When an action movie is a financial success, it almost always leads to a sequel, regardless of whether or not there is more story remaining to be told. Inversely, when an action spectacle doesn’t perform to expectations, there is precious little chance of a follow-up, no matter how great it is. We get it, a film that didn’t meet expectations isn’t likely to pull in a larger crowd the second time around, so there is little to no point in trying. We cannot argue with that logic. Even still, applying logic does nothing to ease the sting when a noteworthy film fails to resonate despite its efficacy.
The titles outlined below are seven examples of exactly that. These action flicks didn’t perform as well as expected, yet each surely has plenty of franchise potential!
1) The Long Kiss Goodnight
This Geena Davis-led picture should have kicked down the door for more female-fronted action films when it bowed in 1996, not to mention, a series of sequels. Sadly, it didn’t perform as expected and we’re only now starting to see more high-octane efforts featuring women in lead roles.
It’s anybody’s guess why The Long Kiss Goodnight didn’t make more during its theatrical run. However, most who have seen the film will tell you that it’s a taut action classic that deservers far more acclaim. Davis plays Samantha Caine, an amnesiac teacher with a lively past who gradually begins to rediscover that she was once a lethal assassin. Davis establishes herself as a capable action hero and turns in a nuanced performance. It’s a shame she didn’t get the chance to reprise this iconic role for subsequent installments.
2) Running Scared
Although this gritty effort didn’t manage to recoup its estimated $15 million dollar budget when it played in theaters, Running Scared is nonetheless an unforgettable effort that eventually found its audience on home video. The brutal nature of the film’s subject matter may have been a bit too shocking for the mainstream moviegoing public, but fans of grisly exploitation-esque fare really connected with this unflinching and fast-paced effort.
The flick catches up with lead character Joey Gazelle (Paul Walker), who initially reads as a lovable ne’er-do-well type working as a low-level organized crime henchman. We follow him as he attempts to locate a weapon that his boss gave him to dispose of only for it to subsequently disappear and fall into the wrong hands. The film ends with a twist that few saw coming, but the ultimate reveal left plenty of room for a repeat visit to the gritty world within. However, the film’s lack of financial success and Paul Walker’s untimely passing all but guarantee that will never happen.
3) American Ultra
There aren’t a lot of stoner action comedies, perhaps that type of genre mash up is just too niche to reach the masses. No matter the case, American Ultra is a high-octane good time that deserves a larger fanbase, not to mention, a sequel.
As most of the titles on this list did, the film failed to deliver a the box office. Even still, this tale of a stoner sleeper agent (Jesse Eisenberg) who is reactivated unexpectedly delivers ample thrills, stellar fight choreography, and a lot of ridiculous laughs along the way to a satisfying conclusion. A repeat visit to the world within would surely please the film’s small but loyal fanbase. Yet alas, it’s likely not in the cards anytime soon.
4) The Last Boy Scout
The Last Boy Scout is a film that didn’t resonate as much as Warner Bros. had hoped when it played theaters in December of 1991. Though the film was a modest success during its theatrical exhibition, given the star power and sizable budget, the powers that be were left wanting.
Those of us who connected with the flick enjoyed seeing action icon Bruce Willis as a private investigator teaming up with a former football player (Damon Wayans) to uncover a sports betting conspiracy with far-reaching implications. The oft-contentious buddy comedy dynamic between Wayans and Willis is set up nicely thanks to screenwriter Shane Black. This isn’t his first rodeo, after all. As fans know, he helped set the standard for buddy comedies with his breakout hit Lethal Weapon four years prior.
5) Dredd
Like so many of the films on this list, Dredd’s only misstep is failing to connect with viewers at the box office. Even still, the film was a massive hit on home video, which sparked interest in a potential return to the property with Karl Urban as the titular character. Sadly, nothing ever materialized and we are left with a franchise-worthy setup and no subsequent installments.
Urban features as a powerful law enforcement officer who oversees a dystopian future where much of the former United States is now called the Cursed Earth. The titular character is given the role of judge, jury, and executioner. We catch up with him as he gives new recruit Cassandra (Olivia Thirlby) a chance to prove she has what it takes to work as a Judge, even though she failed her entrance exam. Together, the pair work to take down drug kingpin Ma-Ma (Lena Headey).
6) The Nice Guys
Here we go again with yet another underrated buddy comedy from the great Shane Black. Black sat at the helm of this comic actioner and co-wrote the screenplay with Anthony Bagarozzi (Road House 2024). In addition to a talented creative team, the film also boasts a dynamic cast that includes Russel Crowe and Ryan Gosling, as an enforcer and a private eye respectively, who team up when they realize they are both looking for the same missing woman (Margaret Qualley).
Despite great writing, an unpredictable narrative, and plenty of well-timed comedic exchanges, the film didn’t deliver at the box office. If only more people had turned out to watch this comedic caper, we might have been gifted with a sequel. And what fun it would have been to see a return to the universe of this smartly scripted action comedy that brilliantly recreates the look and feel of the 1970s.
7) Upgrade
Upgrade might have been a smash hit if it had only been granted a wider release and a bigger marketing spend. As it stands, the flick played fewer than 1,500 screens and wasn’t heavily promoted outside social media.
Even still, this gripping tale of a paralyzed man (Logan Marshall-Green) granted the full use of his body once again thanks to an AI implant has built a fanbase and ranks for many as an underrated effort that surely could have sustained a franchise. Fans liken the flick to Robocop crossed with David Cronenberg, an apt comparison indeed. There was a television series in development based on the project as recently as 2020, but plans have since been scrapped. Hopefully, fan interest in the property eventually leads to another outing. We’ll be waiting.
How many of these underrated action pictures have you seen? And which of them do you wish had spawned a franchise? Let us know in the comments!