Every year, Hollywood rolls out classic brands for either a brand-new sequel or a new reboot that can keep a franchise going in some way. It’s an easy thing to lean on; audiences love follow-ups and sequels as much as we clamor for new and original stories. This year alone will see some decades-long breaks in franchises come to an end with multiple new movies, like the new Masters of the Universe that marks the first in almost forty years, or the new Meet the Parents movie that’s the first in sixteen years. It’s a trend that surely shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
Despite this continuing trend, there are still plenty of major movie franchises that have been “off the board,” so to speak, for years. The good news is that as this keeps going, the likelihood of one of these returning in some form gets more and more certain, but the bad news is that some of them may be tied up in rights issues or disinterest by the creatives. In the long run, everything always comes back in Hollywood, and it’s only a matter of time before these franchises make their return in some form or another. We’ve been waiting a long time for some of these movies to return.
Time since the last movie: Ten years
In the decade since Star Trek Beyond, a film that itself took way too long to get off the ground, the larger franchise has been on ice for much longer than it ever has before. Previously, Trek films were released with a regularity of a new adventure every three years, with the longest gap being seven years between Star Trek: Nemesis (a notorious flop) and the first JJ Abrams film. It’s not that there haven’t been attempts to keep the series going after Star Trek Beyond, with no fewer than five different sequels or new films announced in the years since. To date, though, the series has yet to bring anything to the big screen for ten years, and even with the new overlords at Paramount, it’s not looking good for Trek on film.
Could It Happen in 2027? Maybe! But they’d better start soon.
Time since the last movie: Twelve years
The ending of 22 Jump Street seemed to very clearly put the kibosh on any further attempts to bring a sequel to life for the TV reboot, wrapping up with a montage of every other sequel that would arrive after this film (jumping all the way to 43 Jump Street: Mariachi School). Despite this, an attempt was made to deliver a third film, a movie that would have combined Jump Street with Men in Black in what’s perhaps the best crossover that almost happened.
In the time since Jump Street officially became an action-comedy franchise, though, the big-screen comedy movie has largely disappeared entirely. The good news is that this would mean a return to the series could signal a resurgence, as it’s been long enough for nostalgia to build, but also directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and star Channing Tatum have only gotten more popular since the last movie.
Could It Happen in 2027? Seems unlikely, thanks to rights issues
Time since the last movie: Thirteen years
When the 2010 adaptation of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.’s comic was released, it was actually somewhat radical. In the decade prior, superheroes had started to stake their claim on blockbuster movies, so a film that not only lampooned the entire genre but brought a sense of realism to the stories was actually a new thing for the genre. Though a sequel followed in 2013, it lacked any bite (or jokes) and doomed the series to end. In the time since, though, superheroes have only gotten even more ubiquitous, and a film that can bring them down a peg even more would likely be welcome.
Could It Happen in 2027? In theory, it could, as a third film titled Stuntnuts Does School Fight was reportedly filmed in secret, according to Matthew Vaughn. There has been no information about that film since Vaughn revealed it existed, not even a screenshot.
Time since the last movie: Sixteen years
When the last A Nightmare on Elm Street was released, it marked the first film with Freddy Krueger in seven years and the only time an actor who wasn’t Robert Englund played the part. Critically reviled and rejected by the fandom, it marked the nail in the coffin for the series. In the time since, the rights to the series have gotten somewhat complicated, with the estate of Wes Craven now holding on to the series and no film being made just yet. The past sixteen years have seen countless slasher franchises return to prominence, though, meaning the world is sorely missing out on Freddy Krueger.
Could It Happen in 2027? Only if the rights get settled.
Time since the last movie: Nineteen years
When the first film was released in 2004, it fulfilled a promise made over a decade prior and finally saw the fight that movie fans had been dreaming about for years. Though it only somewhat scratched the itch, the series was largely put to bed in the wake of the 2007 sequel that faltered at the box office. Now, though, both the Alien and Predator franchise have never been in a better place, meaning a new film that puts these two together once again not only has great potential but could easily be the best in the series.
Could It Happen in 2027? They’d have to announce it today and get started immediately.
Time since the last movie: Twenty-four years
The firestorm success of the Austin Powers trilogy came and went in just five years, and though creator Mike Myers has slowly been dipping his toes back into working again (like Netflix’s The Pentaverate and the upcoming Shrek 5) there hasn’t been a sign just yet about the return of his most beloved character.
It’s worth noting that the success of Austin Powers fundamentally shifted the trajectory of the James Bond movie franchise, which realized that the cheeky nature of the series couldn’t be presented with a straight face. Instead, Bond had to become grounded, gritty, and incredibly serious. Before Bond reboots itself once again, it would be genuinely hilarious if Austin Powers could return and completely lampoon the Daniel Craig era of the character, too.
Could It Happen in 2027? Technically, it could, but it seems to be over.
Time since the last movie: Twenty-seven years
In truth, the vampire-biker bar series may be tough to get off the ground due to rights, as it was previously tied into Miramax/Dimension Films, or maybe it’s just a little too niche. After the blockbuster success and Oscar wins of Sinners last year, though, it seems like it would be a no-brainer for the rights holders of From Dusk Till Dawn to get a reboot of the property off the ground.
Could It Happen in 2027? If they move fast, yes!
