7 Beloved Action Series That Deserve The ‘Predator’ Treatment
Just when it seemed like all hope had been lost for the fan-favorite Predator series, the iconic ‘80s action franchise has made its successful return to mainstream media.
Delivering a notably gritty tour de force for the seemingly stagnant sci-fi action series, Predator has seen a massive critical resurgence in recent years with the release of Prey and its recent Hulu counterpart, Predator: Killer of Killers.
As the Predator franchise continues its long-awaited revival after decades of lesser prequels, sequels, and spin-offs, we thought we’d take a look at several franchises in similar need of a continuation of some kind. From Oscar-winning fantasy epics to rugged sci-fi thrillers, here are seven action franchises we’d love to see make a comeback in the very near future.
The Lord of the Rings Series
To be fair, The Lord of the Rings has never exactly faded from the public consciousness, commanding the same level of respect now as it did in the early 2000s. However, it’s also safe to say the franchise never truly got back on its feet after the release of the original trilogy, with both The Hobbit and The War of the Rohirrim earning predominantly mixed reviews over the past decade. With another prequel (The Hunt for Gollum) on the way, it’s worth wondering the unique possibilities that lay behind an anime continuation of the LOTR franchise, such as a full-fledged series based on Tolkien’s The Silmarillion or The History of Middle-earth.
The Cloverfield Series
The Cloverfield series has a way of popping up again when audiences least expect it. While its latest chapter, The Cloverfield Paradox, certainly left something to be desired, there are endless possibilities that might come about from a subsequent Cloverfield release. Whether following a character like 10 Cloverfield Lane’s Michelle or an entirely new protagonist, Cloverfield has the potential to be a series as wholly grand in scope as Godzilla or King Kong – if handled the right way, that is.
The Buckaroo Banzai Series
A long forgotten gem from the 1980s, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension was originally envisioned as the first chapter in a long line of pulp-inspired sci-fi films. Though these ambitious plans sadly never came to fruition, there’s nevertheless plenty of material left over for future Buckaroo Banzai-related media. From a potential anime spin-off to the long-awaited Buckaroo Banzai Against the World Crime League sequel we’ve been waiting to see for nearly 40 years, there’s no amount of money we wouldn’t pay to see Peter Weller’s physicist/neurosurgeon/test pilot/rock star return to the big screen.
The District 9 Series
It’s amazing to think that District 9 came about from a failed attempt to make a Halo adaptation. Among the greatest movies of the 2000s, District 9 continues to stand on its own as an impressive foray into the contemporary sci-fi genre. Though it remains a timeless classic of modern cinema, there are plenty of promising directions a sequel, spin-off, or prequel to District 9 might take, allowing for a further illustration of humanity’s complex relationship to the prawns and other extraterrestrial lifeforms in the universe.
The Star Trek Series
With the number of Star Trek series there are floating around television, Gene Roddenberry’s space opera universe is far from inactive. In spite of Star Trek’s obvious success on TV, however, it’s also clear that the franchise’s film output has been comparatively stagnant in recent years. With the most recent installment coming with 2016’s Star Trek Beyond, it’s clear that the sci-fi juggernaut is in clear need of a fresh entry in its cinematic canon, whether with another film centered around Chris Pine’s younger James Kirk or a movie focusing on an entirely new Federation crew.
The Dredd Series
As with the aforementioned Buckaroo Banzai, 2012’s Dredd seemed poised to kick off an expansive action series following Karl Urban’s rugged dystopian anti-hero. While the film’s poor box office gross ultimately upended those plans, it hasn’t prevented the film from acquiring an expansive cult following as the years have drawn on. That being said, there’s still hope of one day seeing a sequel to Dredd in some way, shape, or form, allowing Urban to once again reprise his role as the infamous superhero dispensing justice in the nightmarish Mega-City One.
The Jurassic Park Series
As with both The Lord of the Rings and Star Trek, it wouldn’t be at all accurate to say that Jurassic Park (or rather Jurassic World) is exactly dead in the water. While we’re all still waiting to see what the finished product of Rebirth might look like, it’s also safe to say the once popular franchise has fallen on some difficult times recently. Whether Rebirth is a success or not, it’s perhaps long overdue that Jurassic Park veer towards an unexplored territory in regards to its creative direction, be it in the form of an anime film, a prequel movie, or a spin-off film following some of the series’ most fascinating lead characters.
