The 10 Worst Movie Franchises That Should Have Ended Earlier

Someone should check the sell-by date on these flicks.

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Complex Original

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When a blockbuster movie hits theaters, it is both a blessing and a curse for fans and studios. No matter how the movie ends, if it makes enough money there is always the urge to extend a franchise with multiple spin-offs and sequels. Sometimes these subsequent films in a franchise are better than the original, as in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, but other times, studios completely lose sight of the original and pump out uninspired installments.

It’s not uncommon to walk into theaters now and see numerals like 4, 5, and 6 after the name of a film you once loved. Though the movie industry has had success with direct sequels and trilogies over the years, it’s rare to see a franchise succeed beyond number four. These movies usually go beyond the natural life of the original story, and seem to exist for no other reason than to milk our wallets dry. 

This week, Resident Evil, one of the longest-running film properties in recent decades, returns. After five movies, the release of a new chapter in star Milla Jovovich's saga is about as dependable as death and taxes, and some of them have been just as painful. With the release of Resident Evil: Retribution, Complex looks back at other movie series that overstayed their welcome with our list of The 10 Worst Movie Franchises That Should Have Ended Earlier.

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Written by Jason Serafino (@serafinoj1)

10. Pirates of the Caribbean

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9. Underworld

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8. Transformers

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7. Jaws

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6. Rocky

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5. Alien

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4. Resident Evil

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3. The Terminator

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2. Saw

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1. Friday the 13th

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