Cliff-hangers, Sequel-baiting and closed ends.

In all the speculation that goes on in the internet, one thing is agreed upon. Hollywood loves sequels. Just last year, there were 17 sequels, not to mention 2 spin-offs and 9 remakes/reboots.

Furthermore, 7 of the top 10 films in 2009, will have sequels.

However, one must always question whether or not a film needs a sequel, in most cases they don't. But some films are set up to have sequels, either ending with a cliff-hanger or sequel-bait. Then there are also films that literally cannot have sequels, Citizen Kane, Lawrence of Arabia, Hamlet.

So what's the difference between sequel-bait and cliffhangers? Very good question.

The first film in a series rarely ends on a cliffhanger. The only films I can think of are Eragon and Push, neither of which ended up getting sequels. A cliffhanger ends in such a way that without a sequel you aren't getting a complete story. Sequel bait, is when the film-makers establish possible plot elements for sequels within the film, usually at the end. Examples of this are, Star Wars, Spider-Man, Back to the Future, Iron Man, Batman Begins, Toy Story (yes, Toy Story, watch it again), Transformers, Hoodwinked, Underworld, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Alien. While sequel bait can work without ever getting a sequel, (See The Incredibles) a cliffhanger ruins the enjoyment of the film. Thus, cliffhangers are much better at the end of the second film, especially if the third film is already in production. Examples of this include, The Empire Strikes Back, The Matrix Reloaded, and Pirates of the Caribbean 2.

In conclusion, here are my most anticipated sequels.

Untitled Third Batman Film (TBA)
Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
Kung Fu Panda 2 (June 3, 2011)
Hoodwinked 2 (TBA 2010, it's complicated)
Zombieland 2 (TBA)
District 10 (TBA, starts shooting in October)
The Hobbit (May or may not ever come out)
Harry Potter 7 (Nov 19, 2010)
Get Smart 2 (TBA)