David’s Download: 5 Movies That Need a Legacy Sequel

If you’ve been to the movies in the last five years, more than likely you’ve seen a “legacy sequel” or “lega-sequel.” While revisiting and rebooting IP is not new for Hollywood, the trend feels like it has gone into overdrive post-pandemic, spurred by the success of properties like Top Gun and Scream. This year alone, studios have released long-awaited sequels or reboots of Final Destination, Jurassic Park/World, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Happy Gilmore, and 28 Days/Weeks Later, with The Naked Gun, Tron: Ares, and more on the way.

I’m not complaining because some of these properties are among my favorites, but I think Hollywood is neglecting a few key franchises, classics, and underrated gems as they plan their upcoming slates. Let’s dive into five movies that I think need a reboot/legacy sequel asap!

9 to 5

I know there have been talks of a 9 to 5 remake, with names like Rashida Jones and Jennifer Aniston being attached, but Hollywood needs to pick up the pace on production of this lega-sequel! It has been 45 years since the original came out, and the workplace has changed immensely since then, with technological advances, social media, hybrid/work-from-home roles, and the list goes on. Plus, we are blessed to still have Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton acting and performing, so a cameo from the original trio would be iconic!

Urban Legend

While the original Urban Legend is a B- or C-movie at best, the concept provides fertile ground for a whole series of films. Since this fright flick hit theaters in 1998 (among the horror craze following Scream and IKWYDLS), countless new urban legends have come about in popular culture thanks to the rise of social media. Slenderman, Jeff the Killer, and Momo are just a few that give me the heebie-jeebies. Or the makers could go the body horror route… think chewing gum getting stuck in your stomach or an oozing spider bite. The possibilities are endless!

Charlie’s Angels

The 2019 version of Charlie’s Angels starring Kristen Stewart and Naomi Scott failed to rekindle the series, so why don’t we just bring back the Y2K cast of Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu and Drew Barrymore with McG as director? All of these actresses look the same as they did in 2003 and still have a presence in pop culture - Diaz making a comeback on Netflix this year; Liu popping up in great films like Presence; and Barrymore continually making headlines for her talk show antics. Following Demi Moore’s awards season run for The Substance, I’m sure Hollywood could also find a way to bring back her character from Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. With millennial nostalgia at an all-time high right now, this reboot seems like a surefire blockbuster!

National Treasure

Considering how Disney only seems to make sequels and remakes at this point, I’m surprised that National Treasure hasn’t been revived for the silver screen yet. (Let’s just forget the Disney+ series from 2022.)

It’s been 18 years since National Treasure 2 rocked the box office, and Nicolas Cage is still popping out several movies a year. There are plenty of untapped stories in American history that the writers could mine for another riveting adventure, or maybe they up the ante this time around and call it International Treasure.

A romcom cinematic event

My last idea isn’t exactly a legacy sequel or reboot, but it still hinges on popular tropes and nostalgia.

I think Hollywood needs to write an original romcom with an ensemble cast that includes all of the famous romcom veterans from the 90’s and early 2000’s when the genre was in its heyday. Imagine Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, Kate Hudson, and Katherine Heigl playing aunts or neighbors (or something in that vein) of a new ingenue embarking on her own romantic-comedic journey. The filmmakers could pepper in easter eggs or nods to iconic moments from those actresses’ movies while reviving the genre (in theaters) for a new generation! With a Valentine’s Day release date, I think we’d have a hit on our hands!

What movie or series do you think deserves a legacy sequel?