Every year, Hollywood produces more reboots and remakes intended to kickstart a brand-new franchise. Often times, however, when these films come out, they're either lackluster at best or simply terrible films. Either way, any hope of a new franchise is dashed immediately when they release to critical and commercial failure.
There are some reboots that come out, however, and though they could've spawned a new franchise, for one reason or another did not. Perhaps they may have even deserved to spawn a franchise due to establishing a good foundation even if the film itself could've been better. Here is a list of reboot films that didn't start a new franchise, but probably could have if given the chance.
5 Terminator: Salvation
Terminator: Salvation is perhaps the best Terminator sequel after Judgment Day. It's not a perfect film; in fact, it has plenty of issues and was rather maligned upon release. However, in hindsight, it is the only sequel to really try something new. It is the only Terminator film set completely in the future during the war with Skynet.
It's a story ripe for continuation, with Christian Bale as John Connor, Anton Yelchin as a young Kyle Reese, and Bryce Dallas Howard as Kate Connor. Allegedly, Salvation was planned to be the start of a new series. However, critical reception and poor box office returns caused MGM to reconsider. They would eventually reboot the story again with the much disparaged, Terminator: Genisys.
4 Dredd
This ultraviolent comic adaptation is way better than it has any right to be. The effects are great, the cast is stellar, the action is brutal, the story and world building are just right. And yet, Dredd never spawned a sequel, let alone a whole franchise. Strangely, the film did not do very well at the box office, though it was reviewed somewhat well.
Perhaps this is because Dredd is a relatively unknown IP. After all, the last time he had been seen on the big screen was in the lackluster Judge Dredd film starring Sylvester Stallone in 1995. Perhaps it was the film's hard R rating, though R-rated comic book movies have performed much better recently. Whatever the reason, Dredd certainly deserved more than it received. Despite its significant cult following, it's unlikely to get a sequel of any kind, even though Karl Urban is clearly up to reprise his role as the helmeted enforcer.
3 Friday The 13th (2009)
Perhaps the best from the era of Hollywood slasher reboots, Friday the 13th, though extremely shallow at times, is a solid slasher that could have gotten away with being the jumping off point for a new Jason series. Atmospherically, the film is quite strong, and Jason Voorhees has never been more unrelenting than he is here. Instead of being portrayed as some sort of undead zombie, Jason is more of an unhinged back woods survivalist who uses traps and makeshift weaponry to brutally kill his victims.
The cast of teenagers is predictably insufferable, but that's part of the fun when it comes to the type of slasher Friday the 13th has always been. They make good fodder for Jason, who is at his most creative when it comes to kills in this iteration.
2 The Incredible Hulk
Released in 2008, The Incredible Hulk is one of the more unique Marvel movies simple because of how dark and serious the film is. The Hulk, at the time played by Edward Norton, can be quite terrifying and there is very little humor to be found throughout the movie. These are just a few likely reasons why the film unfortunately never got any sequels despite it deserving some (it even set up The Leader).
The next time the Hulk would appear, it would be in The Avengers in 2012, where the role of Bruce Banner would instead be played by Mark Ruffalo. The Hulk has often been relegated to supporting character in other superhero movies. He has yet to receive a series of films or show all to himself, and even if he does get one, it obviously won't have much connection to the Edward Norton Hulk film.
1 The Man From UNCLE
It's always disappointing when a solid film ends up being a box office dud, especially when the movie is as charming and fun as The Man From UNCLE. Starring Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Jared Harris, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki and Hugh Grant, this reboot of the Cold War themed spy T.V. series features great action, smart humor, and surprisingly good performances from pretty much everyone.
Unfortunately UNCLE just didn't grab audiences when it released in 2015. Despite this, the film definitely could have gotten a sequel or two on the back of its cast alone. It also could have been a great counterweight to the gritty direction the James Bond series took with Daniel Craig in Casino Royale.