10 Awesome-Sounding Sequels That Will Never Happen
7. Wanted 2
It actually seemed like this one was going to happen for a while.
After Wanted's demented blend of gravity-defying set-pieces and graphically-violent shootouts propelled it to a box office total of $341.4m, it seemed as though a new R-rated action franchise was born. A sequel was announced, but after years stuck in development hell all talk of a potential Wanted 2 has been quietly abandoned.
In the interim, Timur Bekmambetov directed notorious box-office bombs Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Ben-Hur, Angelina Jolie has continued her transition to director of unrelentingly bleak dramatic fare, James McAvoy took on another comic book franchise while also establishing a reputation as one of the finest character actors of his generation and Morgan Freeman will still star in pretty much everything he gets offered.
Which is a shame, as the unashamedly absurd nature of Wanted gave it plenty of franchise potential. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the balls-to-the-wall adventures of the trigger-happy assassins could have provided a welcome respite from the sea of increasingly-familiar blockbusters that seem to dominate the summer months every year.