10 Insane Reasons Actors Didn't Return For Movie Sequels

These actors didn't return for sequels for some WILD reasons.

Chicken Run Recast
Aardman

Generally speaking when a movie sequel enters production, it's assumed that the overwhelming majority of the previous film's cast will reprise their roles. 

And so it tends to be hugely disappointing to fans when this doesn't happen - especially if a major character or even the actual protagonist doesn't return.

While the reasons for an actor sitting out a sequel are almost always about money, scheduling, or creative disagreements, sometimes things are a little more complex and, dare one say, bizarre than that.

And that's absolutely the case with these 10 actors, all of whom didn't return for slam-dunk sequels for the most unexpected of reasons.

Perhaps their personal life made the studio nervous, a co-star didn't want to work with them again, they "aged out" of the part, or maybe some social media remarks led to them being fired.

Whatever the reason, and whether it was in any way "justified", these actors all ended up missing out on sequels that fans would've loved to see them in, resulting in the character either being written out or, as is always tricky, being recast entirely...

10. Kristen Stewart's Cheating Scandal - The Huntsman: Winter's War

Chicken Run Recast
Universal Pictures

Despite Snow White and the Huntsman performing decently at the box office in 2012 and Universal expressing immediate interest in a direct sequel, those plans were scuppered mere months later.

Ultimately the studio decided to shelve the follow-up after star Kristen Stewart and director Rupert Sanders were caught having an affair a few weeks following the film's release.

Universal instead conceived the next film, The Huntsman: Winter's War, as a part-prequel, part-sequel focused on Chris Hemsworth's Huntsman, with Stewart's Snow White appearing only in brief archive footage.

Back in 2019, Stewart finally opened up about the experience, declaring that she was "slut-shamed" and confirming beyond any about that her affair with Sanders was the reason for her not returning for Snow White and the Huntsman 2. She said:

"They didn't put me in that movie because I went through such a highly publicised scandal, and so they were like scared of touching that... And they should've put me in that movie! It would've been better. Not to be a d**k, but..."

No lies detected, Kristen.

 
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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.