Let's face it: in most cases, sequels are never as good as their original films. That is, at least, the thought of many, many moviegoers around the world. And, truth be told, the challenge for those who produce sequels to blockbuster films can be daunting. When a production drives audiences crazy to the point of becoming a box-office or critical hit (even more so if both happen at the same time), announcing a sequel immediately pushes the bar even higher. Everyone expects even bigger things from this new installment, and sometimes expectations are so high that the sequel simply fails to please audiences, no matter how good it is.
Not all sequels hit theaters to replicate the success of their original movie; many are made to reverse the course of a film series: in some cases, the first film in a franchise fails, so a sequel is produced to improve the situation, but that doesn't always happen. Making a sequel is no easy task, regardless of how successful the original movie was. Moreover, many factors are at stake when it comes to producing a film, which means that things won't always go according to plan.
Oftentimes, the actors and filmmakers involved opt not to return for a sequel, and their replacement or removal from the project greatly affects the film's reception, in the same way that major changes in the production's storyline or a considerable budget cut can. Still, many sequels have been released over the years to great acclaim, proving that there is still hope after all. Here are some of the best ones in movie history, according to Reddit.
10 Shrek 2
Shrek 2
- Release Date
- May 19, 2004
- Director
- Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, Conrad Vernon
- Cast
- Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Julie Andrews, Antonio Banderas, John Cleese
- Rating
- PG
- Main Genre
- Animation
Kicking off this list stands a sequel that is not only regarded as one of the best sequels ever made, but for many, it is even superior to the original film. Shrek 2 hit theaters in 2004, three years after the first movie in the series. This second production once again featured Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz in the voice cast, while also including stars such as Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, and John Cleese, among others. This one is set after the events of the first movie and follows Shrek and Fiona as they travel to the kingdom of Far Far Away to meet her parents upon returning from their honeymoon.
But this adventure seems doomed to fail: the King and Queen of Far Far Away have no idea that their daughter has decided to marry an ogre, and this unexpected fact gets their reunion off on the wrong foot.
As with Shrek, its first sequel became an absolute box-office hit, and it is still DreamWorks' highest-grossing film to this day. Moreover, it was the highest-grossing animated film in history until the release of Toy Story 3 in 2010. The overwhelming success of this film by Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, and Conrad Vernon not only spurred the development of two new sequels, but also of the Puss in Boots spin-off series, focusing on Banderas' character.
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9 The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight
- Release Date
- July 14, 2008
- Director
- Christopher Nolan
- Cast
- Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Action
The 2005 film Batman Begins served to revive the popularity of a superhero franchise that had been in obscurity for several years due to its failed previous productions, thus launching one of the most acclaimed trilogies in the history of cinema. In the wake of this film's success, Christopher Nolan took the helm of The Dark Knight, the first sequel to the film series and, for many, one of the best films of all time. In this production, Christian Bale reprises his role as Batman, who must now join forces with his allies to take on the Joker, an insane villain determined to wreak havoc on Gotham City.
While expectations were sky-high for this production back in 2008, casting Heath Ledger in the role of the villain drew plenty of criticism: no one expected that an actor with so little experience would be able to step into the shoes of such an iconic character. But of course, Ledger blew everyone away by giving the performance of a lifetime and, after his passing, went on to win an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, among many other accolades. The Dark Knight trilogy concluded in 2012 with the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises.
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8 The Empire Strikes Back
1977 marked the premiere of Star Wars, a George Lucas film that took the world by storm and became a groundbreaking phenomenon that is still relevant to this day. In the wake of its popularity, it was followed by The Empire Strikes Back three years later, the franchise's first sequel that had Irvin Kershner serving as director. This production, considered by many as the best one in the entire Star Wars film series, stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher, and presents a new battle between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance, while following Luke Skywalker on his mission to find Yoda to train under his command.
Star Wars' wild success raised the bar for its upcoming films, making The Empire Strikes Back a hugely anticipated movie among fans. And even though it was initially met with mixed reviews in comparison to the original film, over time, it grew to become one of the best films in the entire franchise. Besides being the highest-grossing film in the franchise, this 1977 production won two Academy Awards and four Saturn Awards, as well as many other recognitions.
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7 The Godfather: Part II
The Godfather: Part II
- Release Date
- December 20, 1974
- Director
- Francis Ford Coppola
- Cast
- Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, John Cazale, Talia Shire
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Crime
Very few sequels in the history of cinema have been nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. But back in 1974, The Godfather: Part II not only emerged as one of the few in this exclusive group, it was also the first one to actually win the trophy. This Francis Ford Coppola film serves as both a sequel and prequel to 1972's The Godfather, and introduces two parallel stories: Michael's, who becomes the head of the Corleone family following his father's passing, and Vito's, as he begins a life of crime.
The Godfather: Part II stars Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and Morgana King, and after its release it proved to be a box-office hit that also won numerous awards. The final film in The Godfather trilogy hit theaters in 1990, also directed by Coppola. But unlike the previous two films, the third one was not as well received by critics.
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6 Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Mission: Impossible - Fallout
- Release Date
- July 27, 2018
- Director
- Christopher McQuarrie
- Cast
- Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Angela Bassett, Vanessa Kirby
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Action
Mission: Impossible - Fallout is the sixth installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise, and besides becoming the highest-grossing film in its year of release, it stands as the best production in the entire film series to this day. In this 2018 movie by Christopher McQuarrie, Tom Cruise reprises his role as agent Ethan Hunt, who must now team up with his Impossible Missions Force and an assassin working with the CIA to recover three plutonium cores that a terrorist group is planning to use for bombs.
Ving Rhames, Henry Cavill, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Angela Bassett, and Michelle Monaghan are some of the actors joining Cruise in this acclaimed production that, five years later, was followed by a sequel titled Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One.
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5 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
1966 marked the release of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, a Sergio Leone film that wrapped up the Dollars Trilogy, following A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More. It is also widely acknowledged as the film that ultimately propelled Clint Eastwood's career to stardom. This western production stars Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach and follows three men who, unwittingly, have to join forces in order to find a massive loot in gold that a soldier buried in a deserted cemetery.
At the time of its release, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly was met with mixed reviews, mostly due to the fact that people didn't fully appreciate Spaghetti Westerns. However, the film got better reviews over the years, and is now considered one of the best of the genre.
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4 Paddington 2
Paddington 2
- Release Date
- November 9, 2017
- Director
- Paul King
- Cast
- Michael Gambon, Imelda Staunton, Ben Whishaw, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Sally Hawkins
- Rating
- PG
- Genres
- Family, Adventure, Animation, Comedy
Paddington 2 is one of those movies that is perfect for the whole family, featuring adventures that both children and adults can enjoy. It was released in 2017, three years after the original film premiered, with Paul King once again serving as director. In this production, the audience follows Paddington, who has been enjoying a happy life with the Brown family for some time now. But after being framed for a robbery he didn't commit that landed him in jail, Paddington and his new family must find the real criminal in order to prove his innocence and set things right.
Ben Whishaw leads the cast as the voice of Paddington, joined by Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Brendan Gleeson, Hugh Grant, and Julie Walters. Paddington 2 became a box-office hit with rave reviews, and its popularity spurred the development of a new installment titled Paddington in Peru, which is currently in the works (via Deadline).
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3 The Bride of Frankenstein
The Bride of Frankenstein
- Release Date
- April 20, 1935
- Director
- James Whale
- Cast
- Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Valerie Hobson, Ernest Thesiger, Elsa Lanchester, Gavin Gordon
- Rating
- NR
- Main Genre
- Comedy
The Bride of Frankenstein is the oldest film on this list, released in 1935 with James Whale helming and Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester, and Colin Clive heading the cast. This production, which became the first of many sequels starring the popular monster, is set after the events of the original film and follows Henry Frankenstein as he sets out to create a female partner for his monster prompted by his former mentor Dr. Pretorius, even though he longs to abandon his experiments.
The Bride of Frankensteinwas widely acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, who felt it was even better than the original film. The box-office performance of this production boosted the development of Son of Frankenstein, released in 1939.
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2 Aliens
aliens
- Release Date
- July 18, 1986
- Director
- James Cameron
- Cast
- Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, Paul Reiser, Bill Paxton
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Action
1979 was a turning point in Sigourney Weaver's acting career, as it earned her, her first starring role as one of cinema's most iconic heroines: Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott's sci-fi film Alien. Due to the overwhelming success of this production at the box office, its first sequel, Aliens, was released a few years later. This second installment had James Cameron serving as director and Weaver heading the cast, joined by Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, and Carrie Henn. Aliens is set nearly six decades after the events depicted in the first film and once again features Ripley as the lone survivor of an alien attack who, once again, must embark on a mission that may pit her against old enemies.
Upon its release, Aliens was met with worldwide acclaim, with many people considering it as good as the original film, if not better. Besides becoming one of the highest-grossing productions of 1986, the movie went on to win two Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Effects Editing, as well as a nomination for Weaver as Best Actress.
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1 Toy Story 2
Toy Story 2
- Release Date
- October 30, 1999
- Director
- John Lasseter, Ash Brannon, Lee Unkrich
- Cast
- Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Don Rickles, Jim Varney
- Rating
- G
- Main Genre
- Animation
Rounding out this list is Toy Story 2, which emerged in 1999 as the first sequel in this popular animated franchise that follows the adventures of Andy's toys. John Lasseter once again serves as director, with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen leading a voice cast that is rounded out by stars such as Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, Joan Cusack, and Kelsey Grammer. In this new production, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang undertake the daunting task of locating Woody, who has been stolen by a toy store owner with the aim of selling him as a collectible to Japan. However, they face an even more difficult task: persuading Woody to return home after he discovers his real worth.
Like some other films on this list, Toy Story 2 is also considered by many to be superior to the original film, which also became a worldwide box-office and audience hit. This production was followed by two other sequels, released in 2010 and 2019 respectively, and a further installment of the franchise is currently in development.
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