8 Movie Franchises That Should Have Quit While They Were Ahead

When It Should Have Quit: Cars

Cars 2 was the movie that broke Pixar's perfect running streak. The original was always the studio's black sheep, not quite receiving the same reaction from the adult side of the audience as the rest of their stellar output, but there was enough charm in there to strike. The prospect of a sequel, however, was never a strong one, although no one could have predicted how convoluted a film it would be.

It didn't help that the follow-up had more of the stuff that really didn't work in the first; the whole plot (instead of just the central emotional drive) centres on Larry The Cable Guy and there's an even more flagrant disregard for the logic behind a world populated solely of auto-mobiles.

It wasn't just a bad movie though; it marked a temporary turn by Pixar into mediocrity, showing the company begin to struggle in their teen years. Of course, even the stuff that is mid-range - The Good Dinosaur was highly derivative and wound up being the company's biggest financial misstep - is enjoyable, but it was a step down and there's no avoiding that they will forever have Cars 2 marring their permanent record.

More Cars is obviously a financially-influenced decision - box office-wise the franchise may sit below the home run likes of Finding Nemo and Inside Out, but its merchandise sales are through the sunroof - which is probably why we're getting a third movie next year. Yes, next year.