Every Oliver Stone Movie Ranked Worst To Best
17. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
In another film that marked new territory for Oliver, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps was the first direct sequel made by the director. Coming over two decades after the far superior original, it was initially pitched by writer Stephen Schiff and greenlit by 20th Century Fox.
Stone was not keen to direct at first, but after pressure from the returning Michael Douglas and the overall impact of the 2008 financial crash, the director signed on. A follow-up based on current events certainly had some potential; Wall Street bankers were once again in the spotlight across the US at the time.
The end result is a plot that appears to seamlessly pick up where the original left off. Investment banker Gordon Gecko (Michael Douglas) has been released from prison and seeks to reconnect with his estranged daughter Winnie (Carey Mulligan) and her new partner Jacob Moore (Shia LaBeouf).
It was met with an initially positive reception at the Cannes Film Festival, but when it came time for general release, most were not so enthused. The biggest complaints were levelled at the film's overly complex tone and Shia LaBeouf's performance, which wasn't well suited to a more sophisticated genre. Much like The Hand before it, its director has stayed away from sequels over the last decade.