The Matrix is an often used example, but for me it’s the Alien Prequels - especially Alien: Covenant really makes the Original Alien much worse. When the original was released in 1979 it had the perfect Monster. A dangerous killing machine of unknown origin. The missing background of the alien is a big part of its scary mess. It’s a blank space in its mythology that the viewer can fill with many explanations. As these explanations are not precise they don’t have to be logically coherent.
Covenant (and to a lesser degree Prometeus) wanted to fill this blank space and tell us the aliens origin. But once you fill out this missing piece of information it is fixed and can only be one piece. There exists now only one singular explanation. And its a boring: The Xenomorph is basically a creature with it’s origins on earth (because David, who’s origin is on earth created it).
I find this hugely dissapointing. The biggest dangers of deep space are all human in origin is extremely small minded.
(Star Trek: Beyond had the same boring plot - the mysterious villain turned out to be a human after all. As if only humans are capable to pose (or create) a serious thread to humans.).
What are your examples for franchise-movies that somehow made the original worse?
Star Wars was the immediate one for me. I have never seen 9, I will never see 9. I don’t watch any of the Disney+ series. What i loved most about Star Wars was the mystery that they are going through one by one to write the entirety of the story instead of just creating new stories in the universe.
By not killing Palpatine at the end of ROTJ, and making him the villain at the end of TLJ, you’ve effectively spoiled Vader’s redemption arc
But Palpatine still being alive has been part of the SW EU forever. Disney just said it was all invalid, then turned around and pilfered that same EU (including fan content) to create 7-9.
I mean, most of EU was trash anyway. There were some brilliant stories, but 90% of it could be thrown out and nothing of value would be lost.
Ahh i see what you meant about Palpatine. I didn’t watch ep 9 cus 8 is such a dumpster fire, so i don’t know what role did Palpatine do in that and how he’s still there. i thought 7 is quite okay.
7 was the one where they just took 4 and made female Luke undeservedly more badass, right?
Haven’t you seen all the memes on how he’s still there? “Somehow, Palpatine returned.”
That’s not a made up line, it’s actually in the movie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsjwVu_ihKU