History Main / CliffhangerWall

* The third game in the ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton'' series, ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheUnwoundFuture'', ended on a ToBeContinued sequel hook about mysterious happenings at Luke's home, but the next three games ended up being a prequel trilogy. In an odd turn of events, the timeline ''does'' move forward after this, with ''VideoGame/LaytonsMysteryJourneyKatrielleAndTheMillionairesConspiracy'', but said game is a DistantSequel starring Layton's daughter whose story doesn't address that plot point at all. 2023 does see a new game starring Professor Layton being announced, but all known about it is the title.

* Infamously, the 14 years between ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' (2005) and ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' (2019) have been filled with prequels and spinoffs on multiple platforms. To wit: The epilogue of ''II'' showed Sora, Riku and Kairu reading a mysterious letter from Mickey. After a remake of ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories Chain of Memories]]'', the subsequent mobile game ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsCoded Coded]]'' primely takes place before the epilogue and the content of the letter is eventually revealed but nothing more happens. Then we got the {{Interquel}} ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2 358/2 Days]]'' on the Nintendo DS, the OriginsEpisode ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep Birth By Sleep]]'' on the Playstation Portable (with only a brief flashforward of Sora, Riku and Kairi in the ending) ''and'' a port of ''Coded'' on the Nintendo DS (with only the addition of a conversation between Mickey and Yen-Sid). Finally, ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance [Dream Drop Distance] ]]'', a proper sequel to ''II'' and the "prologue" of ''III'' came out on the Nintendo 3DS in 2012... but it was then followed by ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsX'', an episodic PrequelInTheLostAge and ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts02BirthBySleepAFragmentaryPassage 0.2: Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage]]'' which instead follows Aqua's journey after ''Birth By Sleep''.

* ''Film/{{Insidious}}: Chapter 2'' (2013) ends with, [[spoiler: Elise (now a ghost) noticing a demonic presence]]. The two next films ''Chapter 3'' and ''The Last Key'' were both prequels leaving the cliffhanger as the last chronological event. However the fifth film titled ''Fear the Dark'', scheduled for 2023 is set to take place after ''Chapter 2''.

* TheStinger of ''VideoGame/GodOfWarIII'' (2007) implied that [[spoiler: Kratos survived his apparent HeroicSacrifice]] yet the next two games ''Ghost Of Sparta'' and ''Ascension'' were both prequels that fail to adress what would happen next. It wasn't until 2018 that Kratos' story would continue with ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4''.

* ''Film/{{Insidious}}: Chapter 2'' (2013) ends with, [[spoiler: Elise (now a ghost) noticing a demonic presence]]. The two next films ''Chapter 3'' and ''The Last Key'' were both prequels leaving the cliffhanger as the last chronological event. However the fith film, scheduled for 2023 is set to take place after ''Chapter 2''.

* The third game in the ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton'' series, ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonAndTheUnwoundFuture'', ended on a ToBeContinued sequel hook about mysterious happenings at Luke's home, but the next three games ended up being a prequel trilogy. In an odd turn of events, the timeline ''does'' move forward after this, with ''VideoGame/LaytonsMysteryJourneyKatrielleAndTheMillionairesConspiracy'', but said game is a DistantSequel starring Layton's daughter whose story doesn't address that plot point at all.

* ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious'': The third film in the franchise, ''Film/TheFastAndTheFuriousTokyoDrift'', was followed by three interquels -- ''Film/FastAndFurious'', ''Film/FastFive'', and ''Film/FastAndFurious6'' -- leaving it chronologically the last film for nine years. It wasn't until the release of ''Film/Furious7'' that the timeline moved forward again.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' did this intentionally: The first two-parter of the series was to reveal who Cartman's father is. Of this two-parter, the first half became the last episode of Season 1, which meant that the other half wouldn't be aired before the start of Season 2. To top this off, instead of going with said second half of the two-parter, ''South Park'' opened with a ''Terrance & Phillip'' special.

* ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'': In Book 3, after learning that she's actually [[spoiler:a denizen of the train rather than a passenger, created by Amelia in an attempt to recreate her lost love Alrick]], and feeling betrayed by Grace, Hazel agrees to leave with Amelia to be quarantined as part of her work cleaning up the messes she made as the Conductor. However, Book 4 doesn't follow up on this, instead being a prequel taking part in the 1980's about two passengers unrelated to anything in any of the previous books, and the only thing that ties it together is that it happened during Amelia's takeover of the train. Book 5 would have been another prequel focusing on how Amelia became the Conductor, and would have answered several of the fan's questions along with future books, but the show was unfortunately [[ScrewedByTheNetwork cancelled]], so we never get to find out what happens to Hazel.

* ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' is legendary for having its "Episode 2" expansion (2007) end on one of the most well-known cliffhanger endings in gaming, with developer Creator/{{Valve}} promising that an "Episode 3" would be coming soon. It didn't. It would be followed-up after 12 years with the interquel ''VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx'', which only ''partially'' resolved the cliffhanger with an [[spoiler:InUniverse {{Retcon}} of Eli Vance's death via Alyx's deal with G-Man]] that essentially moved past the cliffhanger by mere minutes to end on ''yet another'' cliffhanger; this one once again promising that ''Half-Life 3'', the whole deal about Aperture Science's Borealis ship, the impending Combine reprisal against Earth, and now [[spoiler:rescuing Alyx from the G-Man]] will get addressed. Eventually.

* ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow]]'', the chronologically last ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' game, ended with [[MultipleEndings two possible endings]], one of which had Soma lead a normal life, and one which saw him take up Dracula's mantle. The franchise produced only prequels after that, before being completely rebooted with ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLordsOfShadow''.

* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'': [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry2 The second game]] ended with the protagonist, Dante, [[BolivianArmyEnding going through an apparent one-way motorcycle trip to the Demon World]]. The [[TheStinger epilogue cutscene]] implies his return as [[spoiler:Lucia hears a motorcycle engine outside the Devil May Cry shop]]. The following game, ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'', was a prequel to the series. The next game after that, ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'', used to be a cliffhanger wall as well, taking place between ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 DMC1]]'' and ''[=DMC2=]'', but was {{retcon}}ned into being a sequel to ''2''. For more than a decade, the series did not explain how Dante made it out of the Demon World, and it's only until the retcon and the ''Before the Nightmare'' prequel novel of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' where a HandWave was given - a portal "hole" just appeared in front of Dante, allowing him to exit from the Demon World.

* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'': [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry2 The second game]] ended with the protagonist, Dante, [[BolivianArmyEnding in Demon World and without a way to escape back to the human world]]. The following game, ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'', was a prequel to the series. The ''following'' game after that, ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'', used to be an example as well, taking place between ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 DMC1]]'' and ''[=DMC2=]'', but was {{retcon}}ned into being a sequel to ''2'' -- though it still did not explain how Dante made it out of Demon World, which was simply given a HandWave in a ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' prequel novel.

* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion'' ends with [[spoiler:Homura stealing Madoka's powers, becoming a devil, and gaming control of the world while trapping everyone in a LotusEaterMachine and erasing their memories]]. But despite this ending being done specifically to set up sequels, with the “Concept Movie” being the planned sequel film, said film has yet to come out. Instead, all the subsequent works have been spin-offs such as mangas, mobile games, and Drama [=CDs,=] none of which take place after ''Rebellion''.

* ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' ends with Samus [[spoiler:causing the destruction of the B.S.L. station and the planet SR-388 in order to stop both the Federation's secret cloning research on Metroids and the spread of the deadly X Parasites]], leaving her future relationship with the Federation unknown beyond an in-universe acknowledgement that she will most likely [[ArrestedForHeroism have to face trial for her actions]]. ''Fusion'' would remain the last chronological entry in the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series for almost two decades (2002-2021), with the time between it and ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' being filled with a bevy of interquels (five ''[[VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy Metroid Prime]]'' games and ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM''), remakes (''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'', ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns''), and even [[VideoGame/MetroidPrimePinball a pinball game]]. ''Dread'', while serving as a GrandFinale to the story started in the [[VideoGame/Metroid1 first game]] regarding Samus's history with the Metroids, left the plot thread of the Federation's possible antagonism to Samus untouched upon.

* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'': Between ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilCodeVeronica'' and ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'', there was ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilZero'' (a prequel to [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil1 the first game]]), as well as [[VideoGameRemake a remake of the first game]] and several spin-offs like ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilGunSurvivor Gun Survivor]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilOutbreak Outbreak]]''.

* ''VideoGame/StarOceanTillTheEndOfTime'', the third game in the ''VideoGame/StarOcean'' series, takes place 400 years after the events of the first two games. It gained notoriety for having a rather infamous plot twist that breaks the immersion of the hi-tech SpaceOpera setting the entire franchise had built up, and also has a highly confusing ending that is lampshaded by the characters themselves. The general negative response of the game's events resulted in the fourth game, ''VideoGame/StarOceanTheLastHope'', being a prequel to the entire franchise, while the fifth game, ''VideoGame/StarOceanIntegrityAndFaithlessness'', is an interquel that takes place 200 years after the second game. This still leaves plenty of room in the timeline to develop future installments before the developers have to address the plot twist of the third game.

* ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChroniclesII'' indicated that there was going to be a second war with the East European Imperial Alliance, the villains of the first game. The [[VideoGame/ValkyriaChroniclesIII next]] [[VideoGame/ValkyriaChroniclesIV two]] numbered entries [[SimultaneousArcs took place at the same time as the first game]], while ''VideoGame/ValkyriaRevolution'' was an AlternateUniverse GaidenGame.

* ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' ends with Samus [[spoiler:causing the destruction of the B.S.L. station and the planet SR-388 in order to stop both the Federation's secret cloning research on Metroids and the spread of the deadly X Parasites]], leaving her future relationship with the Federation unknown beyond an in-universe acknowledgement that she will most likely [[ArrestedForHeroism have to face trial for her actions]]. ''Fusion'' would remain the last chronological entry in the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series for almost two decades (2002-2021), with the time between it and ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' being filled with a bevy of interquels (five ''[[VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy Metroid Prime]]'' games and ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM''), remakes (''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'', ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns''), and even [[VideoGame/MetroidPrimePinball a pinball game]].

* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion'' ends with [[spoiler:Homura stealing Madoka's powers, becoming a devil, and gaming control of the world while trapping everyone in a LotusEaterMachine and erasing their memories]]. But despite this ending being done specifically to set up sequels, with the “Concept Movie” being the planned sequel film, said film has yet to come out. Instead, all the subsequent works have been spin-offs such as mangas, mobile games, and Drama CDs, none of which take place after ''Rebellion''.

The reasons for this may vary. Maybe the creators just want to flesh out other elements of the world first, to better setup the resolution. Perhaps they have a serious case of writer's block and can't think of a satisfying resolution, so they're stalling until they can. Or they wrote themselves into a corner, but like the story too much to actually {{retcon}} the events. Whatever the case might be, creators must careful -- if the audience decides that the cliffhanger will never be resolved, then [[TheChrisCarterEffect they may decide to abandon the series entirely]].

The reasons for this may vary. Maybe the creators just want to flesh out other elements of the world first, to better setup the resolution. Perhaps they have a serious case of writer's block and can't think of a satisfying resolution, so they're stalling until they can. Or they wrote themselves into a corner, but like the story too much to actually {{retcon}} the events. Be careful with using this, though- if the audience decides that the cliffhanger will never be resolved, then [[TheChrisCarterEffect they may decide to abandon the series entirely]].

The reasons for this may vary. Maybe the creators just want to flesh out other elements of the world first, to better setup the resolution. Perhaps they have a serious case of writer's block and can't think of a satisfying resolution, so they're stalling until they can. Or they wrote themselves into a corner, but like the story too much to actually {{retcon}} the events. Be careful with using this, though- if the audience decides that the cliffhanger may never be resolved, then [[TheChrisCarterEffect they may decide to abandon the series entirely]].

The reasons for this may vary. Maybe the creators just want to flesh out other elements of the world first, to better setup the resolution. Perhaps they have a serious case of writer's block and can't think of a satisfying resolution, so they're stalling until they can. Or they wrote themselves into a corner, but like the story too much to actually {{retcon}} the events.

SubTrope of AnachronicOrder. Can overlap with SequelGap, where a significant amount of time passes between any releases. Compare and contrast with StillbornFranchise, as the franchise does continue, but it nevertheless neglects to further the storyline. Not to be confused with CapcomSequelStagnation, where the intervening time is filled with a multitude of [[UpdatedRerelease Updated Re-releases]] rather than any new stories. If the audience decides that the cliffhanger may never be resolved, then [[TheChrisCarterEffect they may decide to abandon the series entirely]].

SubTrope of AnachronicOrder. Can overlap with SequelGap, where a significant amount of time passes between any releases. Compare and contrast with StillbornFranchise, as the franchise does continue, but it nevertheless neglects to further the storyline. Not to be confused with CapcomSequelStagnation, where the intervening time is filled with a multitude of [[UpdatedRerelease Updated Re-releases]] rather than any new stories.

* ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'' zig-zags this quite frequently. The fifth game, ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'', was followed by ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag'', which focuses on the previous protagonist's grandfather. ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRogue'' takes place between the two games (technically occurring between the first few sequences of ''III'', which focused on Connor's father Haytham, but prior to the part of the game focused on Connor himself), while the next two games (''[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedUnity Unity]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedSyndicate Syndicate]]'') occur chronologically in order. Then ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedOrigins'' depicts events that occur around a millennium before the events of [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI the first game]], with the subsequent ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedOdyssey'' taking place 400 years before that (with the DLC of ''Odyssey'' revealing [[spoiler:the protagonist is the ancestor of ''Origins'' antagonist Aya]]). This would be followed by ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedValhalla'', set between ''Origins'' and ''I''. This is zig-zagged because the AnachronicOrder of the games only applies to the historical segments, with the modern day segments and their advancement of the MythArc continuing in chronological order.

* {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in ''Series/SledgeHammer'' At the end of the first season, the producers were sure the show would be cancelled so they decided to literally go out with a bang. At the end of the last show of the season, Sledge [[KillEmAll accidentally detonated a nuclear bomb]]. Then, much to everyone's surprise, the series was renewed. The first episode of Season 2 started with a repeat of the Season 1 ending where Sledge blew himself up, before showing a "Sledge Hammer: The Early Years!" TitleCard; the remainder of the series would nominally take place five years before the events of Season 1.

* ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles 2'' indicated that there was going to be a second war with the East European Imperial Alliance, the villains of the first game. The next two numbered entries [[SimultaneousArcs took place at the same time as the first game]], while ''VideoGame/ValkyriaRevolution'' was an AlternateUniverse GaidenGame.

A franchise or series has an entry end on a major climactic moment or shocking event that indicates that things are going '''down''' in the next installment. Yes, coming up next is a huge shake-up in the status quo, or the FinalBattle, or the answers to one of the biggest mysteries of the series.