10 Recent Movie Sequels NOBODY Expected To Be Good

In the way-too-late comedy sequel stakes, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F was firmly outdone by Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which spent a mind-boggling 36 years in development before finally hitting screens late last year.

Even with the clear enthusiasm of returning cast members Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O'Hara, the film's biggest question mark was director Tim Burton, whose wildly uneven late-period filmmaking period has been defined by nauseating CGI excess.

Between this and the sheer specialness of the original 1988 horror comedy, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice seemed like a film that fate itself was trying to prevent from getting made.

But as it turns out, the sequel was largely well-received by critics and fans, who praised not only the game performances of the ensemble cast but also Burton's filmmaking, which hearkened back to the more practical, handmade style of his earlier works.

And while there was never any guarantee that a sequel to an '80s cult comedy would make a commercial dent, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice impressively went on to gross more than $450 million at the global box office.

Though this sparked questions about a possible third film, Burton was mercifully quick to rubbish the idea, choosing to accept his win with this one sequel and move on.