Movie trilogies are often what filmmakers desire after getting approved for their first sequel, which is why many of the most iconic franchises of all time feature trilogies. The original Star Wars trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, The Dark Knight, Back to the Future, and tons of other trilogies have become some of the most influential films in cinematic history. Going into the third film, many of these franchises knew that they needed to wrap up their stories, giving the sagas a sense of finality.

Unfortunately, many film series aren’t able to give their series a proper conclusion. Tons of duologies were originally planned as trilogies, but for whatever reason, they weren’t allowed to finish their stories. Poor critical response, low box office returns, and differing studio plans are just some of the reasons why trilogies aren’t completed. These five movie series weren’t able to reach their third films despite having them planned, which is why fans are still asking for a final entry to this day.

5) Kick-Ass

Director Matthew Vaughn and franchise creator Mark Millar brought Kick-Ass to the big screen in 2010, kicking off an early R-rated superhero movie series. The film got a sequel in 2013, and after Kick-Ass 2, fans were excited for a third film. Vaughn and Millar expressed interest in a third film as late as 2015, but nothing ever materialized. While Kick-Ass 3 never happened, Vaughn has announced the spinoff Stuntnuts: The Movie and a sequel. However, fans are still hoping for a proper conclusion to the Kick-Ass trilogy.

4) Prometheus

After the Alien franchise had a critical fall-off, Ridley Scott returned for a prequel film in the form of 2012’s Prometheus. This divisive prequel story was continued with 2017’s Alien: Covenant, which Scott also directed. A screenplay for a third prequel was written during production of Covenant, and while the 2017 film was a financial disappointment, 20th Century Fox was set to move forward with Scott’s sequels. However, Disney’s acquisition of Fox threw a wrench into things, with the Alien franchise instead moving forward with a midquel in the form of 2024’s Alien: Romulus.

3) Hellboy

Guillermo del Toro’s two Hellboy films are considered to be some of the best comic book movies of all time, which is why it’s a shame that he never directed a third one. After 2008’s Hellboy II: The Golden Army, del Toro expressed interest in returning for a third film, explaining that he already had a story for it. However, he was committed to making The Hobbit first, something that was originally taken over by Peter Jackson.

Del Toro wanted Hellboy 3 to be bigger than the first two films, with the film’s potential budget often speculated to be why it never happened. Del Toro was in talks with Legendary to make Hellboy 3 after the Pacific Rim movies, although this never panned out. Instead, the franchise was rebooted with 2019’s Hellboy and again with 2024’s Hellboy: The Crooked Man.

2) The Amazing Spider-Man

After Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, Sony decided to reboot the franchise, leading to The Amazing Spider-Man. Unfortunately, the film and its sequel were critically panned, causing Sony to pair up with Marvel Studios in order to make the Tom Holland Spider-Man movies. Sony abandoned its plans for The Amazing Spider-Man 3, which would have seen Chris Cooper return as Norman Osborn. On top of that, Sony was already planning several spinoffs, including films focused on Black Cat, the Sinister Six, and Spider-Man 2099.

While The Amazing Spider-Man universe was mostly a mess, Andrew Garfield’s return as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home has led to fans clamoring for a third film. A proper conclusion to Garfield’s iteration could be great, especially if it learns from the mistakes of its predecessors.

1) 28 Years Later

The 28 Years Later series is the most recent entry on this list, with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple releasing in 2026. 2025’s 28 Years Later was a continuation of the 28 Days Later franchise, but Danny Boyle and Alex Garland envisioned this revival as a trilogy. After 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Boyle wanted to return for the third film, which would bring back Cillian Murphy’s character from the original movie. Although it’s too soon to tell, it’s looking like this may not happen.

The Bone Temple made only $58.5 million on a budget of $63 million, making it a major flop for Sony Pictures. While Sony originally greenlit the third film ahead of The Bone Temple‘s release, it seems like the franchise’s future has been thrown into question. There have been consistent rumors that Sony isn’t eager to fund 28 Years Later 3, and while the film hasn’t been officially cancelled, a fan movement is gaining steam online to ensure that the third film happens.

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