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5 Beloved Film Characters Butchered by Their Sequels, Ranked

5 Beloved Film Characters Butchered by Their Sequels, Ranked
Image credit: Warner Bros.

Why did they have to do them so dirty?

Sequels are always both exciting and questionable and can either elevate or undermine your beloved movie characters.

Here are 5 times when fan-favorite characters suffered lackluster fates in their sequels, leaving fans forever traumatized and disappointed.

5. Cotton Weary — Scream 3

Despite the success of Wes Craven's Scream franchise, problems arose when screenwriter Kevin Williamson left before the third film. This change had an impact on characters like Cotton Weary, whose transformation from suspect to anti-hero in Scream 2 was undermined in the third installment.

Cotton finally achieved the expected fame, becoming an obnoxious talk show host who exploited his position, diminishing the emotional impact of his demise.

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4. Pennywise — IT Chapter 2

Despite having a clear endpoint in mind, the second part of Stephen King 's IT portrayed the Dancing Clown in a way that was far from scary. Though Pennywise appeared in various forms, the once terrifying creature was reduced to a weak being defeated by the power of friendship in a twist that left many fans disappointed and disheartened.

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3. The Wolf Pack — The Hangover: Part 2 and 3

While the first part of the Hangover story was a success, the sequel had a hard time justifying the return of the Wolf Pack. The portrayal of Alan as the black sheep of the group and the fact that the pack never spoke to him again after Dough's wedding was heartbreaking.

Moreover, the third movie goes even further and portrays Alan as psychotically disturbed, making his friendship with Phil, Stu, and Dough seem unlikely.

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2. Laurie Strode — Halloween Franchise

For nearly 45 years, we've witnessed Laurie Strode's tumultuous journey in the Halloween franchise. From being a survivor in the first movie to being an invalid in the second, to multiple deaths, her storyline has been full of ups and downs.

But it's only in David Gordon Green's trilogy that she gets a proper send-off, though even there her role is diminished in the final film.

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1. Peter Parker — Spider-Man 3

Tobey Maguire 's portrayal of Peter Parker in Sam Raimi 's first two Spider-Man films was a perfect capture of the character's essence. However, Spider-Man 3 took a strange turn that caused the character to lose his self-awareness and become cartoonishly goofy.

Even after Parker returned to his original self, the damage was done, forever linking Maguire's performance to the odd dance scene and his distinctive hairstyle.

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