The 15 worst and most unnecessary movie sequels

With "Transformers: Age of Extinction" hitting theaters this weekend, many moviegoers have one burning question bubbling in their heads: "Why?"

The first "Transformers" was great, but the latter sequels were horribly panned movies, with "Revenge of the Fallen" earning many titles of "Worst Movie of the Year." Sure, there are a rare group of movie sequels who build upon the success of their predecessor with more ambitious and developed storytelling coupled with a technically masterful cinematic experience ('The Godfather: Part II,' 'The Dark Knight,' 'Aliens.") But then there are the others who are so atrocious that it's a miracle moviegoers didn't walk out halfway through. One or two Rocky sequels makes sense, but four? And who thought it was a good idea to put nipples on George Clooney's bat suit?

Whether they were gigantic flops or late installments that wrung their franchise success dry, these sequels were unwanted, uninspired, and unbelievably atrocious. Here are Hollywood's worst and most unnecessary sequels.

Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights

Studios should have just left this script in the corner. Technically this isn't a sequel so much a poorly made reimagining of the classic 'Dirty Dancing.' Why make another when we had the time of our lives with the first?

The Sandlot 2

The purpose of coming of age movies is that any adolescent can enjoy them no matter how long it's been since their release. Any teenager today will resonate with "Stand by Me" or "The Breakfast Club" just as much as young adult moviegoers in the 1980s. But "The Sandlot 2" hit a huge foul bowl when recreating pretty much the same plot, just with a new gang. It gets points for having James Earl Jones again, but it's no wonder why this flick was sent straight to the home video minors.

Little Fockers

It was great to see Greg's side of the cat-milking family in 2004's "Meet the Fockers." But 2010's "Little Fockers" thwarted all unconditional love that moviegoers had to the Focker clan.

The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption

The answer to your first question is yes, they actually did make two sequels to "The Scorpion King!" "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" is a strong contender enough on its own to be an unnecessary sequel. But that ancient Egyptian throne is reserved for "The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption." The second sequel to "The Mummy's" prequel, this flick was quickly buried in the home video desert.

Evan Almighty

The fact that a sequel to a comedy cost $175 million to make is blasphemous on its own. But the final result of "Evan Almighty" failed to resurrect the charm of its dearly beloved predecessor "Bruce Almighty." God help moviegoers everywhere.

Son of the Mask

"The Mask" was one of the biggest comedies of 1994, helping launch Jim Carrey to superstardom. But its sequel 11 years later, "Son of the Mask," completely lacked Carrey, or anything funny at all for that matter.

Alien: Resurrection

Those "Aliens vs. Predator" sequels were unnecessary, but at least they were fun. And James Cameron's "Aliens" is often regarded as one of the greatest sequels ever made. But this fourth installment to the Ripley/Xenomorph saga was clunky, awkward and just a pure mess. Like her ghastly clone begged, they should have just killed Ripley now.

Fast and Furious 7

The "Fast and Furious" sequels have always proved to be very entertaining, developing their own niche high-octane fan base. But now with the tragic, untimely death of Paul Walker back in 2013, there was really no point keep this franchise racing along. We'll have to wait until 2015 to see how the seventh film turns out, but everyone is wishing they just stopped at gear six.

Jaws: The Revenge

The movie responsible for putting Steven Spielberg on the map and creating the summer blockbuster as we know it, "Jaws" was equally cherished by critics and moviegoers alike. But after two lame sequels, "Jaws: The Revenge" finally sunk the franchise for good.

Batman and Robin

George Clooney might have been a good Batman in another universe. But the atrocious "Batman and Robin" ensured that Clooney would never don black spandex again. Cheesy one-liners, atrocious acting by pretty much everyone involved, and some comically bad direction by Joel Schumacher kept Batman locked in the dark for 8 years, until Christopher Nolan's brilliant reboot "Batman Begins" in 2005.

A Good Day to Die Hard

"Die Hard: With a Vengeance" was one of the best action sequels ever, brilliantly pairing up Bruce Willis' loose cannon cop John McClane with Samuel L Jackson's foul-mouthed Zeus Carver. But the series fifth installment, "A Good Day to Die Hard," took away all notion of believability as McClane ventured to Russia to save his son and battle the Russian underworld. This loose-cannon cop everyman suddenly became a superhero secret agent overnight, invoking a disappointing Yippee-Ki-Nay from audiences.

Spider-Man 3

"Spider-Man 2" was the rare sequel that actually improved upon the original, showing some bona fide Marvel action and genuine Peter Parker pathos. But "Spider-Man 3" got caught up in a web of cringe-worthy moments (that Jazz dance scene) and over-saturated with not one, not two, but three villains. Good thing Spidey got new life in "The Amazing Spider-Man" because "Spider-Man 3" would have been one nasty final bite to a great franchise.

The Godfather: Part III

"The Godfather: Part II" left the Corleone family saga off at the perfect ending. Michael has maintained his power but has lost his family, now forced to live his life in quiet, self-imposed isolation. But two "Godfathers" weren't good enough, as the second sequel failed to impress even the most die-hard of mafia and cannoli lovers. The movie isn't actually that bad, it's just that the two prior installments are such gigantic feats of cinematic perfection that the third could never compare by any measure.

Rocky V

The first four "Rocky" films tell essentially the same story. Underdog gets a shot at the big time and prevails. But "Rocky V" was just an atrocious mess, with a brain-damaged and broke Rocky taking in a new protege under his wing. The series returned to its roots in great fashion in "Rocky Balboa," but most fans just wish Sylvester threw in the towel before "Rocky V."

Shrek Forever After

You can't really blame DreamWorks Animation for wanting to make "Shrek" sequels. The first was an instant hit with its patented blend of clever writing and pop culture references. But by the time "Shrek Forever After" rolled around, fans were unhappily ever after with the fairy tale saga.