The Fabled Third Installment Curse?

Question

Have you ever noticed that the third installment of a movie franchise always sucks?
List of examples: Batman Forever, Spiderman 3, Godfather III, Alien 3, Halloween 3, Superman 3, Return of the Jedi, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Mission Impossible 3, The Final Conflict aka Omen III, ect.
From what I've witnessed, sequels usually due well and gross a large amount. So, why the budget cuts? Why the quick-written, hurried screenplays? Is it just that the directors don't care, and think people will come to see the movie anyways, because the previous movie was so good?

Answer 1

I pretty much hate the second installment because they are always so open-ended and who knows when the next will come out.



But I think the third installment curse - and subsequent installments for that matter - is about changing the directors or the actors. For example that third Mummy movie was just plain awful. I think it's a franchise thing, we get used to a certain signature and then it changes mid-stream and usually not for the better.

Answer 2

But people loved Return of the Jedi and Mission: Impossible 3. Then there's Return of the King, The Bourne Ultimatum, Die Hard with a Vengeance, and Evil Dead 3 (Army of Darkness).



but yeah i know what you mean

Answer 3

Spiderman 3 was good.



A lot happened.



But the movie was still good.