only scraps the previous *two*, but is close enough for the rules.

I can't think of any other complete examples right now, although I have the nagging feeling there's at least one more.

Examples that are clearly building up to this: Spider-Man, X-Men.

Is this some kind of named trope? Or has anyone seen this elsewhere?

Something along the lines of Sequelitis but in oddly consecutive form?

It also seems to have something to do with the number of villains the movie has. If you go past two, you're screwed.

Slightly veering off the subject, but weren't they planning to do a reboot with Fantastic Four, or was my mind just making that up?

Yes they,re planning to.

Back on topic - Well, yeah, it's a pattern. It might be related to trilogy creep, or to sequel itis, but yes, most of the time the third installement is starting to show problems and the fourth goe soff the deep end. And it's not only for superhero movies. Horror movies often that rules two. Nightmare on Elm Sreet is a classic, 2 is ...debated, 3 is pretty solid, and then it goes to hell. Saw 1 is a cult hit, Saw 2 is a mainstream hit, Saw 3 is a hit, Saw 4-whatever theyre are now are getting worse and worse.

However, the Batman examples only work if you consider the first four Batman to be the same franchise. Which, considering it has little continuity to each other and has a completly different creative team, might not be the case.

The Wolverine movies seem to be an exception, sinc ethey haven't rebooted it. They're just going backwards in time...despite Wolverine Origins bombing at the theaters.

"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you." -Gandalf

Wolverine Origins bombed? I thought it did decent, just the critics didn't like it.

@ OP: Does it count if the movies are based off of a book series? Because I thought Harry Potter 4 was decent. Haven't seen five yet though.

Well, it didn't make a any real waves at the boxoffice. I'd be hard pressed to call it a hit, and we unfortunatey still have three more Wolverine movies on the way.

"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you." -Gandalf

Frankly, the Harry Potter movies weren't good at all until the fifth one, making that series the inverse of Sequelitis.

edited 1st Nov '10 11:46:23 PM by Nexus

Man, don't remind me of the Wolverine movie. How do you screw up a revenge story about a guy with claws who is indesctructable?

In any case, the popularity of reboots is pretty crazy, I think. People are a bit too obsessed with movies being accessible all the while ignoring shows with much more intricate mythologies.

"Everyone wants an answer, don't they?... I hate things with answers." — Grant Morrison

What? What? Are you sure you don't mean the other "Origins" movies?

Batman Begins says hi. Carmine Falcone was just as important to the story as Ra's al Ghul and Scarecrow.

But! The more villains you put in, the harder it is to spin a story around them that actually makes sense. Nolan made it work; others usually aren't so competent.

The first two X-men movies were pretty good with it too, even though they feel a little rushed.

"Everyone wants an answer, don't they?... I hate things with answers." — Grant Morrison

There's supposed to be a Wolverine 2. There's rumors that the director of Requiem For A Dream and The Wrestler might direct it.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1, 2, Leatherface (supposedly 3, even though Hooper didn't write or direct it and it has nothing to do with the first two other than having Leatherface), The Next Generation (the same as Leatherface. Nothing to do with any other film), 2003 remake, prequel to 2003 remake...

edited 2nd Nov '10 10:32:57 PM by NULLcHiLD27

Consider Alien

Alien: Masteful, amazing.

Aliens: Masteful, amazing.

Alien3: Has its problems...

Alien: Resurrection: WTF is this?

Let's reboot!

So Yeah, you're right.

edited 3rd Nov '10 6:20:23 AM by Sati1984

"We have done the impossible and that makes us mighty." - Malcolm Reynolds

"But! The more villains you put in, the harder it is to spin a story around them that actually makes sense."

I think probably the best way to incorporate a bunch of villains into a movie is just make them have their own evil league. That way you can still have your cool bad guys without having to write a bunch of story lines for them.

I thought Alien ressurection was better than 3. It was at least fun to watch, where as Alien 3 is just painful at times. Also killing off Ripley:(

Me

Agreed.

"Religion isn't the cause of wars, it's the excuse." —Mycroft Next

I have all the DVD's and watch them all though, completist that I am.

Me