The best movies and games that never got sequels

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Published Mar 20, 2026, 3:12 PM EDT

In a world where sequels reign supreme, these singular hits stand alone

Some stories are built to last forever. Others… are not.

Our latest special issue, One and Done, is about the less and less common world of singular hits: the game, movie, or idea that felt like the start of something massive, yet never got a sequel, a follow-up, or a second act. The cult movie that never became a franchise, the character or idea that never evolved beyond its original form. From Fez and Minecraft-style lightning strikes to Chris Evans’ forgotten superhero turn in Push, these are the works that felt like beginnings and never got a second act.

This issue digs into those anomalies across games, movies, and culture — from one-off masterpieces to stalled universes and creators who left behind a single defining work. Along the way, we imagine the what-ifs: a world where George Lucas never made Star Wars, and “one and done” wasn’t the exception, but the rule.

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