Hi everyone,

I'm pondering something right now and I'd really like as many opinions as possible.

I just finished watching a made-for-TV movie with my sister. She was dying to have me watch it with her and while we don't really share the same tastes in movies, I agreed since most of the time she watches what I want. Anyway, we watched a TV movie that was the first in what is obviously a series. I'll deliberately leave out what movie so I can keep this general.

Basically the plot had a hero who was caught up in a  whirlwind adventure-- Fighting against bad guys, etc. Naturally stuff like this always has to have a romance thrown in, so hero is paired up with a kick-butt, alpha-female type of heroine. While the movie was not meant to be romance at all, it winds up playing an important role in the movie. And naturally, the end gives the impression that gu gets girl, girl gets guy...

At the movie's end, my sister kept raving about the movie. Thinking quickly, I realize that this was something  I could possibly get her for Xmas. In looking the DVDs up online, I noticed that in the credits for the two movies available on DVD, the 'love interest' was not the same actress. In other words, it looked as if the sequel had the hero involved with a new love interest.

I've noticed that in a lot of action adventure films, (or films in general come to think of it) this seems to happen. It always seems like the main character and their love interest shack up at the end... However, along comes the sequel and it's an entirely new person. As a person who loves giddy, fantasy, mushy romances, this always bothers me. And it always prevents me from seeing a sequel of the movie just for that fact. I think one of the few movies I saw the love interests keep to the two characters from the original was the movie The Mummy.

So I'm wondering, am I the only one who is bothered by this constant change of love interests? Who else feels the same way?

For those who like the change of love interest, why do you like the change?

For myself, I guess I'm a romantic at heart. If a movie (or book) seems like it's going to have the main character with their love interest at the end, I'd like to see them keep that same love interest if there are sequels. I suppose that would be boring to majority of society though, huh?

N atalie

It annoys me too, and it is always the first thing I think of when I see it happen...wheres the other girl, what happened to her, why aren't they together. It really bugs me lol

btw, what was the movie?

I'm sure it's mostly because when they start planning to make sequels, probably one of the first things they do is see if they can cast the same actors from the previous film.  I would imagine that most theater-goers find it just as annoying when they get attatched to a certain actor or actress in the role of their hero or heroine, and then they have to use someone else in the sequel because that person is under contract to do something else while this film will be shooting (which I think happens a lot), or they just don't want to do the sequel - for whatever reason.  There's probably this behind the scenes wrangling with the question of whether they'll cast someone else in that role, or rewrite the screenplay (if they have one) with a new character.  I generally find either option annoying, but I'm sure it's got to be difficult to get the okay from whatever studio to make the sequel, never mind the nightmare of assembling the cast & having all of the same actors available & willing by whatever date they're scheduled to start shooting.  I suppose we need to be understanding about such things, but most of the time I'd rather they just didn't make the sequels at all than have to change one of the main characters.  I know they had to replace Rachel Weisz with someone else in the newest Mummy film, and that's actually part of why I never got into a hurry to see it - I still haven't:P  I think it's still the same character though, just not the same actress playing that role.

This happens a bit in romantic suspense or suspense novels.  Generally there's a gradual movement away from guy#1 - he has issues with her stressful job, long distance relationship just cooled off, or whatever.  That's about when guy#2 appears.  I've generally found it to be a pretty natural transition - like what happens in real life dating.

I know they had to replace Rachel Weisz with someone else in the newest Mummy film, and that's actually part of why I never got into a hurry to see it - I still haven't:P  I think it's still the same character though, just not the same actress playing that role.

yes, it's the same character with a new actress.  actually there was a cute nod to the fact that they'd had to recast, with her saying something along the lines of "i'm a whole new woman".  (and it was ok, but the first is still the best in the series.)

my biggest example of majorly irritated by a new love interest is the Indiana Jones movies.  i *liked* Karen Allen in the first one, and was seriously annoyed by the blonde in the next one (wasn't everyone?).  i was thrilled to see they got both Indy and Marion back for the 4th movie - which is probably a good chunk of why i liked it so much more than DH did.  :)

i'm a huge fan of action movies, with the more explosions the better, but most of the time the romance is pretty thin.

Ellen, great example with the Indiana Jones movies - I hated the switch from Karen Allen as well!

This is also a reason that I lost interest in the "Batman" movies.

This is one of the reasons I don't like the romance series where the heroine is repeated throughout the books.  Usually it's older ones (think Sky O'Malley by Bertrice Small). I don't want to read about the hero from one book dying and her finding another love in the next book.  I read romance for the HEA.  Now a series like the Stephanie Plum or the Sookie Stackhouse books I'm ok with them changing love interests.  They aren't straight romance and I don't expect a HEA with them.  I expect a little mystery, some action and a few laughs. 

The Indidia Jones movies popped immediately into my head too. Blech.

Hey Everyone,

Thanks for all the comments/opinions. Keep them coming.

I have to agree with the comment about the acting bit and it being hard to get the same people for the movie. In most cases I would (begrudgingly) admit that in most cases it's a matter of getting the actors/actoresses to come back. However, in this particular movie I was watching...while I haven't seen the sequel or the most recent installment, I'm more inclined to believe it was just to boost the plot.

I have to say though, I dioto the comment about the Batman movies. In my youth many, many moons ago I often kept wishing Bruce Wayne would find a mate. However, I realized that would never happen by the time I reached my late teens and gave it up. I think that was right after the Batman movie that had the introduction of Catwoman. Michelle Pheiffer. Sorry if I've spelled her name wrong.

Well, since someone asked what the movie was, it was called The Librarian: Quest for the Spear.

In thinking back on this movie, I wonder if I maybe misinterpreted the romantic aspect? Ah well. Doesn't matter. I'm not really interested now to see the sequels. Unless my sister asks me to watch them with her again.

Sigh. Sometimes books are so much more easier.

Natalie

I thought about the Indiana Jones too movies too.  I think everyone does & that's probably why they had Karen Allen back in this last one - with her & Harrison Ford looking like they were ready for the nursing home:P  Raiders is by far the best of the lot though, and they really had the best chemistry as a couple.  That's what makes it so annoying when they switch love interests or actors/actresses. 

"The Librarian: Quest for the Spear"

I've seen that!  I didn't even know there was more than one:P

Kim,

Yes, there is apparently more than one. Quest for the Spear, King Solomon's something or other and I believe my sis mentioned that the third installment is being shown this Sunday. Not sure what it's called.

Personally, I never got into the Indiana Jones movies myself. Looking back at my youth, I realize that a lot of movies that had sequels were never witnessed by myself. Mainly because the love interests kept changing.

Natalie