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No, the trope page specifically states that Tough Act to Follow only applies to works that attained overwhelming success. I found two Trivia tropes that might be what you are looking for:
- Stillborn Franchise: When a work is created and released, but flops so badly that all the intended sequels, spin-offs, and merchandise are cancelled.
- Franchise Killer: When a successful franchise receives a new installment that is met with such poor reception it kills the producers'/publishers' hopes for further sequels.
Neither of those fits (I've checked them already prior to posting the ticket): Stillborn Franchise requires a flop, while Franchise Killer prevents people from making another installment. The situation I'm looking for is when part nth of a franchise gets reception so poor that it makes people convinced part n+1th will be just as bad. But the poorly received part nth wasn't a (complete) financial disaster and the producers did make n+1. So nth "only" completely tarnished the reputation of the franchise.
Edited by Tropiarz
You can ask Trope Finder, but if it's not And You Thought It Would Fail then I'd assume we don't have it.
Edited by Amonimus TroperWall / WikiMagic Cleanup
Then I guess that concludes it, because AYTIWF is not it, either.
Oh well, at least now I'm certain how Tough Act to Follow works. Thanks
Edited by Tropiarz
Tough Act To Follow clarification Film
Does this trope apply only to situations where the previous work was a smashing success, or can it be a tough act to follow due to how disastrous the previous installment was, making people turned off from the sole idea of a sequel? I know YMMV tropes can't be played with, further complicating matters (since it can't be listed as an inversion)