10 Horror Sequels That Totally Ruined The Previous Movie's Ending
1. Alien 3
Based on the way the Alien saga has repeatedly retconned lore and discarded teased stories, most of the sequels could've received a place on this list. With that said, there's little argument that Alien 3 earned the top spot.
Though it seemed impossible for an Alien follow-up to top the original, James Cameron's Aliens is regarded as one of the best sequels ever. Everyone involved brought their A-game, with the special effects, editing, atmosphere, cinematography, and performances being flawless. So much so, Sigourney Weaver even bagged a Best Actress nomination at the 1987 Academy Awards, which is a rare feat in horror.
Aliens also had the perfect climax, with Ripley destroying the Xenomorphs and defeating the Alien Queen. After an epic battle, she goes into hypersleep with companions Hicks, Bishop, and an orphan called Newt, whom Ripley sees as a surrogate daughter.
Infuriatingly, that hopeful ending is upended in Alien 3 when Ripley's vessel crash-lands on a planetoid, killing everyone but herself. Because of this, everything Hicks, Bishop, and Newt endured was for nothing.
Although it's common knowledge that Alien 3 had an apocalyptic production and underwent almost a dozen script changes, it's baffling to believe the creators thought this was the best way to open the movie.