History Cliffhanger / Film

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* At the end of ''Film/Dune2021'', [[DarkestHour the Harkonnens succeed in taking over Arrakis, killing Leto in the process]], and the Baron orders Rabban to take control while Duncan and several other Fremen [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice themselves]]. Paul, after being forced to kill Jamis in a DuelToTheDeath, ends up joining the Fremen against Jessica's wishes to bring peace to Arrakis. As Chani mentions as the film ends, [[ItHasOnlyJustBegun "This is only the beginning."]]

* ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes2001'' ended with the human in a modern world where all people are apes... to be continued. But the movie was a failure, so there was no second part.

* At the end of ''Film/Dune2021'', [[TheBadGuyWins the Harkonnens succeed in taking over Arrakis, killing Leto in the process]], and the Baron orders Rabban to take control while Duncan and several other Fremen [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice themselves]]. Paul, after being forced to kill Jamis in a DuelToTheDeath, ends up joining the Fremen against Jessica's wishes to bring peace to Arrakis. As Chani mentions as the film ends, [[ItHasOnlyJustBegun "This is only the beginning."]]

* At the end of ''Film/Dune2021'', [[TheBadGuyWins the Harkonnens succeed in taking over Arrakis, killing Leto in the process]], and the Baron orders Rabban to take control while Duncan and several other Fremen [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice themselves]]. Paul, after being forced to kill Jamis in a DuelToTheDeath, ends up joining the Fremen against Jessica's wishes to bring peace to Arrakis. As Chani mentions as the film ends, [[ItHasOnlyJustBegun "This is only the beginning."]]]]

* At the end of ''Film/Dune2021'', [[TheBadGuyWins the Harkonnens succeed in taking over Arrakis, killing Leto in the process]], and the Baron orders Rabban to take control while Duncan and several other Fremen [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice themselves]]. Paul, after being forced to kill Jamis in a DuelToTheDeath, ends up joining the Fremen against Jessica's wishes to bring peace to Arrakis. As Chani mentions as the film ends, [[ItHasOnlyJustBegun "This is only the beginning."]]]] A Part 2 is currently in development as of this writing, and will most likely be resolved soon.

* ''The Revolution'', the second sequel of ''Film/LesVisiteurs'', ends with [[spoiler:the two time-travelling medieval protagonists being stranded in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII.]]

* ''Film/TheLastStarfighter'' ends with [[BigBad Xur]] fleeing in an escape pod just before the destruction of his battleship. Obviously, this was meant to be a SequelHook, but no sequel was ever made as of right now.

* ''Film/NationalTreasure'' 2 did this on an epic scale. The President's Secret Book is constantly brought up throughout the series, and is incredibly important. The cliffhanger comes in when the President asks Ben (Creator/NicolasCage) to "...take a look at page 47." The viewers are never shown exactly what was on it, when Ben actually looks at the page the movie cut to what the other characters were doing at the time (escaping) and it isn't mentioned again.... until the last 2 minutes of the movie, where the President asks if Ben looked at page 47, to which he replies "It's life-altering." Riley asks what was on the page, to which the presidents says, "What book?" End of movie.

* ''Film/FlashGordon'': Emperor Ming has just died following being ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice, right?
** So who then picks up Ming's ring with an evil laugh?...

* ''Film/TheItalianJob1969'' is worth mentioning - although the ending is technically of the [[BolivianArmyEnding Bolivian Army variety]], it's also a LiteralCliffhanger involving an entire bus.
-->'''Charlie:''' Hang on lads, I've got a great idea...

* ''Film/TheItalianJob2003'' is worth mentioning - although the ending is technically of the [[BolivianArmyEnding Bolivian Army variety]], it's also a LiteralCliffhanger involving an entire bus.

* ''The Revolution'', the second sequel of ''Film/LesVisiteurs'', ends with [[spoiler:the two time-travelling medieval protagonists being stranded in UsefulNotes/WorldWard2.]]

* ''The Revolution'', the second sequel of ''Film/LesVisiteurs'', ends with [[spoiler:the two time-travelling medieval protagonists being stranded in UsefulNotes/WorldWardTwo.]]

* ''The Revolution'', the second sequel of ''Film/LesVisiteurs'', ends with [[spoiler:the two time-travelling medieval protagonists being stranded in UsefulNotes/WorldWardII.]]

* ''The Corridors of Time'', the sequel of ''Film/LesVisiteurs'', ended with the time-travelling knight Godefroy de Montmirail and his squire Jacquouille stranded in the middle of UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution. The sequel addressing their fate in that era finally came out... after a whopping [[SequelGap 18 years gap]].

* ''Film/FlashGordon'': Emperor Ming has just died following being ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice, right? Right? Hasn't he? ?...

* ''Film/FlashGordon'': Emperor Ming has just died following being ImpaledWithExtremePredjudice, right? Right? Hasn't he? ?...

* ''Film/NationalTreasure'' 2 did this on an epic scale. The President's Secret Book is constantly brought up throughout the series, and is incredibly important. The cliffhanger comes in when the President asks Ben (Creator/NicolasCage) to "...take a look at page 27." The viewers are never shown exactly what was on it, when Ben actually looks at the page the movie cut to what the other characters were doing at the time (escaping) and it isn't mentioned again.... until the last 2 minutes of the movie, where the President asks if Ben looked at page 27, to which he replies "I think I can help with that." End of movie.

* ''Film/NationalTreasure'' 2 did this on an epic scale. The President's Secret Book is constantly brought up throughout the series, and is incredibly important. The cliffhanger comes in when the President asks Ben (Creator/NicolasCage) to "...take a look at page 27." The viewers are never shown exactly what was on it, when Ben actually looks at the page the movie cut to what the other characters were doing at the time (escaping) and it isn't mentioned again.... until the last 2 minutes of the movie, where the President asks if Ben looked at page 27, to which he replies "I think I can help with that." End of movie. Fortunately National Treasure 3 is slated for a 2014 release, so this may finally be resolved, but this cliffhanger has had [[EpilepticTrees fan theorists]] screaming ideas since 2007 (and in some cases just screaming).

* Film does this too, especially when doing the "[[TwoPartTrilogy two films at once]]" thing. ''StarWars'' seems to have started the trend with the ending of ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', with Han Solo being captured, frozen in carbonite and being taken to Jabba the Hutt so he could be rescued at the beginning of ''ReturnOfTheJedi''.
* The endings of the first two ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' movies (each ending with a "To Be Continued..." at the end.) Note that the original theatrical run of ''Film/BackToTheFuture'' did not have "To Be Continued..." at the end; it was only added later for VHS and TV prints when the first film became so popular, that they decided to do the sequels.

* Film does this too, especially when doing the "[[TwoPartTrilogy two films at once]]" thing. ''StarWars'' seems to have started the trend with the ending of ''TheEmpireStrikesBack'', with Han Solo being captured, frozen in carbonite and being taken to Jabba the Hutt so he could be rescued at the beginning of ''ReturnOfTheJedi''.

* The second ''PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' film (Jack gets captured/killed and everyone gets ready to go rescue him).
* ''TheItalianJob'' is worth mentioning - although the ending is technically of the [[BolivianArmyEnding Bolivian Army variety]], it's also a LiteralCliffhanger involving an entire bus.

* The 2001 version of PlanetOfTheApes ended with the human in a modern world where all people are apes... to be continued. But the movie was a failure, so there was no second part.
* And let's not forget the movie ''TheItalianJob'' (the original version) which ends with a literal cliffhanger that will never be resolved.
* ''TheLastStarfighter'' ends with [[BigBad Xur]] fleeing in an escape pod just before the destruction of his battleship. Obviously, this was meant to be a SequelHook, but no sequel was ever made as of right now.

* ''NationalTreasure'' 2 did this on an epic scale. The President's Secret Book is constantly brought up throughout the series, and is incredibly important. The cliffhanger comes in when the President asks Ben (Creator/NicolasCage) to "...take a look at page 27." The viewers are never shown exactly what was on it, when Ben actually looks at the page the movie cut to what the other characters were doing at the time (escaping) and it isn't mentioned again.... until the last 2 minutes of the movie, where the President asks if Ben looked at page 27, to which he replies "I think I can help with that." End of movie. Fortunately National Treasure 3 is slated for a 2014 release, so this may finally be resolved, but this cliffhanger has had [[EpilepticTrees fan theorists]] screaming ideas since 2007 (and in some cases just screaming).

* ''NationalTreasure'' 2 did this on an epic scale. The President's Secret Book is constantly brought up throughout the series, and is incredibly important. The cliffhanger comes in when the President asks Ben (Creator/NicholasCage) to "...take a look at page 27." The viewers are never shown exactly what was on it, when Ben actually looks at the page the movie cut to what the other characters were doing at the time (escaping) and it isn't mentioned again.... until the last 2 minutes of the movie, where the President asks if Ben looked at page 27, to which he replies "I think I can help with that." End of movie. Fortunately National Treasure 3 is slated for a 2014 release, so this may finally be resolved, but this cliffhanger has had [[EpilepticTrees fan theorists]] screaming ideas since 2007 (and in some cases just screaming).

* ''NationalTreasure''2 did this on an epic scale. The President's Secret Book is constantly brought up throughout the series, and is incredibly important. The cliffhanger comes in when the President askes Ben(NicholasCage) to "...take a look at page 27." The viewers are never shown exactly what was on it, when Ben actually looks at the page the movie cut to what the other characters were doing at the time (escaping) and it isn't mentioned again.... until the last 2 minutes of the movie, where the President asks if Ben looked at page 27, to which he replies "I think I can help with that." End of movie. Fortunately National Treasure 3 is slated for a 2014 release, so this may finally be resolved, but this cliffhanger has had [[EpilepticTrees fan theorists]] screaming ideas since 2007(and in some cases just screaming).

* Film serials of the 1930's and 40's used this technique to bring audiences back each week to see how the heroes would get out of whatever tense situation they were last seen in. This was used to great effect in the TheAdventuresOfCaptainMarvel serial, despite the protagonist being NighInvulnerable to most forms of attack. Not only did they occasionally place Captain Marvel in situations where even his invulnerability might not protect him (including one infamous death trap involving ''molten lava''), his mortal alter ego of Billy Batson was often placed in dangerous situations, making the audience wonder if he'd be able to escape or say his magic word in time.