The film industry is tough. Everyone who has ever tried to have a successful career in film knows that it involves a lot of self-hustle, determination, confidence and most importantly a backup plan. Getting a film made can require you to have to jump through hoops, compromise your values and in some cases, leave behind everything you know. This side of the industry does not disappear as your star rises. Some of the biggest directors in the world will tell you that even now on their 50th film they are still having to answer to the higher-ups. The worst thing about making a franchise film is assuming that it will guarantee you work for at least three films.  Many people fail to realize that only the first film is a guaranteed job and not every franchise will be like Harry Potter. There are several films over the past years that haven't impressed the masses. Struggling to perform well at the box office or bad casting are all exacerbating factors. Because of their misfortune, they have ended up on our list. Here are a few franchises that just didn't cut it.

15  Chronicles Of Narnia

The Chronicles Of Narnia series abruptly stopped after part 3 The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader in 2010. This came as a shock to most people because up until that point the films were making a decent amount of money. They had the power of Disney behind them and they were marketed towards children which usually helps the success of a lot of adventure/fantasy films. However, after the media contract with Disney expired, the remaining films ultimately got shelved. There are now talks to reboot the series not starting from the beginning but picking up where the last films left off. TriStar pictures have the rights but the big question remains, is anyone still interested?

14 The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Oh, yet another Disney production that has taken a left turn. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice didn’t lack the numbers it needed to continue with the second film. It grossed over $2 million and only took $1.5 million to make. So, one has to wonder what the real problem is? Or at the very least, which celebrity had an over-inflated ego and didn’t want to sign on to the second film? Maybe the script bad, or maybe the second film was going to cost too much money to make. There could have been several issues going on with the execs. However, the rumor that has been spreading for the last few years is that part 2 is still on its way even though there has been no follow through. Based on the post credit scene we were left with it looks like there was a plan for a sequel so, maybe they haven’t given up entirely.

13 Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events

Before Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events was a binge-able Netflix series it was a poorly thought out film that starred Jim Carey as the terrible Count Olaf. The film did less than great and the box office numbers sealed the fate of a future sequel. Although it was the highest grossing film for Nickelodeon for several years it just wasn't enough to move further with the Baudelaire's story. It was later revealed that Jim Carey never committed to a sequel and unfortunately by the time they realized that a second film would be a good idea all the child actors had grown up. This might have been the best option for the franchise seeing as the Netflix show is such a hit and is doing far better than any sequel probably would have. It's rare that a book series gets a second chance at fame.

12 The Spiderwick Chronicles

The lack of a sequel for The Spiderwick Chronicles has a tricky reason behind it mainly because the first film basically crammed a little bit of everything from all 5 books into one film. There was no more material for a sequel. So much was going on in the first film and because of the amount of information the viewer needed to fully understand the story, it suffered tremendously. Like many of the films on this list the numbers were not the best and played a significant role in why no part two was made. Truthfully, director Mark Waters may have had a great idea. Since he wasn’t sure what his chances were regarding a sequel so he tried to provide the viewers with a full film and a complete ending. Too bad it sort of backfired.

11 The Mortal Instruments

Author Cassandra Clare’s book The Mortal Instruments was a hit bestseller so, naturally, the next step would be to make a killer film, right? Wrong. Unfortunately, making $90 million worldwide is a bad break for a film of this caliber. Even though it was marketed in accordance with films like Twilight and The Hunger Games, it was still underperforming. Jamie Campbell Bower who played Jace Wayland in the film confirmed that they were greenlit for part two of the film but admits that there were several things that got in the way (besides the box office numbers). Placement and timing were two of the reasons. However, again Netflix has swooped in and saved the day by continuing the story of Jace and Clary Fray in the form of a Netflix exclusive series.

10 Beautiful Creatures

Based on a best-selling novel Beautiful Creatures was supposed to be the next big franchise film. It had all the makings; a helpless girl who happens to be a witch (they call them casters), the sweet boy who is meant to save her, the complicated founding family and of course conflict, conflict, conflict. The release of the film was crushed under the weight of being released on the same weekend as Safe Haven (the can't miss love story by Nicholas Sparks). In addition to its unfortunate release date the film also only grossed a mere $7.5 million during its opening weekend compared to Twilight's $7 million opening night. This may be one of those times when you can blame the fans for their lack of enthusiasm or at the very least feel sorry for them. Apparently, a chunk of the storyline went missing when their beloved book was turned into a not-so-hit "hit" film.

9 Fantastic Four

It is rare when a superhero film fails to meet its box office requirements so of course, it came as a shock to many when Fantastic Four flopped big time. One of the reasons that is being thrown around for why the film failed is the simple fact that no one consulted Stan Lee. He is the big brain behind almost every comic out there and no one thought it was a good idea to consult him about the story before going ahead with the film. That lapse in judgment could have been why the idea of a sequel was shut down almost as soon as the film hit the theaters. It was also plagued by negativity during production and post-production. Of course, there is still hope that a second film will hit theaters but since we have not heard any hype around the sequel that is supposed to hit theaters by July 2017 it may be safe to say we won’t be seeing what becomes of the foursome.

8 The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series took the world by storm in book form then again in film form in Sweden so of course, there had to be an American remake. It started off on the right foot it had Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara as the stars and it was able to rely on the success of the books and the earlier films. That being said, it was a total shock when the film was released, did only moderately well and then fell off the radar. There were no follow-up films made and Rooney Mara’s career took off so she lacked the time needed to make another film. This is a very different experience from the original version of the films and quite surprising when you look at all the interest that surrounded the films and the book.

7 Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant

This film was just one of twelve in the series to be adapted into a movie. Truthfully Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant probably should have been a 12-part limited series. There were several things that went wrong and one of them could have been that people were confused by what the film's actual name was. A lot of the time when the film was being promoted the full title was never used it was either Cirque Du Freak or The Vampire’s Assistant. You can see how one would be confused about which movie they were seeing. This film was meant to cover the first three books in a 2-hour span this was problematic from the start cramming three stories that are all over 200 pages into one film; that's a recipe for disaster. It appears this film was doomed from the start.

6 Percy Jackson & The Olympian

A film about a young boy who finds out he is a demi-god does not necessarily scream success but visually it would be amazing to watch. Unfortunately, not many people were willing to spend $12.00 on a movie ticket to take in the stunning visuals. Percy Jackson & The Olympians failed to garner success. In addition to not making enough money, the promotion of the film lacked tremendously. The first two films were released with little to no success and a third script is written and ready to go. However, considering that the last film was made several years ago and all the actors cannot pass as teenagers anymore the chances of the next three films being made is slim. A reboot may be the best option but even then, Greek gods and goddesses are an acquired taste.

5 Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy was hoping to capitalize on the vampire craze but unfortunately, they fell flat. Based on the books by Richelle Mead, there should have been 6 films or at least 4 films (lumping a few of the books together) but it didn’t work out that way. The film just didn’t make enough money. Call it a lack of promotion, call it bad casting, depending on who you ask everyone has a different reason why this vampire driven story line was a flop. The fans felt so strongly about continuing the franchise that they even contributed to an Indiegogo campaign to get the second film, Frostbite made. Regrettably, they were only able to rise 17% of the earnings. This is common for films based on book series the fans come out of nowhere to complain when they are denied a sequel but where were they when the film was in theaters?

4 Inkheart

Inkheart was supposed to be a children’s mystery trilogy that followed a girl who can read a book and bring characters from that book to life. A gift she inherited from her father. The story is full of fantasy and imagination it sounds like the making of a hit children’s film, right? Well, it failed. The film wasn't able to pick up enough attention and it was quickly decided that they would not continue with the second and third book. This story had a lot of potential if only it was given a better opportunity. The cinematography was beautiful and the second and third scripts are already written so who knows maybe it will eventually be seen on the big screen. As for now, the books are a great read for any kid.

3 I Am Number Four

I Am Number Four is part of the Lorien Series by Pittacus Lore. There are six books but only one made it to the big screen. The story focuses on a boy and his guardian from another planet hiding from an alien race hoping to take advantage of his powers. The film wasn't able to gain adequate attention and ended up being a big mess. The script while summed up well left out a few key points making those who did watch it want to know what would happen next. Granted, they can always read the books but once you start a film franchise you are committing to seeing it through good or bad. The main reason that the franchise didn’t continue was because of bad box office numbers but come on, there are worse films out there that were able to complete their story.

2 Divergent

Divergent had a great head start. The film made a lot of money for Lionsgate but by the time the third film Allegiant was released, the numbers had dropped significantly, however, it still managed to make in the millions. So, what went wrong? Lionsgate was just not impressed that one of their topped billed films made in the low millions they decided to basically give up on the final film. Instead of a big production like the last 3 films the final film, Ascendant will be a TV movie and to make matters worse the two high-profile stars Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller dropped out of the film when they heard the news. Is there even any point in moving on with the film now? Chances are without the main actress the film will never see the light of day.

1 Odd Thomas

Odd Thomas is number one for a few reasons. It was sorely under promoted, it had a great storyline and ultimately deserved better treatment than it received. The film is based on a set of 6 books and one novella by Dean Koontz about a man who can see and talk to dead people. We also get a unique glimpse into Odd’s upbringing. Sadly, for those who did not read the novels, they will never know the end of his story because only one film was made and it only scratched the surface. The film itself was plagued by a few troubles like; a lawsuit and an independent budget. By the time it was finished the hype had died. Even if it were to be revived now Anton Yelchin played the original Odd who would play him now?