Meatballs Part II was released on July 27, 1984, by TriStar Pictures. Unlike its predecessor, the film received harshly negative reviews and a negligible box office return. The New York Times said the sequel suffered from “pale writing, awkward acting, familiar situations, and tired jokes.”
The original Meatballs it gave Bill Murray his first leading role in a film. The actor’s comic charm, combined with the screenwriter’s contributions Haroldo Ramis and director Ivan Reitmann, turned the low-budget comedy into a bona fide hit. None of the aforementioned trio returned to Meatballs Part IIwhich featured a new star, writer and director in his place.
These problems were emblematic of those that plagued many ’80s sequels. Throughout the decade, a long list of films sought to capitalize on the success of their precursors, only to fail. Common stumbles included a similar lack of returning stars, plot problems, and a gross miscalculation of audience demand. In some cases, they supported all three.
Still, studio executives saw sequels as an opportunity to cash in on already established brands. Even though these subsequent films consistently faltered, producers continued writing checks.
We’ve put together a list of 25 ’80s sequels that shouldn’t have been made. To be included, a film had to fall significantly short of the expectations set by its predecessor. We also limited our scope to films released in the decade, i.e. classic bombs like Weekend at Bernie’s II (1993) will have to wait for another list.
25 80s Movie Sequels That Shouldn’t Have Been Made
The decade provided some of the most cringe-worthy moments of all time.
Gallery credit: Corey Irwin
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