Some movies are so rich in world-building that they leave audiences wanting more, even without a sequel. These standalone movies have established vibrant, immersive worlds just begging to be explored further.

1. The Fifth Element (1997)

In this sci-fi classic, a cab driver named Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis) is tasked with protecting the world from a great evil that threatens to destroy it every 5,000 years. With the help of a mysterious woman (Milla Jovovich) who holds the key to saving the planet, they must embark on a dangerous quest to retrieve the elemental stones that will stop the impending doom.

This Film had a significant cultural impact with its robust cyberpunk worldbuilding and is one of the most iconic films in Willis' filmography. For many fans, it's shocking that they never explored a sequel.

2. Labyrinth (1986)

In this beloved fantasy film, a young girl named Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) must journey through a magical labyrinth to rescue her baby brother from the clutches of the Goblin King (David Bowie). Along the way, she meets a host of fantastical creatures and must solve challenging puzzles to make her way to the castle at the center of the labyrinth.

The mystical world of the Labyrinth was filled with endless possibilities for new adventures and challenges, with the potential for further exploration of its intricate mythology. However, since its star David Bowie has since passed, that door will likely remain shut.

3. Ratatouille (2007)

This Pixar film follows the story of a rat named Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt) who dreams of becoming a gourmet chef in a top Parisian restaurant. With the help of a bumbling kitchen worker named Linguini (voiced by Lou Romano), Remy must overcome numerous obstacles to prove that anyone can cook and pursue his passion for cooking. As depicted in this Oscar-winning film, Paris's vibrant and bustling culinary world presented endless opportunities for new stories and characters and a deeper dive into the gourmet world.

4. Pulp Fiction (1994)

This iconic crime film features an ensemble cast including John Travolta, Uma Thurman, and Samuel L. Jackson. The nonlinear plot follows various interconnected stories involving hitmen, mob bosses, and petty criminals in Los Angeles. The interlinked stories and characters in this film were so rich and complex that they could easily be expanded upon and explore the gritty and violent world of Los Angeles crime.

5. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

This stop-motion animated musical tells the story of Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king of Halloween Town, who becomes fascinated with Christmas and decides to take over the holiday. With the help of his love interest Sally, Jack must navigate the unfamiliar traditions of Christmas to make it a success.

The visually stunning and imaginative world of Halloween Town had endless potential for new stories and characters, with the ability to  explore the twisted holiday universe imagined by Tim Burton and brought to life by Henry Selick. Five doors to other holiday lands besides Halloween Town and Christmas Town are shown in an opening sequence, including Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Easter, St. Patrick's Day, and Independence Day.

6. District 9 (2009)

This sci-fi film is set in an alternate version of Johannesburg, South Africa, where an alien spacecraft has landed, and the aliens have been forced to live in slums and ghettos. The story follows Wikus van de Merwe (Sharlto Copley), a government agent infected with a mysterious alien substance that slowly transforms him into one of the aliens. 

The film's unique setting, a dystopian version of Johannesburg populated by aliens, presented opportunities for new characters and perspectives, with the potential for further exploration of the social and political issues at the heart of the story. It's taken 15 years, but District 9 fanatics are finally going to get the sequel they've been dreaming up. Neill Blomkamp's District 10 is finally moving forward.

7. Stardust (2007)

Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, this fantasy film follows a young man named Tristan (Charlie Cox) who ventures into a magical realm to retrieve a fallen star for his beloved. Along the way, he encounters witches, pirates, and a fierce prince seeking the star for their own purposes. The magical realm depicted in this film was filled with wonder and possibility. Fans of this film wish the creators would pursue a sequel exploring the fantastical creatures and realms.

8. Inception (2010)

In Christopher Nolan's mind-bending thriller, a skilled thief named Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his team enter people's dreams to extract information or plant ideas. When they are hired to perform an inception, or planting of an idea, instead of extraction, they face their most challenging task yet.

The mind-bending concept of entering people's dreams opened up endless possibilities for new and inventive stories, with the potential for further exploration of the limits of the human mind. However, Nolan has yet to make a sequel to any of his films outside of the Batman franchise.

9. The Goonies (1985) 

This adventure film follows a group of misfit kids who embark on a treasure hunt to save their neighborhood from foreclosure. Along the way, they encounter booby traps, gangsters, and the legendary pirate One-Eyed Willie. The treasure hunt at the heart of the film could easily be expanded upon, along with the adventurous world of the Goonies and the mysteries that lie hidden in their small town.

10. Beetlejuice (1988)

In this dark comedy, a recently deceased couple (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) hire a bio-exorcist named Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to scare away the new tenants of their home. Chaos ensues as Beetlejuice becomes more and more out of control. The macabre and eccentric universe created by Tim Burton in this film has endless potential for new stories and characters.

The ghostly underworld and the mischievous antics of the title character have a lot of potential for further exploring of this world. Thankfully, Tim Burton got the message, because more than three decades later, a Beetlejuice sequel is finally in development.

11. The Iron Giant (1999)

In this animated film set in the 1950s, a young boy befriends a giant robot from outer space who has crash-landed on Earth. The boy, named Hogarth (voiced by Eli Marienthal), must protect the Iron Giant (voiced by Vin Diesel) from the military and a federal agent who wants to destroy it. Along the way, Hogarth teaches the Iron Giant about life on Earth and the importance of making the right choices.

As the military closes in, Hogarth and the Iron Giant must team up to save the town from destruction and prove that even the most unlikely of friendships can save the day. The emotional connection between the boy and the giant robot left audiences wanting more. A sequel could expand on the larger themes of friendship and sacrifice in a world filled with danger and uncertainty.

12. Interstellar (2014)

In this epic science-fiction film, Earth is dying, and a team of astronauts led by Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) embarks on a dangerous journey through a wormhole to find a new home for humanity. As they navigate the unknown reaches of space and time, they encounter mind-bending phenomena and must confront the limits of human understanding.

This thread inspired this post.

This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.

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