10 Hit Fox Movies Disney Could Turn Into Franchises Next After The Devil Wears Prada 2

Disney officially acquired 21st Century Fox in 2019. This deal was monumental in the film industry, greatly expanding Disney's already enormous portfolio. The entertainment giant gained established franchises, like Avatar, Alien, and Predator. It also gained iconic superhero IPs, such as Deadpool and X-Men.

Disney also obtained the rights to many standalone movies in Fox's library. Ownership doesn't guarantee that Disney will do anything with those films. However, it does mean that even unlikely candidates have a shot at a sequel or even some series attention on Disney+.

The Walt Disney Company has already proven it can do a good job reviving existing IPs, even if they were unexpected. Reviewers enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada 2, for example, praising it for balancing its new story with nostalgia. Disney has also continued to respect longstanding franchises, such as Ice Age.

While The Devil Wears Prada was ripe for expansion, it wasn't the first movie from Fox's library that many audiences expected to get a sequel. If anything, the successful project opens the floodgates for many other films to become franchises, and nothing is off the table.

The Devil Wears Prada may not be the last Fox film to get such a treatment from Disney. Several standalone projects that don't already have sequels are candidates for a revival from Disney. Even though it's been years since their releases, there is room for Disney to breathe new life into them, whether by exploring loose ends or catching up with their protagonists over a decade later.

10 In Time (2011)

In Time is a sci-fi action movie set in a dystopian future where people trade and barter time to stay alive. It's a fascinating concept begging for expansion, and the 2011 movie stars Justin Timberlake as Will and Amanda Seyfried as Sylvia.

People in the movie can see how much life they have left on a timer on their arm, which ticks down. Everyone lives to 25, but must find ways to extend it after that. Will lives in a poor area where most inhabitants expect to expire shortly after their 25th birthdays. However, he unexpectedly extends his lifespan, and the system pursues him.

In Time wasn't a massive box-office hit, but it boasts a concept that could be expanded in so many ways. Even if a sequel may be unlikely, the idea could work in a TV adaptation.

9 Jumper (2008)

Jumper stars Hayden Christensen as David Rice, a man with an incredible superpower. He can teleport or 'jump' to any location at will. The ability has some limitations, but he uses it to accrue massive wealth and live a dream life.

David's world is flipped upside down when he encounters Roland (Samuel L Jackson). He hunts jumpers and is part of a secret organization that tracks down anyone with such abilities.

While the movie focuses primarily on Christensen's character, audiences know that other jumpers exist. A sequel or even a series could further expand on the lore and the conflict between jumpers and Roland's organization.

8 Minority Report (2002)

Minority Report is a classic sci-fi thriller starring Tom Cruise as John Anderton. He's the chief of a specialist 'precrime' unit which arrests suspects before they even commit a felony. His life immediately changes when the precrime system specifically targets him.

The 2002 movie is unique on this list because it already had a TV series of the same name. The series premiered in 2015 but only lasted a single season and faded into obscurity.

Regardless of the series performance, the movie is still beloved, and precrime remains a fascinating concept. It's arguably more relatable now, also, as technology continues to advance.

7 I, Robot (2004)

Like Minority Report, I, Robot is another impressive sci-fi action thriller. Will Smith stars as Del Spooner. He's a veteran detective with a disdain for robot technology amidst a society that has embraced it.

I, Robot tells a high-intensity action story as Spooner notices alarming robot behavior, but nobody believes him. He fights to clear his name and uncover the truth about the robots before it's too late.

The movie's finale is quite definitive, but the universe is rich for exploration. Humankind's reliance and acceptance of robots could be expanded upon in a series, or a sequel could explore a similar situation further into the future.

6 Sunshine (2007)

Sunshine is one of many exceptional, underrated sci-fi movies that few people mention today. It stars Cillian Murphy as Capa alongside an all-star cast of astronauts, including Michelle Yeoh and Chris Evans. The astronauts make up the crew of Icarus II. A spacecraft tasked with reigniting our dying sun.

The movie is a sci-fi thriller with elements of psychological horror. The Icarus II crew plans to fire a powerful payload into the sun, but their voyage into the unknown is fraught with danger. During the journey, the crew also encounters Icarus I, a ship that went missing attempting the same mission as Icarus II.

We never truly know what occurred on Icarus I, nor why it failed. If Disney were to revisit Sunshine, a series could focus on that doomed mission.

5 Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

Alita: Battle Angel is a slick sci-fi action movie starring Rosa Salazar as Alita. The movie is particularly stylish, blending live-action with heavy CGI.

In the movie, Alita is a cyborg with no memory of her past. A doctor finds her in a scrapyard and gives her a new body. Alita quickly realizes she's highly skilled in combat, and embarks on a grand sci-fi journey to learn about her origins.

The film quickly garnered a following and a particularly vocal fan base clamoring for an Alita: Battle Angel sequel. The demand for another movie is so high that #AlitaSequel has trended multiple times, and fans point out that the original ends on a cliffhanger.

4 Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is a hilarious 2000s comedy starring Vince Vaughn as Peter. He runs a small gym on the brink of financial ruin. However, hope is not completely lost, and he enlists a small team in a Dodgeball league to earn money to save the business.

Ben Stiller is a hilarious antagonist as White Goodman. He owns a rival gym and will stop at nothing to win the tournament himself and shut Peter down. The pair constantly butt heads in the best way possible, and they are propped up by a great cast, including Adam Tudyk. He plays Steve, who is convinced he is a modern-day pirate.

The story of Dodgeball wraps up nicely at the end of the film. Still, we know how determined White can be, and maybe he could return with a vengeance for a sequel.

3 Chronicle (2012)

Chronicle offers a unique take on the superhero genre. It's a found footage film about a group of teenagers who uncover a strange object underground. They gain telekinetic powers shortly after, which only grow through practice.

The movie offers a surprisingly grounded take on supernatural abilities. It also explores how sudden power can change people based on their surroundings and situations.

Chronicle is arguably an underrated superhero thriller wrapped in a relatable teen drama. Like many movies on this list, the film tells a great self-contained story. The object the group finds remains shrouded in mystery and ripe for expansion.

2 Jennifer's Body (2009)

Jennifer's Body is a thrilling supernatural horror movie infused with dark comedy. It stars Megan Fox as Jennifer alongside Amanda Seyfried as Needy. Jennifer is the more popular and outgoing of the two and is left for dead after an incident at a concert.

Jennifer returns from the brink, but is entirely different from before. Her body is possessed, and she targets boys in the school to stay alive. It's a brilliant concept, made more complicated by the fact that Jennifer and Needy are friends.

The movie explores the pair's relationship and the duo's strange dilemma. Jennifer's Body has garnered a large following since its release, and the ending offers countless ways Disney could execute a sequel.

1 Big Trouble In Little China (1986)

Big Trouble in Little China is a cult classic Fox movie starring Kurt Russell as Jack Burton. He's a tough-talking trucker who is caught in the middle of a supernatural power struggle after Wang Chi (Dennis Dun), his friend, sees his girlfriend taken hostage by a street gang.

It's a concept as wild as it sounds. The movie is full of glorious over-the-top action sequences, quotable one-liners, and a superb antagonist in David Lo Pan (James Hong).

There were murmurings about a potential sequel years ago, but nothing came to fruition. The biggest issue with Disney making a sequel to Big Trouble in Little China is that many fans would argue the original is already perfect. John Carpenter's direction for the movie is phenomenal. It features an iconic cast, soundtrack, and style that simply do not exist in modern movies. It's a timeless classic for those reasons, and it remains enjoyable today.