Movie sequels usually bring back their predecessors' main characters for another exciting story, but these 10 sequels actually completely cut their main characters out. Typically, throughout franchises, some characters leave while others the cast, but the core main characters often stay consistent. However, on rare occasions movie sequels release that actually leave out the main character, which is a big risk for any film.
Movies revolve around characters, with endless amounts of beloved characters throughout cinema making up the fantastic stories that cause their respective films to be so appealing. Cutting a main character inherently makes a movie sequel more interesting, as getting rid of a core element of the movie is a massive gamble for a project successful enough to warrant a sequel. Whether it be for story reasons or behind-the-scenes politics, cutting a major main character is never an easy decision for a big movie sequel. So, here are 10 movie sequels that cut out main characters from the originals for whatever reason.
10 Creed III
Rocky to be cut from Creed III's story.
9 Magic Mike XXL
2014's Magic Mike's Last Dance. Although Magic Mike actor Channing Tatum appears in all three films, Magic Mike XXL actually cut two main characters. The first of these is Matthew McConaughey's Dallas, with the actor not returning for the sequel due to scheduling conflicts. Actor Alex Pettyfer, who plays Adam in the original film, also didn't return for Magic Mike XXL. According to various reports, the actor allegedly didn't return for the sequel due to a dispute and some misunderstandings with star Channing Tatum, causing him to not be cast in the sequel.
8 American Wedding
American Wedding is the third film in the American Reunion, with their American Wedding absence being explained away in the film.
7 Scream 6
2023's Scream. Neve Campbell's decision to exit the franchise was an act of protest due to her feeling as though she wasn't getting paid as much as she deserved, with her being the face of the Scream franchise since the very beginning.
6 Halloween 4
Laurie Strode actress has appeared in tons of Trading Places and A Fish Called Wanda. Thus, she was killed offscreen in a car accident, with Halloween 4 later being retconned for the reboot.
5 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
James Franco's Will Rodman was the main human character of Planet of the Apes story ends with the first film.
4 Independence Day: Resurgence
1996's Independence Day was a star-studded blockbuster action movie, with Will Smith's Steven Hiller being at the center. However, when the 2016's legacy sequel Independence Day: Resurgence came around, Will Smith's character didn't end up returning. Although Will Smith was initially in talks to reprise his role, the actor had become a much bigger name since the original in 1996. Because of this, Will Smith demanded a high salary, one that Fox wasn't willing to pay. Thus, Will Smith's Steven Hiller didn't return for Independence Day: Resurgence, with the sequel instead revolving around Liam Hemsworth's Jake Morrison.
3 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Although Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow is the most popular character from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which really suffered from their absence.
2 The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Despite the massive success of Jurassic World Dominion.
1 Jaws 2
Jaws 2. Shaw's Captain Quint dies in the original film, making his absence understandable, but the reason for Richard Dreyfuss' Matt Hooper not returning is a little more complicated. Hooper had an immense trust of Jaws director Steven Spielberg, who didn't return to direct the sequel. Since Spielberg wasn't involved in Jaws 2, Dreyfuss decided not to return either, with Hooper being absence from the fairly disappointing movie sequel.
