Cheaper Sequels?

[Mozenrath]

Usually, when a film is successful enough to warrant a sequel, the budget tends to go up. A lot of times, this is because the main actors and actresses may be getting paid more money, or the sequel goes grander in scale to try to be a bigger spectacle than the original. However, exceptions exist, and I'm curious to hear about some.

I do want to establish two ground rules to keep this from just being a Death Wish/Ernest/Tremors thread. Mention them if you want, sure, but I think if you can't get at least most of the major players to come back, it's something of a different beast. Secondly, if you want to adjust for inflation, that is also acceptable, albeit not really necessary. Follow your bliss.

The thing that got me to make this thread was reading about Grumpy Old Men/Grumpier Old Men. The original was budgeted at a bit over 35 million dollars, which, is certainly more expensive than I'd have guessed, even with some big names on the case. It was a big success, and it had a sequel a few years later, Grumpier Old Men. It cost around 10 million less, at 25 million. I am not sure why, honestly, given it seems to have a bigger cast in terms of "names", and it doesn't feel terribly smaller or anything. Maybe they found ways to save money reusing sets or something, I couldn't really tell you.

What are some example that stand out to you?

[BorneAgain]

Star Trek II might be one of the most triumphant examples. Paramount brought in Harve Bennett as producer to specifically bring down costs and ensure that the ballooning budget of ST:TMP (specifically the very elaborate special effects) was avoided. It's a credit to how strong the script and direction is that the film's so good that for the most part, one really doesn't notice the tighter budget unless you're really looking for it.

[chrom]

Any Direct to Video movie that Disney made.

[Feyrhausen]

I believe all of the original Planet of the Apes films had decreasing budgets.

[DiBiase is Good]

Superman IV had its budget cut in half and it shows. Although dodgy effects aren’t the biggest issues of the film, it really didn’t help.

[Mighty Attack Tribble]

Return of the Jedi had a slightly lower budget than Empire Strikes Back, Revenge of the Sith had a lower budget than both Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, and Rise of Skywalker had a lower budget than The Last Jedi.

Jun 15, 2022 19:54:17 GMT -5 BorneAgain said:

Star Trek II might be one of the most triumphant examples. Paramount brought in Harve Bennett as producer to specifically bring down costs and ensure that the ballooning budget of ST:TMP (specifically the very elaborate special effects) was avoided. It's a credit to how strong the script and direction is that the film's so good that for the most part, one really doesn't notice the tighter budget unless you're really looking for it.

Additionally, The Undiscovered Country, Nemesis, and Star Trek Beyond all had budgets that were smaller than the preceding entry.

[CMWaters]

Do we count stuff like Return of Jafar compared to Aladdin or are we more focusing on if both films came to theater?

[zrowsdower]

Whatever the hell the second Ghost Rider movie was.

[Limity (BLM)]

Jun 15, 2022 20:54:20 GMT -5 Mighty Attack Tribble said:

Return of the Jedi had a slightly lower budget than Empire Strikes Back, Revenge of the Sith had a lower budget than both Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, and Rise of Skywalker had a lower budget than The Last Jedi.

Jun 15, 2022 19:54:17 GMT -5 BorneAgain said:

Star Trek II might be one of the most triumphant examples. Paramount brought in Harve Bennett as producer to specifically bring down costs and ensure that the ballooning budget of ST:TMP (specifically the very elaborate special effects) was avoided. It's a credit to how strong the script and direction is that the film's so good that for the most part, one really doesn't notice the tighter budget unless you're really looking for it.

Additionally, The Undiscovered Country, Nemesis, and Star Trek Beyond all had budgets that were smaller than the preceding entry.

Now this is interesting. Why in the hell would the Star Wars movies have lower budgets?

[Mozenrath]

Jun 15, 2022 22:32:10 GMT -5 Limity (BLM) said:

Jun 15, 2022 20:54:20 GMT -5 Mighty Attack Tribble said:

Return of the Jedi had a slightly lower budget than Empire Strikes Back, Revenge of the Sith had a lower budget than both Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, and Rise of Skywalker had a lower budget than The Last Jedi.

Additionally, The Undiscovered Country, Nemesis, and Star Trek Beyond all had budgets that were smaller than the preceding entry.

Now this is interesting. Why in the hell would the Star Wars movies have lower budgets?

I imagine they save money at times by just already having some of the props, etc, made already. That said, that's a guess on my part.

Jun 15, 2022 21:06:09 GMT -5 CMWaters said:

Do we count stuff like Return of Jafar compared to Aladdin or are we more focusing on if both films came to theater?

I was more focusing on theatrical/equivalent releases, but it's not a requirement.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Spiderman Far From Home actually cost less than Homecoming

I mean we are talking $175M for Homecoming and $160M for FFH so it is still an expensive movie interesting to see it did cost less

However, as expected No Way Home cost $200M so it did get a bump for obvious reasons

[Cranjis McBasketball]

There's a long, long, long way between Paul Newman and Stephan Baldwin, yet Slap Shot 2 took the leap. There's an even larger leap between "Did the cheque clear Leslie Nielson?" and Therman Murman for Slap Shot: the Junior League.

Only Slap Shot 2 do I consider a personal affront, for stealing my 3rd's cousin's name, draft position and sullying his good name for that horseshit.

[chazraps]

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation I'd say counts for this.

Even though all but two of the original actors were recast, pre-production began with the entire original cast on-board but they all (except Liu and Kitana) were able to find loopholes to get out of their contracts once they saw the script/budget.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Jun 15, 2022 23:52:28 GMT -5 chazraps said:

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation I'd say counts for this.

Even though all but two of the original actors were recast, pre-production began with the entire original cast on-board but they all (except Liu and Kitana) were able to find loopholes to get out of their contracts once they saw the script/budget.

Technically Annihilation had a bigger budget than MK

But they slashed the budget from what they were supposed to have so you're right in a way

[G✇JI☈A]

It’s clear that the budget for Jurassic Park III was no where near the budgets of the first two films.

King Kong Lives..the 80’s sequel to the 1970’s remake of King Kong.. Basically just a guy in a gorilla costume running around some regional areas .

[Mighty Attack Tribble]

Jun 16, 2022 0:05:12 GMT -5 G✇JI☈A said:

It’s clear that the budget for Jurassic Park III was no where near the budgets of the first two films.

It's funny you say that. Jurassic Park's budget was $63 million. The Lost World's budget was $73 million, and JP III's budget was $93 million.

They clearly got more bang for their buck in the earlier movies.

[G✇JI☈A]

Jun 16, 2022 0:27:32 GMT -5 Mighty Attack Tribble said:

Jun 16, 2022 0:05:12 GMT -5 G✇JI☈A said:

It’s clear that the budget for Jurassic Park III was no where near the budgets of the first two films.

It's funny you say that. Jurassic Park's budget was $63 million. The Lost World's budget was $73 million, and JP III's budget was $93 million.

They clearly got more bang for their buck in the earlier movies.

That a surprise… what did they spend the money on? The rights to the Barney clip?

[Mighty Attack Tribble]

Jun 16, 2022 0:30:41 GMT -5 G✇JI☈A said:

That a surprise… what did they spend the money on? The rights to the Barney clip?

Barney don't get out of bed for less than five mil.

[El Pollo Guerrera]

The "Atlas Shrugged" trilogy.

Part 1 cost $20 million, grossed $4.6 million.

Part 2 cost $10 million, grossed $3.3 million.

Part 3 cost $5 million, grossed $850,000.

[I'm Team Bayley and Indi]

Paddington 2 cost less then the first movie and is generally considered better