There are plenty of movie franchises which seem like they could be in trouble, but they still have the chance to turn things around. Many of the biggest franchises of recent years - includingJurassic WorldandStar Wars -are facing pivotal moments, where one movie could make or break their futures. There’s a lot of hype building around these movies already, as their performance could dictate how many other upcoming projects fans are treated to.
One greatmovie can revive a franchise, like howCreedbroughtRockyback to life or howRise of the Planet of the Apescreated a whole new era. At the moment, there are plenty of big franchises hoping for the same kind of impact. In some cases, franchise have had to endure years and years without a movie, so the tension has risen. Franchises likePirates of the CaribbeanandShrekneed to prove that they’re still worth watching.
10The Mandalorian & Grogu
Star Wars Will Be Returning To Theaters In 2026
When Disney took over theStar Warsfranchise, it seemed as though there would be a steady stream of movies for years to come. However, the poor box office performance ofSolo: A Star Wars Storyand the divisive fan response to the sequel trilogy caused Disney to rethink their strategy. Many movies were either canceled or turned into TV shows for Disney+.It’s now been 5 years since aStar Warsmovie was released.
Everything We Know About The Mandalorian & Grogu Movie
The Mandalorian’s story will continue with a Star Wars movie. Here’s everything we know about the project, including cast, release, and timeline.
Many of theupcomingStar Warsmoviesare up in the air at the moment. Taika Waititi, Rian Johnson and Shawn Levy have all seen their projects stalling. OneStar Warsmovie that’s definitely going ahead isThe Mandalorian & Grogu,a spinoff of the popular Disney+ show starring Pedro Pascal as a bounty hunter. IfThe Mandalorian & Groguis a financial success, and it’s receieved well by fans of the franchise,it could provide the shot in the arm thatStar Warsdesperately needs.
9Pirates Of The Caribbean 6
The Pirates Franchise Might Be Facing A Full Reboot
After 2017’sDead Men Tell No Talesearned over $800 million at the box office, anotherPirates of the Caribbeanwas confirmed to be in development. However, the franchise has now lost all its momentum after 7 years in development hell.A reboot starring Margot Robbie was also confirmed, but this has since been canceled. This means that the franchise will be seeking to reinvent itself withPirates of the Caribbean 6.
Pirates Of The Caribbean 6: Confirmation & Everything We Know
Pirates of the Caribbean 6 is in development, but there’s still no release date. Here are all the details so far about Pirates of the Caribbean 6.
Assuming thatPirates of the Caribbean 6doesn’t also get shelved, it faces a daunting task. Although thePiratesmovies are all commercial successes,the franchise’s critical reputation has been declining with each new movie.IfPirates of the Caribbean 6moves ahead with an all-new ensemble cast, as some reports suggest, it won’t even have the zany charm of Captain Jack Sparrow to fall back on. However, this could give it the freedom to tell new stories.
8Superman
James Gunn Is Bringing Back One Of DC’s Most Popular Heroes
Henry Cavill has been playing Superman since 2013, but James Gunn is ushering in a new era for the superhero. David Corenswet is set to suit up as Superman for 2025’s reboot, which will focus on a younger version of the character.This could be a huge moment not only forSuperman, but also for the future of DC Studios. They have had a patchy record in comparison to the MCU, but with Gunn overseeing things, there’s a chance they could rebound.
Superman: Release Date, Trailer, Plot Details & Everything We Know
Superman is the first entry in James Gunn’s much anticipated new DCU, and here is everything we know from cast to story and release date.
Alongside David Corenswet, the cast includes Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicolas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Some story details remain unknown, but Gunn has already confirmed thatSupermanwon’t be an origin story, despite wanting a younger actor playing the character. There are plenty of potential stories to tell, and it seems likely thatSupermancould have several sequels if it’s a hit with critics and audiences.
The Knives Out Franchise Faces An Uncertain Future
It would be harsh to describe Rian Johnson’sKnives Outfranchise as “flagging,” but it’s certainly reached an important crossroads. WhileKnives OutandGlass Onionboth scored well with critics, there is a slight drop in quality with the sequel.Knives Outcould easily become a franchise forever chasing the high of a dynamite first entry, likeGhostbusters, Men in BlackorPirates of the Caribbean.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery - Cast & Everything We Know About Knives Out 3
Knives Out 3 is on the way, and there are already exciting updates about the third installment in the hit murder mystery franchise.
Wake Up Dead Manwill have to rediscover the original streak ofKnives Outif the franchise is to break the mold. It would be easy to make a new Benoit Blanc movie every few years with a new ensemble cast in tow, butKnives Outdoesn’t have to fall into a managed decline. One thing that could help the franchise is getting it back into theaters, which is something that both Johnson and Daniel Craig seem keen on.
6Shrek 5
The Shrek Franchise Could Have Ended Long Ago
Shrek Forever Aftercame out all the way back in 2010. As the title suggests, it was envisioned as the lastShrekmovie, but Mike Myers is set to return as the antisocial ogre once more. Such a long gap between sequels often spells trouble for a franchise, so it will be interesting to see whether the franchise still has something to offer.The last twoShrekmovies suggest that the story may have run its course.
Shrek 5: Release Date, Cast, Trailer & Everything We Know
The long-gestating Shrek 5 is finally getting underway, and there are already a ton of exciting updates concerning the big green ogre’s return.
One positive omen aboutShrek 5is that the franchise hasn’t been entirely dead for the last 14 years.ThePuss in Bootsspinoff movies have been critically and commercially successful, especially 2023’s brilliantPuss in Boots: The Last Wish.IfShrek 5can learn a lesson or two from this movie, then it could breathe new life into the franchise. TheDonkey spinoff movie with Eddie Murphyis a more dubious prospect, however.
5The Fantastic Four: First Steps
The Fantastic Four Deserve A Place In The MCU
While the MCU certainly doesn’t seem to be in any danger, theFantastic Fourare in desperate need of a win. Before the MCU came along, they were among Marvel’s most popular heroes, alongside Spider-Man and the X-Men. However,they haven’t yet had a movie worthy of their stature.2005’sFantastic Fourand its sequel were both met with mediocre reviews, while 2015’s attempted reboot was nothing short of a disaster.
Fantastic Four: First Steps - Release Date, Trailer, Cast, Story, & Everything We Know
The MCU is bringing a new version of the Fantastic Four as part of its Multiverse Saga, and here’s what you need to know about this reboot.
Fantastic Four: First Stepsis one of the most excitingupcoming Marvel movies, and the positive reaction to the casting is adding to the hype. However, after two disappointing attempts to bring the superhero team to the big screen, this news also comes with a certain level of nervousness for fans.If this reboot also fails, it could be the last time that Marvel tries to make aFantastic Fourmovie.If it succeeds, however, there’s huge potential for sequels.
4Sherlock Holmes 3
Guy Ritchie directed Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in twoSherlock Holmesmovies that went down a treat with audiences, but the franchise suddenly ground to a halt.The lastSherlock Holmesmovie came out in 2011, so the recently confirmedSherlock Holmes 3can’t rely on momentum. WithGuy Ritchie creating aYoung SherlockTV show,Sherlock Holmes 3may have to find a new director too.
Sherlock Holmes 3: Confirmation & Everything We Know
Sherlock Holmes 3 has been in development for quite some time now, and it’s finally moving forward. Here’s everything we know.
There’s no shortage of movies and TV shows about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic detective, but Guy Ritchie’sSherlock Holmesmanaged to cut through. Partly thanks to the charm of the two leads,Sherlock Holmesseparated itself from the pact and made over $1 billion between its two movies.It remains to be seen whether audiences will still have the same love for the franchisewithout Ritchie in the director’s chair, and if the movies can pick up where they left off over a decade ago.
3James Bond 26
News On The Future Of The Franchise Is Hard To Come By
Daniel Craig starred in some of the verybestJames Bondmoviesof all time, bringing the franchise roaring into the 21st century. He will certainly be a tough act to follow, but there are some exciting contenders who could step into the role of 007. The problem is thatthree years have passed now without any concrete news aboutBond 26.While this isn’t unheard of for the franchise, it could stall its momentum.
James Bond 26: Who Could Play 007 & Everything We Know
The Daniel Craig 007 era ended with the release of No Time to Die, but what comes next? Here’s everything that’s been revealed about Bond 26.
TheJames Bondfranchise is at a crucial turning point, and the next movie could set the tone for a whole new era.There has never been a gap of more than six years betweenBondmovies.With no news on the next sequel, it will be at least five years this time round. After such a long gap betweenSpectreandNo Time to Die,the franchise is at risk of wasting its potential. Until news about a star, a story and a director are made public, the wait will continue.
2Ballerina
John Wick Faces A Make-Or-Break Moment
John Wick: Chapter 4seemed to provide the perfect ending for the franchise, so it’s standing on shaky ground moving ahead.Ballerinais set for a 2025 release date as the first spinoff movie in the franchise. The trailer shows that Keanu Reeves will return alongside Ana de Armas, but it could be a passing of the torch. There are otherJohn Wickmovies and spinoffsreportedly in the works, but the franchise’s future could hinge onBallerina.
Ballerina: Release Date, Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know About The John Wick Spinoff
Following the outstanding success of the first four John Wick films, the ever-popular action franchise is getting a spinoff in the form of Ballerina.
The big question hanging overBallerinais whether fans of the franchise will want to see stories that don’t focus on John Wick himself. The underwhelming response toThe Continentalsuggests that the franchise could struggle without Reeves' titular assassin.IfBallerinais a success, it could expand the horizons of theJohn Wickfranchise. There are plenty of characters who could have their own spinoff without Reeves, including Caine, Sofia and Koji.
1Jurassic World Rebirth
The New Era Provides A Much-Needed Blank Slate
TheJurassic Worldmovies have all been big commercial hits, but they have been steadily declining in quality. Although 2015’sJurassic Worldwas generally seen as a good way to update theJurassic Parkfranchise,Jurassic World Dominion’s 29% Rotten Tomatoes score underlines just how poorly it was received.Now, a new era of the franchise carries the potential to get things back on track.
Jurassic World Rebirth: Release Date, Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know About The Next Jurassic Park Movie
Even though Jurassic World: Dominion wrapped up several major story arcs, it has officially been announced that Jurassic World 4 is happening.
Jurassic World Rebirthwill feature a new cast, led by Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey.This offers the franchise the possibility of making a clean birth from the previous trilogy. It remains unknown whether any of the old characters will return. TheJurassic Worldtrilogy struggled to integrate characters from the older movies into the narrative, so it might be best to keep things simple and start an original story that isn’t burdened by the past.
