When it comes to action, the '90s was the decade of Die Hard imitations and Arnold Schwarzenegger-starring blockbusters. While many of these action movies got sequels, many others had the potential to start a whole series but were seemingly forgotten.
Though some of these movies have follow-ups currently in development, in some cases, it’s way too late. Between Roland Emmerich-directed disaster movies, Shane Black-penned buddy cop flicks, and a ton of Nicolas Cage-led films, these movies should have gotten sequels in quick succession.
The Rock (1996)
Many fans felt that The Rock was basically Die Hard but better, as just like the 1989 movie, it mostly takes place in one building and follows a man out of his element who has to take on a group of terrorists. But unlike Die Hard, The Rock, unfortunately, didn’t get a single sequel.
There was so much potential for a sequel to the movie, and it could have even been a prequel, following Mason’s original escape from Alcatraz. But the most exciting prospect of all was the idea of Mason and Godspeed reuniting and going on another mission together. The best thing about the original movie is their chemistry, especially when they first meet and Godspeed pretends to be an FBI agent.
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Just like Jaws, Deep Blue Sea is an action thriller about a shark, but it’s a completely different entity. The 1999 movie is a scrappy B-movie that follows a group of scientists trapped underwater by genius sharks that they invented.
Though half of the cast get picked off in the movie, with some of them even eaten alive, there could have been a sequel with a brand new cast. If there can be a Jaws sequel where the shark is attempting to exact revenge, just think of what super-intelligent sharks could be capable of.
Stargate (1994)
Roland Emmerich is the most renowned disaster movie director there has ever been, as he directed 2012, Independence Day, and many others. But his first major blockbuster was the sci-fi movie Stargate. The film follows a group of soldiers and scientists who travel through a mysterious wormhole to an alien-infested planet. It’s a premise that paves the way for an entire film series, as potential future sequels could have seen the crew visit different worlds.
Stargate might not have had any movie sequels, but it did go on to have not just one TV spin-off, but several. However, nothing competes with the spectacle of the feature film. The actors in the television show Stargate: SG-1 give serviceable portrayals of the movie characters, but nothing compares to James Spader’s comic portrayal of conspiracy theorist Dr. Jackson or Kurt Russell’s surprisingly serious take on Colonel Jack.
Heat (1995)
Heat is one of the most intense cat-and-mouse thriller movies and sees Lieutenant Hanna track down genius bank robber, Neil McCauley. The ending has Neil getting murdered by the Lieutenant, which doesn’t leave much possibility in the way of the two facing off again.
However, just as U.S. Marshals is a sequel to The Fugitive without Dr. Kimble, and instead sees Sam Gerard attempting to solve an entirely different case, a sequel to Heat could have followed the same formula. Lieutenant Hanna is a strong enough character that he could carry an entire movie by himself, especially considering the character is played by Al Pacino, who gives one of his most extreme performances ever.
Last Action Hero (1993)
Unlike other movies in the genre, Last Action Hero pulled off something unprecedented for action movies. It might not be the most loved movie in the world, but it was one of the first films to ever parody action movies. As action films continued to evolve over the years, the film could have made for a great satire series spanning decades.
With fast-paced fight choreography and gun-fu as the current trend, a modern sequel could parody the likes of John Wick. The movie had a ton of potential to begin a full series and even a cinematic universe.
Point Break (1991)
Point Break is a wonderfully typical '90s movie, as it’s full of rock music that soundtracks an undercover cop chase down a group of surfer criminals. Just like in Heat, one of the lead characters dies by the end of the movie, but FBI agent Johnny Utah lives on.
While the movie was given the reboot treatment in 2015, it wasn't as successful. The Fast and the Furious is also essentially a remake of Point Break, and it even ends in almost the exact same way, as an undercover FBI agent intentionally lets their target escape. But the first movie in the Fast and Furious series still got a follow-up in the form of 2 Fast 2 Furious. The movie saw Brian O’Connor in another undercover mission in an entirely different environment, and a Point Break 2 could have done exactly that with Johnny Utah.
True Lies (1994)
True Lies follows U.S. Government Agent Harry, who hides his profession from his family, pretending to be a car salesman. It sounds like a classic premise for a Schwarzenegger slapstick comedy in the vein of Jingle All The Way, but it’s actually a compelling and convincing action movie.
While nowadays, nearly every movie ends with a hint that there could be a follow-up, True Lies also ended with an incredible possibility for a sequel. The movie closes with Helen, Harry’s wife, also as a government agent, and it sees the husband and wife duo on a top-secret mission together, right before the credits roll.
Con Air (1997)
Con Air was a perfect summation of everything that had happened in action movies in the '90s up to that point. It’s yet another imitation of Die Hard and it's a popcorn movie in every way, as it follows a bunch of inmates being transported from one prison to another on a plane.
A sequel should have happened, as Nicolas Cage even traveled to Alabama for months to pin down the accent, one of the many behind the scene facts about Con Air that fans may not know, which just goes to show how attached to the role he was. Even if it didn’t have the same cast and characters, a sequel could have still happened, as a brand new zany group of convicts could have been developed.
Face/Off (1997)
Being yet another Nicolas Cage-driven action movie, Face/Off features the strangest concept of almost any '90s action movie. It’s also one of the best Hollywood blockbusters directed by John Woo, the pioneer of gun-fu and Hong Kong action movies. It would have been great to see him return to the characters, and it may have even been better than his follow-up movie, the tepidly received Mission: Impossible 2.
But unlike many other '90s movies in the genre, there is a Face/Off sequel, not a remake, in development, 24 years after the original. However, it has been in development for a couple of years now, and it seems to be progressing at a snail’s pace.
The Last Boy Scout (1991)
As seems to be the case with every Shane Black movie, The Last Boy Scout sets up a bright cinematic future for a buddy-cop movie, only for it to never happen. It happened with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and most recently The Nice Guys, but the 1991 movie is the biggest missed opportunity.
The film sees Bruce Willis join forces with Damon Wayans, which makes for a great action-comedy, as the two actors were the best in each of those genres, respectively. The final scene sees the two become partners, and in an idyllic future, the movie would have had as many sequels as Lethal Weapon, which was also written by Black.