It seems almost everything gets a sequel these days. Most of the time, it seems money is the deciding factor. It doesn't matter how good a flick is—if it made a lot of money, more would seemingly follow. But sometimes, there's more to it. Not every movie is a blowout. Some have something that other films don't, whether it be the fanbase, storytelling, or something else.
In a time where nothing is ever 'one-off,' how is it that some of the best in the action genre have fallen through the cracks? They make money but are cut off when there's room for more narratives or characters to explore. While it's respectable for some studios to know when the story is over, sometimes the viewer decides it's not. Here are 10 standalone action movies that deserve a sequel.
10 Wanted
This loose comic book adaptation is about Wesley Gibson, a frustrated office worker whose life is changed forever after discovering he's the son of a trained assassin with superhuman abilities. What follows is a high-velocity adrenaline rush beyond the imagination as the viewer falls deep into the lore of the Fraternity of Assassins, a clandestine organization of individuals killing targets as dictated by fate itself. Wanted was a hit at the box office and has since become a cult classic. A sequel was almost a certainty, but the project has been in development purgatory since 2008. It ultimately comes down to Universal Studios whether or not the film gets made, so it's a surprise they haven't jumped on the project ages ago. It's been reported as of last year that director Timur Bekmambetov is definitely interested in making a follow-up, but there's a catch: he wants to do it using Screenlife Technology. Anyone who has seen films like as Unfriended or Searching will know that this technology requires shooting from the perspectives of computer/phone screens.
9 Constantine
In 2005, Keanu Reeves starred as a DC superhero before it was cool. As demonologist John Constantine, he sets out to prove that a police detective's sister did not die by suicide, but by something else. This one death of an innocent woman leads to a conspiracy that threatens a sacred truce that must be protected. The fate of the world depends on it. Constantine is inspired by the popular DC comic book of the same name. This film's financial success could have generated a franchise of films. It has enough source material to cover multiple films. Reeves has even stated his desire to return to the role, citing it as one of his favorite 'John' characters. Unfortunately, back in 2008, when a sequel was originally being pitched, Reeves didn't feel the same way. On top of that, despite the film's success of $230 million against a $100 million budget, the studio wasn't happy with the returns and opted not to produce a follow-up. The good news is that J.J. Abrams is currently set to incorporate the character into his Justice League Dark project for HBOMax.
8 Dredd
Set in a futuristic city where the police are authorized to act as judge, jury, and executioner, Dredd teams with a rookie to take down a criminal gang distributing reality-altering drugs. More faithful to the source material than the Stalone outing, this Karl Urban-led blood-bath was a hit with both fans of the comics and with critics. What prevented a Dredd 2 was that it was not a hit at the box office, failing to make back the money invested in it. Despite this, both Olivia Thirlby and Karl Urban would love to do another movie. It's unlikely that there will be a sequel anytime soon, though. The financial income of the first film has been a deterrent for studios to give it another go, obviously, but the current political climate is an issue now. A white cop with unlimited authority to kill would not exactly resonate with audiences at the moment, given all the police shootings that have taken headlines over the past decade.
7 True Lies
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Harry Tasker, a world-traveling super-spy who fights terrorists. At home, though, he's just a computer salesman who is away on business a lot. At least, that's what his wife thinks. When he and his wife are abducted, the action takes off, causing his two lives to collide as he's forced to save his family and the world. Hailed as one of the greatest action films there is, True Lies was a shoo-in for a sequel. The flick was at one point confirmed and ready to go, script, cast, and all. What stopped it was the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001. Jaime Lee Curtis stated that terrorists weren't as serious as a threat beforehand. Afterward, it just wasn't a good time for the film for obvious reasons. Schwarzenegger becoming governor also stopped the film's progress. He's now up to doing a sequel, but chances of there being one are possibly less now than ever as there is now a new True Lies TV series in the works.
6 Looper
In the year 2074, when the mob wants someone dead, they send them back to the past where a man is waiting for them. This man is called a Looper. Joe works for the mob in this role, and it serves him well. That is until the mob decides to close the loop by sending Joe's old self back to him for assassination. Having earned over $170 million against a $30 million budget, Tristar was looking at the beginnings of a franchise. A sequel could have seen the story travel into the future and follow the character, Cid. The story would have either seen him become the prophesized "Rainmaker" or a good man due to Joe's choice at the end of the film. Or a different story could have unfolded that saw someone else return from the future to handle things. There are a whole plethora of storytelling opportunities in this world that Rian Johnson created. Unfortunately, he purposely wrote the script as an open and shut story, closing Sony off from expanding the universe.
5 The Nice Guys
In the 1970s, a mismatched pair of private detectives investigate a missing girl and the death of a porn star. Hollan March is a private investigator, and Jackson Healy is a friendly tough guy. Together they find themselves on a strange adventure in this neo-noir romp from director Shane Black. The critics loved this movie. Russel Crowe was stellar, and Ryan Gosling is surprisingly great at physical comedy. For whatever reason, though, The Nice Guys was a flop at the box office. There is a push among fans now for a follow-up. The problem was that the first time around that they were slow to catch on to this film. The ending set up at least one sequel, but the money decides the future, as with most films. However, both the leading actors and Shane Black are game for another adaptation. Even if the movie wasn't a hit in theatres, the fan base is there.
4 Baby Driver
Baby Driver follows Baby as a highly-skilled getaway driver who finds himself torn between the love of his life and his criminal career. After he manages to settle old debts, he feels he's found his way out. However, things go awry, and he finds himself facing off against his old crew in a fight for his freedom. This critically acclaimed film from Edgar Wright was a big success at the box office and a fan favorite. With an artful blend of music and action, Wright brought his passion project to the big screen in a colorful film that isn't likely to fade from memory. Wright wanted to make a sequel, but the project was stifled in the midst of the Me-Too movement when his biggest stars Ansel Elgort and Kevin Spacy became subject to accusations. Nevertheless, the Last Night In Soho director is still open to directing the follow-up on the condition that he can make it fun for himself. Past theories of the potential film have speculated that it could feature an all-new cast with a female lead. A new and fresh story may be just what's needed.
3 Edge of Tomorrow
Tom Cruise stars as a Major who has never seen a day of combat until he is unceremoniously dropped in the middle of a battle against the alien enemy. He dies within minutes but finds himself in a time loop repeating the fight over and over. The difference in each repeat is that each time allows him to improve upon the last, giving him the chance to make a significant difference in the war effort. Edge of Tomorrow has been embraced as one of the best sci-fi films in recent memory. A sequel was planned before the film's release and was a sure thing with its success. Unfortunately, it's been in development hell ever since. Not much is known about the supposed plot of the film, but while discussing potential plans, director Doug Liman described it as better than the first but smaller, stating that there doesn't need to be an action sequence every two minutes. However, Cruise's costar, Emily Blunt has doubts that the movie will happen. Ever since the start of the COVID 19 pandemic, she believes the film may be too expensive now. Also, even if that's not the case, it's doubtful if anyone's schedules will line up for the project.
2 District 9
A government agent in South Africa works to help relocate a bedraggled alien race from the slums of District 9. In the process, he becomes infected by their biotechnology and finds his body and existence drastically changing. With the government agency he worked for now hunting him, the only help he now has comes from two "prawn" friends on their own mission. With 4 Oscar nominations and box-office success, a sequel was a must. What prevented it was a number of things. First off, director Neill Blomkamp's schedule keeps him from doing the project. He's had an idea for a follow-up but no clear direction. On top of that, he values his time off between films. While promoting his new film, Demonic, Blomkamp discussed his idea for another film. The director said that the second installment would be as stripped to the bones as possible and be very similar in tone and aesthetic to the original. The film would also be based on a topic from American history, similar to how the first movie's socio-political themes followed South Africa's apartheid system. The title of this supposed film may be District 10.
1 Inception
A thief who steals corporate secrets from big companies is hired to plant an idea into a wealthy CEO's brain. It's considered an impossible task, but the rewards are just too great for the thief to pass up. He may be able to pull it off, but his dark past threatens to unravel the whole scheme. So many had hopped with the film's massive success that there would be a franchise to follow. Director Christopher Nolan was even up for another movie. While he mainly had ever been a one film kind of guy, his experiences filming his Dark Knight trilogy changed his mind. Nolan thought the world would be better explored in the form of a video game due to the dream world's expansive nature and the film's video game-like qualities, but this would make for a far more extensive project. On top of this, he and the rest of the cast are far too busy. After Inception's release, both Leonardo Dicaprio and Tom Hardy have landed big role after big role. Nolan has been working on more ambitious films such as Interstellar and Tenet. If not for these reasons, Nolan may not want to return. Despite its openness to possibilities, he felt that his ending was a closed-door on the story. Only time will tell if fans will get the chance to re-enter the dreamworld he created.