Can there be too many sequels, or are some films just better off without continuations?

Sequels, spin-offs, and other continuations of successful films at the box office are the financial lifeblood of Hollywood studios. Producers always try to squeeze the maximum out of successful (and not-so-successful) ideas, which is why far from essential movies are often born.

Today we want to tell you about 7 upcoming sequels that nobody needs due to obsolescence, uninteresting originals, and other reasons. A minimum of subjectivity, a maximum of facts and experienced observations.

The Last Witch Hunter 2

Remember that fantasy action movie starring Vin Diesel? Neither do we. But experienced producers saw in the unattractive 2015 project the seed of a commercially successful franchise.

The original, with a production budget of $90 million, managed to gross just under $150 million, which speaks to the questionable nature of the endeavor. Perhaps the creators believe that the mere name of Vin Diesel signifies a successful film series, given his track record with long-running projects like 'Fast & Furious,' 'Riddick,' 'xXx,' and 'Guardians of the Galaxy.' Who knows, they might even find franchise potential in the utterly pointless 'Bloodshot.'

The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection

Mel Gibson's film, released in 2004, gained notoriety for obvious reasons, as it touched on a controversial religious theme for many. At the same time, this work became a true box office breakthrough, earning a colossal $600 million worldwide. Given costs of around $55 million, this result is an unequivocal success.

If from a financial standpoint, Gibson and co.'s desire to create 'The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection' is understandable, albeit somewhat belated, then questions about its necessity and the potential artistic value of the upcoming film will be more than appropriate.

At this point, it is known that the script for the blockbuster is in development. It is expected that James Caviezel will return to his role, as will Maia Morgenstern and Hristo Zhivkov.

RoboCop Returns

In many ways, the successful and cult franchise of the 80s and 90s will be revived on the big screen again. According to data available online, 'RoboCop Returns' will completely ignore the second and third films of the series, thus becoming a direct sequel to the original by Paul Verhoeven.

'RoboCop' still has many fans, and many seasoned moviegoers have fond memories associated with this character, but as the examples of 'Terminator,' 'Alien,' and 'Predator' show, some legendary heroes are better left in the past. Moreover, a few years ago we had the 'pleasure' of seeing the talented Joel Kinnaman in the role of the robot cop, but even the actor's skills couldn't save that film from being derivative and obscure.

The only factor that could save RoboCop's new appearance from another failure is the director's name. Abe Forsythe ('Little Monsters') will be in charge of directing. Yes, he is a novice filmmaker, but perhaps his ambition and fresh perspective will help achieve an acceptable result. However, there is no certainty about this.

Jackass 4

In the 2000s, Johnny Knoxville's team, riding the wave of MTV's popularity and all the circumstances that came with it, gave the world the 'Jackass' project. It started as a kind of reality show for TV, and later turned into a full-fledged, crazy movie.

The idea of bringing back Knoxville and the other idiots participating in the most outrageous acts for the amusement of viewers might not seem so stupid and unnecessary if it weren't for one 'but' — more than 10 years have passed since the characters' last appearance. During this time, a new generation has grown up that doesn't even know about Steve-O, Bam Margera, and other American degenerates, and the perception of humor has noticeably changed.

Who is 'Jackass 4' aimed at: the older viewers who saw Johnny Knoxville's first adventures, or people unfamiliar with his team's activities? The success of the project largely depends on the answer to this question. One way or another, next summer we will find out how this whole venture turns out.

Demolition Man 2

At a time when many movie fans might have thought that Sylvester Stallone had entered a new phase of his career, abandoning blockbusters in favor of serious dramatic roles like the one he showcased in 'Creed,' good old Sly decided, following 'Rambo,' to revive another project from his past. That project is the film 'Demolition Man.' Surprised? So are we.

'Demolition Man' itself is a cool movie from the 90s, fully reflecting the spirit of the times and the coolness of Stallone and Snipes. The problem lies elsewhere.

This film is hard to call super successful and popular. Without Google's help, viewers now probably couldn't name the characters' names or recount the action movie's plot. What does this say? It's unlikely that producers will be able to play on nostalgic feelings, which often helps such projects achieve financial success at the box office. It will be difficult to attract new viewers with the confrontation of some obscure heroes from the past played by two old men.

Furthermore, Wesley Snipes, even though he has managed to slightly rehabilitate his career after 'Dolemite Is My Name,' is not the same Snipes who earned millions for each new film in the 90s. For these reasons, it's entirely unclear what the point of a second 'Demolition Man' is.

Aladdin 2

Given the incredible popularity of the original animated film, the box office success of the live-action version of 'Aladdin' came as no surprise to anyone. However, Will Smith managed to surprise, as during the promotional campaign, only the lazy didn't criticize the film. The Hollywood star easily overshadowed his co-stars and somehow brightened up this musical extravaganza from Disney.

Despite the financial achievements of 'Aladdin,' it's hard to call it a good film. And there's no desire to watch this sprawling, loud, but not very appealing movie again.

If we set aside subjective complaints about Guy Ritchie's film, we can conduct a simple analysis of other Disney live-action remakes that received sequels. Both 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' and 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil' turned out to be far less successful at the box office than their predecessors, not to mention the artistic component.

The combination of all these factors convinces us that 'Aladdin 2' is a bad idea. Alas, it's already too late to rid the world of this film.

Indiana Jones 5

Many viewers considered the fourth installment of Indiana Jones's adventures a true desecration of their beloved and nearly perfect trilogy. This only increases the overall level of skepticism towards the fifth part of the saga.

Why else can 'Indiana Jones 5' be considered a movie nobody needs? Steven Spielberg won't be directing it! Undoubtedly, James Mangold, who is taking his place, is a talented filmmaker, but it was the legendary Spielberg's touch that made Indiana Jones an idol for more than one generation of viewers worldwide.

We won't see Mangold's film until at least 2022, and by that time Harrison Ford will be over 80 years old, and portraying dashing adventures with chases and shootouts at that age is hardly appropriate.

Viewer expectations could also play a cruel trick on the new film, as was the case with the recent 'Star Wars' trilogy, which likely left no category of viewers completely satisfied.