These days, sequels and reboots are all the rage. They usually end up making a decent amount of money, and they come out in theaters. Sometimes there are sequels that go directly to streaming, but even these can turn out okay. However, there was once a time when certain sequels went straight to the video store.
For those old enough to remember, seeing a sequel one didn't know existed at a shop or, even worse, in the 99 cent bin, would elicit chuckles. The novelty would be enough to warrant a purchase or rental, and a viewing back home. These were mostly subpar, but certain movies could surprise audiences and make them wonder why they weren't put into theaters. The movies in this list are not necessarily classics. Instead, their existence is unexpected, since most people didn't realize sequels came out at all.
7 Honey We Shrunk Ourselves
First, this poor doctor shrunk his kids. Then, he blew up one of them. Fortunately in this case, blow up means enlarging them until they are well over 100 feet tall. The third title in the series ended up heading straight to video and was called Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves.
There's not much interesting here for those who missed out on it, though most of the original cast returns, including Rick Moranis. It was the actor's last live-action roll before retiring, after a couple of voice over parts. However, he is set to return in a reboot, which is set to shoot in 2022.
6 American Psycho 2
It is weird to even know an American Psycho 2 exists. After all, what else is there to do with the concept of the original movie? Apparently, it was to cast Mila Kunis as the main character. It came out in 2002, so Mila Kunis was already well known for her role on That '70s Show.
It started out as a thriller with no relation to American Psycho, until it was decided, for some reason, to throw the Patrick Bateman character into the mix at the beginning (not played by Christian Bale). The whole plot does not even make sense for those who remember American Psycho's plot. Perhaps it would have been better if it had remained unconnected to American Psycho, but it is better to forget this movie ever existed. Mila Kunis herself has disowned it.
5 Bambi 2
Disney was notably sequel-obsessed in the 1990s and early 2000's. Most of these were forgettable direct-to-video fare. It is both funny and sad to see a Bambi 2 among these, but it exists nonetheless. For one, it is a little ridiculous for a sequel to come out more than 60 years after the original. Secondly, it is awfully bold to try and make a sequel to what is considered one of the greatest animated movies ever made.
The movie is not laughably bad, but it is nothing special either. The world would be no different if Bambi 2 never existed. These days, Disney remakes and sequels are often better received, and often come out in theaters.
4 So Many The Land Before Time Sequels
The Land Before Time is a fantastic animated film from 1988. It is beautifully tragic at the start, but ends with hope and all the characters in a good place. It was a beautiful film perfect for dinosaur-obsessed kiddos, and one that the whole family could enjoy as well.
Obviously, there was no other logical thing to do than to make no less than 13 direct-to-video sequels going all the way until 2016. There is also a television show, so The Land Before Time fans have plenty of content to go through.
3 S. Darko
Donnie Darko is a cult classic that keeps people talking today with its odd narrative and confusing finale. S. Darko was the sequel that did not need to happen, and features no creative input from the original director or producers.
The movie stars Donnie's sister as she experiences similar visions and solves a mystery of her own. Rather than this film, fans should just watch Donnie Darko again, as there is plenty of content and nuance to warrant several viewings. People might just need to watch it to wash the taste of S. Darko out of their mouths.
2 Showgirls 2
Part of Showgirls' appeal is in its sincerity. The audience reaction was not what the creators wanted, but it has had a longer life than most movies from the 90s, and that alone is something to be proud of.
Showgirls 2, on the other hand, was a crowdfunded project by Rena Riffel who funded it through Kickstarter. Saying it looks like a home movie would be putting it kindly. It tries to play off the camp sensibilities of the first film, but being self-aware is not always a good thing.
1 Tremors 2
The first Tremors is a classic horror movie that is infinitely rewatchable thanks to its snappy dialogue, performances, and practical creature effects. It was a box office failure that became more popular through home video.
As such, it only made sense for a sequel to go straight to VHS. Tremors 2 might have the stigma of being a direct-to-video sequel, but it is way better than the label implies. It is a worthy sequel to the first movie with a similar charm. Future sequels would only see diminishing returns, though Michael Gross stars as Burt Gummer in all of them.
