There is something about popping on an 80s classic that just hits the spot each and every time. Whether they are chick flicks, guy movies, or something in between, the best movies of the 80s have continued to stand the test of time and they remain a huge source of inspiration for the filmmakers of today.
The Breakfast Club is arguably the greatest teen movie to come from the decade, and even now, the film holds up and is relevant. Sure, there are some things that are now dated or taboo, but all in all, few films from the decade carry as much weight as this one.
So, why did it never get a sequel? Let’s take a look and see!
A Deleted Scene Wraps Everything Up
The Breakfast Club may seem like a film that has been begging for a sequel for years now, but the truth is that a deleted scene wraps things up. There was a lot to be said about the paths that the characters took, but the fans never got the type of closure they were looking for.
The scene itself never made its way into the movie, and it changes everything about the way we look at these characters. In many ways, it’s almost depressing to read about, given the amount of hope there is at the conclusion of the film.
According to John Kapelos who played Carl the janitor, “I told Brian [Anthony Michael Hall] that he's gonna be a big stockbroker, die of a heart attack at age 35. Claire's gonna drive a Suburban and be a housewife. John Bender, if and when they let you out of prison."
As many remember, the movies ends once the kids go their own way from detention, and there is optimism that they could change things in their lives that they confronted throughout the film. This epilogue sort of lets us know that the principal was right the whole time and that these characters are stuck with the mold we found them in at the beginning of the film.
Because this didn’t actually happen, people can still paint their own picture of what happened to those teens once the movie wrapped up and they went back to school.
Outside of this major deleted scene, the film’s director had some words to say about making a sequel to the beloved film.
Director John Hughes Didn’t Want To Make Sequels
In order for a true sequel to be made, director John Hughes would have had to be on board with the script and the project as a whole. Turns out, he had little interest in moving forward with a Breakfast Club sequel.
When speaking with the Hartford Courant, John Hughes would talk about a sequel to the film and his stance against it.
He would say, “I know everybody would love to watch it, but I'm too fond of those characters ... there's no excuse that could ever put them in the same room ever again. There isn't anything in their lives after high school relevant to that day."
The sequel could have been lucrative for the famed director, but by that point, he had conquered the 80s and inspired a new generation of filmmakers. He did, however, admit that there were some ideas that he could have worked with, but just not in film format.
He would say, “I thought about it. I could do it in prose. I know what will happen to them. I know them. But to do it with real actors—with Molly [Ringwald] and Judd [Nelson] and Ally [Sheedy]— they'd never come back together again.”
Despite a sequel never being made, there have been lots of talks about a possible remake coming to fruition at some point.
Remake Talks Have Popped Up
The Breakfast Club is a film that shouldn’t be trifled or tampered with, but studios love to make money, and some have thought about trying to remake this classic to corral a few extra dollars.
Sites like Metro have reported that Breakfast Club remakes have been attempted in the past, but nothing has ever come to light. There is simply no point in trying to recapture lightning in a bottle once again, and it would be hard to leave the same cultural impact that the original had.
Should this film ever be done again, expect there to be blowback by some and optimism by others. Everyone would want a good movie, but there would be a lot of reluctance to go and see it.
After all these years, The Breakfast Club remains as good as ever, and really, a sequel never seeing the light of day was for the best.