10 Movie Franchises Saved From Extinction By Sequels
9. Fast And Furious Brought Back The Old Cast, But With A New Formula
Remember that brief period back in the mid 2000s when the largely forgettable, faintly ridiculous Fast and Furious franchise looked like it was running out of fuel?
The first flick may have been an adrenaline-fuelled thrill rid but the spate of imitators which followed, such as Gone in Sixty Seconds and Torque, had stolen its originality by the time the flatter sequel 2 Fast 2 Furious arrived onscreen. By the time the third film, Tokyo Drift, relocated the series, it seemed like the franchise hated by critics and beloved by petrolheads the world over was destined for an early demise.
Then came the soft reboot of the series in 2009, and soon after the ludicrous Fast Five in 2011. The fourth film reinstated the original film’s large ensemble cast whilst the fifth transformed the franchise from racing movies to heist films. This genius switch up not only saw the flick bring in more money than any of its predecessors, but also enjoy some critical love which not even the first film had managed to muster up.
Not bad for a film series five flicks deep and relying on Vin Diesel for its emotional core.