DreamWorks Animation is no stranger to turning their movies into franchises. From The Prince of Egypt's direct-to-video sequel to their biggest box-office hit (Shrek 2), sequels have long been DreamWorks' bread-and-butter. In fact, their last four consecutive movies have been sequels: Trolls World Tour, The Croods: A New Age, Spirit Untamed, and The Boss Baby: Family Business.
Still, some of DreamWorks' fan favorites have yet to get the sequel treatment, and Reddit has thoughts on what films from their vault are ripe for expansion.
Abominable (2019)
Being DreamWorks' most recent original movie, Abominable may be where the studio would look first if it was considering developing a new franchise. The story of a Shanghai teen who befriends a Yeti ends with both characters returning to their families, but with plenty of room for them to cross paths again in a future installment.
Redditor candiicorn goes as far as to say that the movie "hints at a sequel" with its ending, adding that they "need more" of Yi's tech-savvy friend, Jin. While no sequel has been announced yet, the movie was a critical and commercial success, so it's safe to say Abominable 2 is still in the cards.
Penguins Of Madagascar (2014)
On a poll where Penguins of Madagascar wasn't even an option, CaptainAmphibian made a case for the spinoff deserving a sequel of its own. Citing the movie's entertainment value and the villain's "very interesting" backstory, they argue that the film strikes a "darker" tone than the Madagascar series, distinguishing it enough to set up a franchise in its own right.
While where Penguins ranks in the Madagascar movie franchise makes this an edge case, there are a number of factors in its favor, including the well-received The Penguins of Madagascar Nickelodeon series that ran from 2008-2015 and the fact that another DreamWorks spinoff, Puss in Boots, is getting its own sequel in 2022.
Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas (2003)
DreamWorks' final traditionally-animated film, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, is a swashbuckler that bombed at the box office, thanks in part to stiff competition and the release of the first Pirates of the Caribbean film just one week later. Still, like DreamWorks' other 2D fare, it's developed something of a cult following, and user moviephil4315 argues that it's the pre-2005 DreamWorks standalone they "could see most benefitting from a sequel."
While a Sinbad sequel may seem like a long-shot, it appears slightly more likely after the recent release of Spirit Untamed, a sequel to another traditionally-animated early-'00s DreamWorks movie that left a weak impression at the box office.
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)
Many Redditors have made the case for 2017's Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie to get the sequel treatment, with AlanaHere noting that it has "actual sequel potential because it's a comic book."
In addition to having a dozen books' worth of source material to pick from, the fact that the film has "first" in its name is a strong indicator that sequels have been on the studio's mind. In the meantime, there's the ongoing Epic Tales of Captain Underpants series on Netflix and the forthcoming Dog Man spinoff film, based on another book series by Dav Pilkey.
Mr. Peabody And Sherman (2014)
The winner of the DreamWorks subreddit's third "Which DreamWorks film do you WISH got a sequel?" Reddit poll was 2014's Mr. Peabody and Sherman. The time travel romp, based on the Peabody's Improbable History segments from The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle, was reportedly a financial loss for DreamWorks, according to BombReport, but there may still be room to expand.
With its own Netflix series, it's clear that DreamWorks hasn't given up on this franchise yet, but while a number of Redditors backed a sequel to the movie, AlanaHere argues the inverse case: "Please don't let them ruin Peabody and Sherman with a sequel. I'm begging you." If nothing else, this goes to show just how passionate this movie's fanbase is.
Bee Movie (2007)
User SkeletorAttack makes an interesting pitch for a Bee Movie sequel: "Maybe have a story on other insects in addition. Maybe have a connection with Antz." A further foray into either movie's world is a tough sell, but a hybrid sequel to both Bee Movie and Antz could be an ambitious enough idea to draw in audiences.
It helps that Bee Movie is an evergreen source of memes and has therefore seen a renewed cultural cachet. Despite mixed initial reception, the Jerry Seinfeld vehicle has managed an ongoing pop culture relevance that could easily drive Millennials and Gen Z alike into theaters.
The Road To El Dorado (2000)
Coming out on top of Part 1 of the DreamWorks subreddit's "Which DreamWorks film do you WISH got a sequel?" poll is The Road to El Dorado, another commercial disappointment that developed a cult following. The adventure movie, which follows the antics of two Spanish hustlers in the legendary City of Gold, has long been the subject of memes and fanart, with fans clamoring to see Miguel and Tulio on another wacky adventure.
An El Dorado sequel is tricky not only because DreamWorks has moved away from traditional animation, but also because it had one of the weakest box office returns in DreamWorks' pre-pandemic history, according to Box Office Mojo. Still, like its protagonists, this movie has beat the odds before.
Flushed Away (2006)
Redditor Aggressive_Potato_28 gave a write-in vote for Flushed Away to receive a second installment in one of the DreamWorks subreddit's polls. Calling it a "goated movie," they made the case for the Aardman co-production as a film for DreamWorks to return to, and while the film also underperformed at the box office, it was praised for its clever writing and eye-catching visuals.
What makes this one of the more unlikely entries on this list is that, according to Hollywood Reporter, its underwhelming financial performance caused DreamWorks to terminate its relationship with Aardman. While a sequel to Chicken Run is on the way without DreamWorks' involvement, it's unclear how the future of the Flushed Away universe is affected by the split.
Rise Of The Guardians (2012)
Rise of the Guardians' most likable characters have given it an immense online fandom, and the notion of it getting a sequel has been brought up many times on Reddit. In one post on r/movies, _DrDerp_ calls it "one of the greatest animated movies ever made" and asks, "Would y'all want a Rise of the Guardians sequel?"
Like many of the films on this list, it was a critical success and a commercial flop. Praised for its stunning visuals and unique takes on classic characters from folklore, there would certainly be a crowd for a sequel should it ever come to pass. As recently as last year, director Peter Ramsey expressed his interest in returning to the series in an interview with ComicBook.com.
Megamind (2010)
While it's not as known for its strong online presence as, say, Rise of the Guardians or The Road to El Dorado, Megamind has quietly become one of the internet's favorite DreamWorks films. It regularly appears on Tumblr's fandom charts a decade after its release, it has its own dedicated meme subreddit with over 8,000 members, and many Redditors, including ArmsguardMe, simply says, "Why can't we have a Megamind sequel?"
The increased cultural dominance of the superhero genre makes Megamind's commentary as relevant as ever. While nothing has been announced as of yet, director Tom McGrath is still a regular at DreamWorks (having most recently directed the sequel to The Boss Baby), and one of the studio's upcoming films, The Bad Guys, follows a similar premise involving a group of reformed supervillains.