After over 35 years of waiting, fans of '80s classic Top Gun can breathe a sigh of relief, because Maverick is back for a new generation. With the always impressive Tom Cruise, a stellar supporting cast, and some great trailers, there are plenty of reasons to be excited, and its May 27th release date comes not a moment too soon.
Top Gun: Maverick was certainly a long time coming, but there are plenty of beloved films from the 1980s that had all the pieces in place for a sequel but never got one. Whether they're icons of the decade that everyone knows or unsung gems that take a bit of digging to find, these movies would be a lot of fun to expand on with a sequel.
Flight Of The Navigator (1986)
One of Disney's forays into science fiction territory, Flight of the Navigator has developed a cult following for its imaginative premise, likable characters, and early CGI effects that still work. As an added bonus in an age where sci-fi started turning more pessimistic, it also has an optimistic tone that makes it a great family film.
While a remake directed by Bryce Dallas Howard is coming to Disney+, it would be fun to see how protagonist David Freeman's life has changed since 1986. With knowledge about time dilation and artificial intelligence progressing so much in the past few decades, David's new adventures practically write themselves.
History Of The World, Part I (1981)
Mel Brooks is a comedy legend, with many of his films being beloved by audiences to this day, but History of the World, Part I might be the one that most obviously calls out for a sequel. As funny as all three of the movie's segments are (especially the French Revolution), they were just scratching the surface of what could be done with a history parody, and the fake trailer for Part II only underscored that.
Interestingly, Hulu is developing a History of the World, Part II series, with Brooks back as producer and writer. Time will tell if it can hearken back to the irreverent magic of Part I, but a revival of Brooks' signature style could really set the show apart from similar ones like Drunk History.
Born On The Fourth Of July (1989)
Based on Vietnam veteran turned anti-war activist Ron Kovic's autobiography, Born on the Fourth of July was a critically acclaimed hit, widely considered one of Tom Cruise's best movies. While a war drama may not seem like the type of film demanding a sequel, Kovic kept up his activism long after the film's timeline, being involved in the movement against the Iraq War.
While Cruise's action franchises like Mission: Impossible are justly very popular, it would be nice to see him return to the role that first showed off his impressive talent for drama. A film about an aging Kovic taking on a new conflict in a new generation just might be the way for him to get another Oscar nomination.
Nighthawks (1981)
As one of the '80s greatest action heroes, Sylvester Stallone had a long list of memorable films throughout the decade, with Nighthawks being one of the most underrated. Starring Stallone as Deke DaSilva, an NYPD detective who he takes on international terrorist Heymar Reinhardt (Rutger Hauer), the movie is an excellent cat-and-mouse thriller that lives and breathes early '80s.
Stallone is getting on in years, meaning a sequel starring him would probably have to be a passing-of-the-torch story, but a recast DaSilva could have more adventures. The late '80s and '90s (to say nothing of the post-9/11 era) saw terrorism change dramatically and seeing DaSilva go up against neo-Nazis or a Waco-style militia in a period piece offers some interesting possibilities.
Clue (1985)
If a board game seems like ridiculous source material for a movie, then Clue should put that notion to rest. Although it flopped at the box office initially, the film later developed a strong cult following, thanks in large part to its hilarious cast of characters led by Tim Curry's Wadsworth.
A new version of Clue has in fact been in development for some time, but the follow-up to the first movie (hopefully with the third ending as canon) presents an opportunity for a new cast of comedic actors to bring the board game's characters to life. It would also be a treat to see surviving original cast members like Christopher Lloyd, Martin Mull, and Lesley Ann Warren, at least for cameos.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Although the '80s are often considered the nadir of Disney's dark age, the studio still put out plenty of great movies throughout the decade, with none more innovative and influential than Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Expertly combining animation and live-action to tell a classic hardboiled detective story with the humor of Tex Avery, the film's Toontown is a goldmine of humor that's crying out to be revisited.
Although Bob Hoskins' death in 2014 would seem to put the kibosh on a sequel to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, there are plenty of great actors who could step into the role of Eddie Valiant. If not, another possibility is a sequel set in the present day, with Roger trying to navigate a Toontown that has changed dramatically since the days of Mickey Mouse and Looney Tunes.
Flash Gordon (1980)
A cult classic so early '80s that it's practically oozing '70s, Flash Gordon took the premise of the original series and ran with it, resulting in a cheesy but highly enjoyable space opera. One could say that the movie set the tone for the rest of the decade, with everything from the acting, to the visuals, to the sexual overtones being totally earnest in their over-the-top nature.
Many of Flash Gordon's fans have been clamoring for a remake or reboot, but a direct sequel, albeit with a new cast, would probably be the best way to capture the version that they fell in love with. With Taika Waititi attached to direct a new movie, perhaps he can bring the 1980 film's glorious vision to a new generation of viewers.
Gorky Park (1983)
An underrated gem of a murder mystery, Gorky Park wasn't a financial success, but it received generally positive reviews for its engaging mystery and excellent performances, especially from star William Hurt as Soviet detective Arkady Renko. What many may not know is that the book Gorky Park is there first in a series, any of which would have potential as a movie of its own.
The series' heavy ties to '80s and '90s Russia, plus William Hurt's untimely death, would necessitate a younger actor being recast as Renko. Still, Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot have proven that literary detectives have plenty of big-screen potential, and a new film or TV series set in a time and place that many audiences are unfamiliar with would be a unique one.