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The upcoming film Magic Mike’s Last Dance will feature the return of everyone’s favorite exotic dancer for one last show. Channing Tatum reprises his role as the titular character in a story that will hopefully bring the stripper’s story to a satisfying closure.
Hardly anyone expected Magic Mike to be such a hit when it first came out, but fewer people imagined it would spawn a trilogy of films. Like Magic Mike, many other movies have been so successful that they launched entire franchises, proving that Hollywood really is the place where dreams come true.
Magic Mike (2012)
Channing Tatum’s experiences as an 18-year-old stripper served as the basis for Steven Soderbergh’s 2012 comedy-drama Magic Mike. The plot follows a 19-year-old, played by Alex Pettyfer, who enters the world of male stripping guided by “Magic Mike” Lane, an older and experienced performer played by Tatum.
The film was a box office success, grossing $167 million against a production budget of only $7 million. The film spawned two sequels, Magic Mike XXL and the upcoming Magic Mike’s Last Dance. Tatum starred in all three, although he is the last of the original cast members standing. The Magic Mike saga is the perfect proof that there is still room for mid-range movies at the box office, giving hope to many other female-skewing projects on the horizon.
Pitch Perfect (2012)
Anna Kendrick led an all-female cast — plus Skylar Astin — in 2012’s musical comedy Pitch Perfect. The plot follows Becca, a college student who joins an all-female acapella group competing to win a championship. Pitch Perfect is one of the best movies about college, which, coupled with a charming cast and a bunch of irresistible songs, made it a surprise hit at the box office.
Two sequels followed: 2015’s Pitch Perfect 2, the highest-grossing entry in the series, and 2017’s Pitch Perfect 3. The series peaked in the middle but remained a strong performer throughout. Its success spawned a spin-off series centered on the scene-stealing character of Bumper, although it failed to spark much of a conversation.
The Butterfly Effect (2004)
Although far from the best time travel movie out there, The Butterfly Effect features an intriguing premise and some of Ashton Kutcher‘s best work. The story follows Evan, a college student with time-traveling abilities who attempt to use them to alter his present.
The Butterfly Effect came out as Ashton Kutcher was trying to break from his That ’70s Show fame. Reviews weren’t good, but the film was a surprise box office success, warranting a straight-to-DVD sequel in 2006. A third film in the series, The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations, came out in 2009. Neither features Kutcher or any of the original’s cast members, instead focusing on different characters under the same time-traveling premise.
The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
Who would’ve thought that a movie about cannibalism would spawn such a popular franchise? The Silence of the Lambs stars Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling, an FBI trainee who seeks the advice of Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibal, to catch a serial killer who skins his female victim.
Anthony Hopkins won the Oscar for his portrayal of Lecter and reprised the role in two sequels. The first one, 2001’s Hannibal, featured the return of Clarice Starling but not Jodie Foster. The second one, 2002’s Red Dragon, was a prequel focusing on Lecter’s case with Will Graham. Both films were commercially successful, and the franchise continued with a prequel focusing on Lecter’s youth. However, Hannibal Rising failed at the box office, and the franchise was rebooted for television with the show Hannibal.
El Mariachi (1992)
Robert Rodriguez‘s career was launched in 1992 with the release of the independent neo-Western El Mariachi. The plot centers on a traveling mariachi forced into hiding after a gang confuses him with a violent criminal in a small Mexican town.
El Mariachi‘s success elevated Rodriguez’s profile and inspired his so-called “Mexico Trilogy.” Antonio Banderas took over the role of El Mariachi opposite Salma Hayek in 1995’s Desperado and reprised the role in 2003’s Once Upon a Time in Mexico. As one of the best Westerns set in modern times, El Mariachi has an important place in the genre’s history. It made Rodriguez a household name and launched the franchise that made Banderas and Hayek international stars. Not too shabby for an independent film made for $200,000.
The Mighty Ducks (1992)
Fresh off his Brat Pack days, Emilio Estevez played a self-centered lawyer forced to coach a youth hockey team in 1992’s family comedy The Mighty Ducks. The film also featured a cast of young performers who would go on to greater careers, including Joshua Jackson and Elden Henson.
Disney movies are famous for spawning successful franchises, so maybe it’s not entirely surprising that The Mighty Ducks became such an enduring part of the mouse’s empire. However, the film’s initial success was unexpected, as was the continuous overperformance of the sequels, D2: The Mighty Ducks and D3: The Mighty Ducks. However, the recent Disney+ spin-off series didn’t have as much luck.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl (2003)
And speaking of Disney films that became unexpected hits, 2003’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl might be the best example. The plot centers on the flamboyant pirate Jack Sparrow, who joins forces with blacksmith Will Turner to rescue the young Elizabeth Swann from a gang of pirates who kidnapped her.
The film was a tricky bet from the get-go. The swashbuckler genre had been dead for years, and the plot was based on a Disneyland ride. However, Black Pearl defied expectations and launched the successful Pirates of the Caribbean series, including four commercially successful yet critically divisive films. The franchise was ultimately derailed by its star’s troubled personal life, but it will surely return eventually, with or without Jack Sparrow.
The Evil Dead (1981)
The film that launched Sam Raimi‘s career, The Evil Dead remains a significant part of horror film history. The movie stars Bruce Campbell and centers on Ash Williams, a college student whose friends become demonically possessed after watching an audio tape, forcing him to defend himself.
The Evil Dead received near-universal acclaim and became a bona fide cult classic. It launched Raimi’s career and spawned a massive media franchise, including two direct sequels written and directed by Raimi, as well as comic books and video games. Few people expected The Evil Dead to become such a beloved film, but fewer still could have anticipated its overwhelming and enduring success throughout the years.
Die Hard (1988)
The action genre received a much-needed re-invention with 1988’s Die Hard. It follows John McClane, a police detective who becomes involved with Hans Gruber’s terrorist plot while visiting his estranged wife in Los Angeles. Bruce Willis, then best known for his role in the sitcom Moonlighting, played McClane opposite Alan Rickman as Gruber.
One of the all-time best unconventional Christmas movies, Die Hard cemented Willis as an action superstar and began a series that survived well into the new millennium. Although expectations for the film were low, Die Hard defied them and became a box office hit. Four sequels followed, all starring Willis, although only a few achieved the same critical and commercial success as the original.
The Terminator (1984)
James Cameron‘s groundbreaking sci-fi action film, The Terminator, starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as a deadly machine sent back in time to kill a young woman. Linda Hamilton and Michael Biehn also star.
Made for a paltry $6 million, The Terminator crushed box office expectations and became a commercial smash. It received critical acclaim, prompting Cameron to direct Terminator 2: Judgement Day, one of the all-time best sequels. Four more sequels, each a little worse than the one before. Nowadays, the Terminator franchise is but a shadow of its former self; however, viewers will always have the masterpieces that are the first two films in the saga, and that’s more than enough.
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