We live in the era of franchises – we have the MCU, an expanding Harry Potter world, and Lord of the Rings spin-offs. Titles from the past are constantly being resurrected, from Top Gun to The Devil Wears Prada.

This happens because of the monetization of nostalgia – familiar names bring in more money. Yet, some popular franchises no longer have a place in the modern era. Despite their cult status, they should have died a long time ago.

1. 'Jurassic Park'

In 1993, Steven Spielberg released Jurassic Park, showcasing stunning special effects. The second and third movies were quickly forgotten. The reboot, Jurassic World, pleased viewers with its new level of graphics, but the plot didn't offer anything new.

It seemed that Jurassic World Dominion could be as large-scale as possible – in this movie, dinosaurs have spread across the Earth. However, the characters return to the island and repeat the plot of the first film.

In 2025, the next installment was released – Jurassic World Rebirth – and its plot was nearly identical.

2. 'Saw'

The first installment of the Saw franchise evolved from an amateur short film created by James Wan and Leigh Whannell, and helped them become famous horror filmmakers.

Saw was criticized for its ruthlessness from the beginning, but until the fifth or sixth installment, the franchise had a coherent plot involving Jigsaw and his followers.

Then, the story turned into a display of cruelty. The filmmakers' primary task was to invent the most terrible and sophisticated murder mechanisms, rather than develop the plot.

In Saw X, the action was transferred to the past to resurrect the deceased Jigsaw, and it was yet another proof that the franchise had run its course.

3. 'Predator'

The 1987 movie was a brutal action movie about a special forces unit in the jungle. Predator 2 also had its charm – the setting was moved to the city, and the main character was a cop. All the subsequent sequels simply copied the original.

This year, the animated movie Predator: Killer of Killers was released, which many viewers and critics enjoyed. However, it is a collection of short stories that play on nostalgia.

Sadly, only the first movie was truly successful and original – and it was released almost 40 years ago.

4. 'Ghostbusters'

In 1984, Ghostbusters was one of the first summer blockbusters. Its success led to the release of an animated series, The Real Ghostbusters, as well as a sequel. But only one animated work, Extreme Ghostbusters, turned out to be truly successful.

On the big screen, there was an attempt to reboot the series with a female cast, but the 2016 movie was a flop. Then, in 2021, we got another reboot with the movie Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

There was hope that a new generation would become the main characters. However, almost the entire original team returned for Frozen Empire. Of course, it's nice to see Bill Murray on screen again, but how much longer will he be able to save the franchise?

5. 'MCU'

The MCU is more than just a franchise – it's a pop-culture phenomenon. Since 2008, its creators have been building an expansive world, interweaving different movies into one overarching narrative. But after Avengers: Endgame, everything fell apart.

The main problem with the MCU is that the main storyline has been lost. The films and series have become too disparate to assemble into one big world.

Interest in the cinematic universe is steadily declining, and the studio is rethinking future projects. However, this is unlikely to save Marvel's reputation.

6. 'Home Alone'

The vast majority of viewers remember the first two movies with Macaulay Culkin as the main star. In the first film, he fought criminals who broke into his house. In the second, he wandered around New York alone.

However, the franchise then began to rapidly decline. The third and fifth movies introduced new characters, and the fourth one featured a new Kevin for some reason.

Another movie titled Home Sweet Home Alone was released in 2021, but it was also a flop. So maybe it's time to stop?

7. 'Fast & Furious'

The Fast & Furious franchise is one of the defining symbols of the 2000s. The franchise began in 2001 with action movies featuring cool people who raced cars, stood for justice and, of course, family.

With each subsequent movie, the series slid further into self-parody. The characters turned into indestructible superheroes, and their cars performed impossible stunts.

Now, the producers of Fast & Furious are clearly banking on comedy, sending cars into space. However, this doesn't change the sad fact that the franchise has long gone downhill, no matter how much you talk about the importance of family.

8. 'Terminator'

The first Terminator movie was released in 1984, making both director James Cameron and star Arnold Schwarzenegger famous. The sequel, released in 1991 by the same team, changed the world of sci-fi forever.

Perhaps the story of Terminator should have ended there. After all, almost all subsequent movies tried to imitate the plots of the original installments.

Following the massive failure of Terminator: Dark Fate, the franchise was put on pause, and it returned in the form of a well-received anime series Terminator Zero. However, if nothing interesting has been made for the big screen in more than 30 years, perhaps it's time to end it for good.