5 Popular Franchise Installments That Would've Been Better as Standalone Movies

Usually, franchises do better with audiences because of their established popularity. But sometimes it proves to be a major hindrance. These five films are prime examples.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982, 5.1 on IMDb)

Available on: Apple TV+, Amazon Prime

The third installment in John Carpenter's eponymous franchise is nothing like the other films in the series. Season of the Witch is not a slasher film, but a gruesome tale of witchcraft with sci-fi elements. It also doesn't feature the franchise's fan-favorite antagonist, Michael Myers. Considering that it's a decent movie, the story about a villainous toy maker who plans to sacrifice thousands of children on Halloween night with the help of a magical jack-o'-lantern mask might have been more successful if it hadn't been associated with the franchise.

The Bourne Legacy (2012, 6.6 on IMDb)

Available on: Apple TV+, Amazon Prime

The fourth installment of the Jason Bourne franchise doesn't feature the title character at all, instead focusing on Jeremy Renner's agent Aaron Cross. He is a genetically enhanced human and part of Operation Outcome, whose life is endangered by Bourne's actions, which reveal the existence of several other similar operations. As the CIA wants to mitigate the damage, the agency decides to get rid of all other programs of this kind and their participants, causing Agent Cross to run for his life.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018, 6.9 on IMDb)

Available on: Disney+, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime

A Star Wars Story follows Han Solo and Chewbacca ten years before the events of A New Hope as they embark on a dangerous adventure to become the most notorious smugglers in the galaxy. Since it's set in the Star Wars universe and follows two of the franchise's biggest characters, it's hard to imagine this movie being a standalone production. But it was such a big disappointment to fans just because it was associated with the beloved space opera, even though it's a pretty good movie.

Prometheus (2012, 7.0 on IMDb)

Available on: Hulu, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime

Set in the late twenty-first century, this prequel to Ridley Scott's Alien revolves around a crew of astronauts who follow a space map deciphered from an ancient relic found on Earth, which they believe will lead them to the cradle of our species. However, when they finally arrive on a distant planet, they stumble upon complete ruin and encounter the ravenous creature from the movie series that was bred to wipe out humanity. Prometheus was too philosophical for an Alien movie, which is why it would have been more fun as a separate production.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016, 7.2 on IMDb)

Available on: Netflix, Paramount+, Hulu, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime

The second installment of the film series of the title tells the story of Michelle, a young woman from New Orleans who, after a car accident, wakes up in a bunker with an older man named Howard, who assures her that the world outside is uninhabitable. Unable to determine if he's telling the truth, Michelle must make a gamble for her life that would've been more exciting to watch if we hadn't known the specifics of the franchise.