The Princess Bride remains one of the most beloved fantasy films ever, and there are a myriad of reasons that a sequel to the ’80s cult classic should never be made. Whenever a movie is popular or successful, talk of a sequel is inevitable. Even if the movie is self-contained, audiences can’t help but want more from their favorite films.

Genre cinema is especially susceptible to sequels, with horror, fantasy, science fiction, and action producing tons and tons of offshoots. Franchises are almost the only things packing theaters in the 2020s, and that has led to classic films getting the legacy sequel treatment. Movies like Top Gun: Maverick showed that the process could work if it was done just right.

Nostalgia for decades like the ’80s and ’90s has also been a considerable driving force in movies, with some of the defining films from those eras earning reboots, remakes, or sequels in the modern day. Unfortunately, those films haven’t always been very good, and could be seen as tarnishing the legacies of the films they were originally paying tribute to.

The Princess Bride is a unique ’80s gem that was not a hit when it premiered. It’s cult classic status meant a sequel seemed inevitable, but it never happened. Stars like Robin Wright have sH๏τ down hopes for The Princess Bride 2, and that’s for the best. Some movies are simply untouchable, and The Princess Bride is one of them.

There’s No Guarantee It Would Be A Hit

Legacy sequels like Top Gun: Maverick show off the amazing longevity of some franchises, but it can also be seen as something of an outlier. If a Princess Bride sequel was made, there’s really no guarantee that it would be a hit with general audiences. The original was a box office disappointment, and it very well could happen again.

The Princess Bride is a beloved cult classic, and is arguably a cult classic that has transcended its status, but it’s still somewhat outside the mainstream. It’s far from an obscure flick, but its huge audience of adoring fans might not necessarily translate to box office success if those returning fans aren’t joined by new viewers as well.

For instance, Blade Runner is a 1980s movie that faltered originally but eventually found its audience as a cult classic. When Blade Runner 2049 came out decades later, it was a box office bomb much like its predecessor. Except, it was made doubly worse because of its inflated budget that made its break-even point nearly impossible to reach.

If The Princess Bride 2 happened, there is a strong possibility that it would end up in the same boat as Denis Villeneuve’s tribute to Blade Runner. It would likely be granted a tremendous budget, which would make its financial viability a mᴀssive gamble. It’s rare for a movie that bombed to have a miraculous comeback in a sequel.

William Goldman Never Wrote A Sequel

Besides being the prolific screenwriter of classics like Butch Cᴀssidy and the Sundance Kid and All the President’s Men, William Goldman is perhaps best known for penning the novel, The Princess Bride. What’s more, Goldman returned to write the screenplay for the movie adaptation, which helped the project have continuity with his original work.

He clearly understood what was so great about his own book, and he brought the meta narrative style to the big screen with love and care. Therein lies one of the biggest issues with a sequel to The Princess Bride: the first movie exhausted the original book, and Goldman never wrote a sequel.

Goldman pᴀssed away in 2018, meaning there’s no chance that the wordsmith could be involved with the sequel. This puts a lot of pressure on a Hollywood screenwriter to dream up the sequel’s story, because they must also work within Goldman’s ingenious and hilarious story framework. While not impossible, it seems unlikely to retain the same quality.

Film Has Changed Too Much Since The 1980s

Some movies are time capsules to their respective eras, and The Princess Bride is an example. While it’s partially set in a far off and fantastical kingdom, it is dripping with classic 1980s charm that helps make it so nostalgic and popular today. A legacy sequel would be faced with the tough choice of modernizing or keeping the nostalgic tone.

If the sequel opted for the former, it would strip away a lot of what makes The Princess Bride so good. The magical tone would be replaced with something a bit too contemporary, which defeats the entire purpose of escapism. However, a soulless rehash of ’80s tropes would also feel hollow and cynical.

Speaking of having no soul, another big problem for a modern sequel to The Princess Bride is the mᴀssive changes in film production in the decades since 1987. The original film was made for about $15 million (according to The Numbers) or about $45 million today. That would consтιтute a modestly-budgeted Hollywood film.

However, The Princess Bride 2 would probably have a much larger budget, because it would require expensive visual effects. The quaint practical effects of the original wouldn’t fly today, so they would likely be replaced with bland CGI that strips the film of its human quality. The effects may be cheesy, but they’re an integral part of the movie’s charm.

The Cast Has Gotten Too Old & Some Have Even Pᴀssed On

Though actors are often excited to do sequels, Robin Wright is not interested in coming back to play Princess ʙuттercup again. Her main argument is that the cast has gotten too old to play their roles, and she is generally correct. While the main cast is still acting consistently, it’s too late for the stars to return to their parts.

The aforementioned Top Gun: Maverick brought back Tom Cruise, and the ageless wonder was able to play the тιтle character in his late 50s. However, Cruise is the exception to the rule, and his situation isn’t necessarily something that can be recreated. Wright and co-star Cary Elwes are in their 60s, while Mandy Patinkin is over 70.

Another sad reality is that some of the movie’s stars have pᴀssed. Most notably was the death of Andre the Giant, who played the lovable brute named Fezzik. A recast would feel disingenuous, while writing Fezzik off would take away another big part of the original movie’s magic. Even worse, a CGI recreation would be an insult to his legacy.

A Sequel Would Spoil The Happy Ending

Ultimately, the biggest reason that a sequel to The Princess Bride should never happen, is that it would spoil a perfect movie and a happy ending. The sequel would be inferior to the original, even if it managed to be a good film on its own. Sequels inevitably alter their predecessors, whether they retcon details, or forever tarnish their image.

The Princess Bride is a perfect film, and it ends perfectly too. Princess ʙuттercup escapes with Westley, and Inigo gets revenge for his father’s death. All the main characters achieved their lifelong goals, and anything after is just icing on the cake. To go back on that would reflect poorly on the original, making it feel less triumphant or important.