Sequels we didn't get to see

"Modern Hollywood is all about the sequels, right? If a follow-up can be made, chances are studio bosses will make it - despite obvious hindrances like the film's original star refusing to be in it ('Speed 2') or the main character dying ('S. Darko').

Sometimes, though, a major blockbuster never gets its planned follow-up.

True Lies 21995's 'True Lies' was an action blockbuster epic, seemingly consigning the James Bond series to the cinema graveyard. This was 007 imagined by James Cameron; overblown, stunt heavy and full of spectacular special effects. It also reaffirmed Arnie's box office status following the relative commercial failure of 'Last Action Hero'.

A sequel was expected, and Cameron, Schwarzenegger and co-star Tom Arnold were eager to make it. Work was beginning to take place for a second Harry Tasker adventure when 9/11 happened. Cameron then decided that he didn't want to make a film about terrorists, and called time on the series. However, it was recently revealed that a 'True Lies' TV series is in the works - with Cameron on producing duties.

The Bodyguard 2A follow-up to the 1992 hit was never really needed, with the original film having the bravery to end with the two lovers parting ways once Frank Farmer's duties finished as bodyguard for Whitney Houston's character.

But it was a role Kevin Costner enjoyed, and was determined to reprise once again. But just how do you top the casting of the original's heroine (Houston at the time was a global superstar)? Sign on Princess Diana. No laughing at the back please - Costner insists he met with Diana to talk about a possible role in the sequel. Buoyed by her interest, Costner began working on story ideas. She died soon after, however.

Batman 5Before Christopher Nolan rebooted the 'Batman' franchise, Warner Bros were keen to make a fifth Caped Crusader adventure. George Clooney and Chris O'Donnell were to play Batman and Robin again, with Jeff Goldblum attached to play the villainous Scarecrow. However, following the backlash against Joel Schumacher's 'Batman & Robin' the idea was quickly shelved.

While it would have been great to see Goldblum in that universe, a third Schumacher 'Batman' film would have been three too many. There is a reason fans ask, 'Who is Batman's biggest villain - The Joker, Riddler, Penguin or Schumacher?'

Jack Ryan adventureWith Paramount rebooting the 'Jack Ryan' series, and the young Ben Affleck replacing the craggy Harrison Ford in 'The Sum of All Fears', it seemed a lucrative and long-running franchise was on the cards.

Author Tom Clancy himself wrote a Jack Ryan prequel ('Red Rabbit'), making it OK for the series' fans to accept a young Ryan. Like the aborted 'True Lies' sequel, however, the events of 9/11 cast a huge shadow over 2002's 'The Sum of All Fears' (a nuclear bomb is detonated over American soil). Couple that with the hardly spectacular box office numbers and the sequel never transpired.

But it's not the end of the Jack Ryan franchise just yet. 'Star Trek's Chris Pine will star in the next film, which will be a reboot. And they say Hollywood has run out of ideas!

The Vega Brothers A pet project of Quentin Tarantino's that would have seen ‘Reservoir Dogs' Vic Vega (Michael Madsen) and 'Pulp Fiction's Vincent Vega (John Travolta) team up for a no doubt memorable sibling action caper. Tarantino talked about it for years, and Travolta and Madsen would do anything to reprise their famed characters - but given that it will have to be a prequel, we doubt that the aged actors would convince as their younger selves.

His Dark Materials trilogy Take a best-selling children's book, add Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig and fighting polar bears and you have the next 'Harry Potter', right? Certainly New Line thought it had the perfect recipe when making 'The Golden Compass' - the first in a planned three-movie adaptation of Philip Pullman's best-selling, and very good, books.

What happened then? The book is decidedly anti-organised religion - a big no-no if you want to pull in big numbers in America. US right-wing commentator Bill O'Reilly's claim that the movie was a "war on Christmas" didn't help, nor did a protest from the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.

However, its main fault was that it wasn't very good. How you can make a dull film which has a Sir Ian McKellen-voiced polar bear duking it out with another bear (voiced by Ian McShane) we'll never know.

Spider-Man 4The third 'Spider-Man' was definitely the weakest in the series, but it still did great numbers at the box office.

After much financial wrangling, director Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire both signed up for the fourth film - with the possible addition of John Malkovich as The Vulture. But creative differences behind the scenes led to Raimi and his star walking out on the project, forcing Sony to cut its losses and end the franchise. Ha, who are we kidding?

All together now... 'reboot!' The new 3D version, with Andrew Garfield as the webslinger, will be swinging its way onto the big screen in 2012.

E.T 2Hard to imagine now, but in the quaint early years of the ‘80s a sequel to a blockbuster hit was an exception rather than the rule. Tell that to studio executives now, and they will laugh their heads off before rushing off to green light ‘Fast and Furious 5’ (expected next year BTW) or something.

However, following its box office success a sequel to ‘E.T’ was mooted, with Melissa Matheson penning a treatment - which would see the cuddly alien returning to help Elliot and co deal with a band of evil creatures. Luckily, Spielberg decided he didn't need to make a cash-in sequel and decided to leave the original film alone.

Pity he didn't have that same feeling when deciding to make the recent 'Indiana Jones' movie."