5 Classic Fantasy Movies That Deserved a Sequel

Fantasy is one of the favorite genres for a lot of people, and it’s not hard to see why: it’s perfect for expansion, whether through movies, TV shows, or books. But when it comes to cinema specifically, there are some projects you watch, fall in love with, expect to get a sequel someday, and then get shocked when it never happens. There are many reasons why so many stories never get the chance to continue, and sure, it’s understandable. But the sense of frustration only grows when we’re talking about movies with huge worlds and tons of elements still left to explore. If the first installment connected with audiences and delivered, then it absolutely deserved a follow-up.

That’s why, whether it’s a world that needed more room to breathe, a story that deserved a second chance to hit even harder than it already did, or just a new plotline that could add more layers to something with obvious franchise potential, here are a few great examples of fantasy movies that should’ve gotten sequels.

5) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Even though plenty of people still prefer the 1971 version when it comes to this story, the fact is that Tim Burton’s take became the most popular one and won over a huge 2000s audience for one simple reason: identity. Everyone knows the basic setup of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: the title character (Freddie Highmore) is a poor kid who finds the Golden Ticket and gets to enter the most surreal factory on the planet, alongside a group of kids who absolutely should not be anywhere near heavy machinery. But why exactly did it deserve a sequel? Well, Willy Wonka (Johnny Depp) stops running the whole thing, doesn’t he?

The movie practically begs for a follow-up: Charlie takes over the factory, moves his family in, and while it’s a satisfying ending for a standalone film, it still leaves you with that “I need more” feeling — mostly because you want to see how he would actually manage everything. A sequel could push Charlie into some interesting questions: is he too good for that world? Can he keep the factory going without turning into a new Wonka? The movie already had a built universe that felt ready for a future.

4) Edward Scissorhands

Edward Scissorhands is a tough one to accept, since it’s such a beloved movie, and people have openly talked about the idea of a sequel (especially after what happened with Beetlejuice). But Burton has no interest, which is a shame, because this is a story that’s basically timeless; the concept doesn’t age. Here, Edward (Johnny Depp) is an artificial being created by an inventor, but left unfinished, with scissors for hands. He lives in isolation until he’s taken in by a suburban family and thrown into a neighborhood where everyone pretends to be kind — up to a point. And it’s impossible not to fall for him.

Okay, is a sequel actually necessary? No. But did it deserve one? Yes, because the ending leaves just enough room to wonder what really happened to Edward. Imagine that neighborhood decades later, telling the story like it’s some kind of fairy tale, and then someone (maybe Kim’s (Winona Ryder) granddaughter) trying to find him, or, taking it even further, someone attempting to recreate a new being using modern technology. That kind of continuation actually happened in a comic book, but seeing that concept brought to the screen would’ve been more compelling.

3) The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

Here, it had everything it needed to become a franchise, but the plans completely fell apart. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones was meant to be the first movie in a saga based on a bestselling book series, leaning completely into the urban fantasy trend. The story follows Clary (Lily Collins), a young woman who discovers she’s connected to the world of the Shadowhunters after her mother disappears, throwing her into a supernatural mess involving Jace (Jamie Campbell Bower), a demon hunter, and a battle over the Mortal Cup. The biggest issue is that it just didn’t become the box office hit the studio was expecting.

For general audiences, the movie might not land, but it has always had a surprisingly loyal fanbase — one that still likes the production (even more than the TV show) and always hoped for a sequel. Its biggest problem is that it feels unfinished, because the plot is clearly structured as if it’s building toward a follow-up. But that’s exactly why a sequel would’ve worked: it could’ve fixed what didn’t click the first time around. The source material is packed with mythology, and it’s almost funny that it never even got a second chance, especially when so many average franchises managed to survive way longer.

2) Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

If you think of fantasy, you think of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, as it had no right being as good as it was. After years of bad adaptations, this film showed up and did exactly what it needed to do: it stopped trying to be the next big, overly serious epic and instead embraced the spirit of D&D. The story follows Edgin (Chris Pine), a thief-bard, and a crew of lovable misfits trying to recover a magical artifact and undo a major mistake from the past. Of course, that turns into a chaotic adventure with magic and terrible decisions (in the best way possible).

And you know why it deserved a sequel? Because the movie ends, and you realize you could’ve stayed in that world for two more hours without getting bored. The entire cast has great chemistry, and it genuinely feels like watching a campaign where the players are always improvising. Other than that, the sequel concept basically writes itself: swap out the villain, change the quest, drop the party into a different part of the map, and you’re good to go. It looks like that might still happen, but just in series form, and unfortunately, as a separate project without the same cast.

1) The Dark Crystal

The Dark Crystal is the kind of film you just don’t see in the mainstream anymore. Not because people don’t try, but because almost nobody has the guts to build a world that alien and actually take it seriously. The story is set on Thra, a planet ruled by the Skeksis, creatures that literally drain the life out of the world through the power of the Dark Crystal. And the protagonist, Jen, discovers that he has to restore the crystal to stop everything from being destroyed. Now imagine all of that with puppets as the main characters and production design that’s insanely detailed and weird in the best way.

It has such a massive universe that the biggest reason it deserved a sequel is that it ends like it only solved the first major problem: the crystal gets restored, but then what? How does this world rebuild itself? What happens to the survivors? There’s enough lore here to fuel an entire trilogy, and it would still stand out today because it’s unique. Those kinds of ideas eventually turned into a comic book continuation, just like with Edward Scissorhands. Still, the movie feels like it’s on another level and shouldn’t be trapped as a one-and-done.

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