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Sequels are an extremely tough thing to get right.
First up, they have to be warranted. So many films these days forsake effective endings in an attempt to set up future outings, just in case enough money is made and a follow-up is given the green light.
Because of this, sequels are in danger of being the cinematic punching bags. Worse still, they can dampen what came before. But not all sequels have to be such a dismal experience.
At best, follow-ups can be an organic continuation of a story – a necessary chapter that not only enhances the original upon re-watch, but adds such rich layers to a saga that it may even leave you yearning for another film.
These films are in existence, and we’ve compiled a list of the 37 best examples – sequels that either matched or overshadowed their original.
Scroll through the gallery below to see which sequels made the cut.
Show all 37 1 /3737 sequels that are even better than the original 37 sequels that are even better than the original Aliens (1986) Ridley Scott's Alien may be an acclaimed horror film, but sequel Aliens – directed by James Cameron – is a stone cold action classic. Gone is the ignorant Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) of the original in favour of a hardened badass who returns to the moon, accompanied by a group of space marines, to take on the alien queen.
How many years between sequel and original? Seven
20th Century Fox
37 sequels that are even better than the original Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) It wasn't until the arrival of Austin Powers sequel The Spy Who Shagged Me that Mike Myers's comic creations were fully wedged into the hearts of film lovers. If the original was the perfect introduction to Austin's groovy world, the follow-up was an altogether funnier, bigger and more quotable affair.
How many years between sequel and original? Two
New Line Cinema
37 sequels that are even better than the original Avengers: Endgame (2019) Capping off not only your own franchise but a decade-long series consisting of 22 films is no mean feat – and yet Avengers: Endgame balanced all the playing pieces to do so with gargantuan success.
How many years between sequel and original? Seven
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original Back to the Future Part II (1989) The first sequel to Robert Zemeckis's Back to the Future is an amusing adventure that sees Marty McFly (Michael J Fox) travel... well, back to the future, to prevent his own son from sabotaging the family legacy.
How many years between sequel and original? Four
Universal Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original Batman Returns (1992) It was the addition of both Michelle Pfeiffer and Danny DeVito – as Catwoman and the Penguin, respectively – that made Tim Burton's sequel Batman Returns an even more memorable watch than the original.
How many years between sequel and original? Three
Warner Bros
37 sequels that are even better than the original Before Sunset (2004) Each instalment of Richard Linklater's Before trilogy is as good as the last. But, if there is a peak, it surely arrives with number two – Before Sunset – which reunites would-be lovers Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) nine years after they first met in Before Sunrise (1995).
How many years between sequel and original? Nine
Warner Independent Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) There's a blistering chase sequence midway through The Bourne Ultimatum involving Matt Damon's amnesiac spy and journalist Simon Ross (Paddy Considine). It's adeptly directed by Paul Greengrass – here at the top of his game – and is all the proof you need that the original trilogy improved with each new film.
How many years between sequel and original? Five
Universal Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Depicting Mary Shelley's classic creature as a pleasant guy just looking for a companion, Bride of Frankenstein is one of the greatest monster movies, let alone sequels, in cinema history.
How many years between sequel and original? Four
Universal Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original The Dark Knight (2008) Batman Begins may have been the perfect origin story for the caped crusader, but nothing could have prepared film fans for the classic its sequel would become. Christopher Nolan intelligently crafted The Dark Knight into one of the greatest follow-ups ever made, with several standout action sequences and an untouchable performance from Heath Ledger as the Joker. One for the ages.
How many years between sequel and original? Three
Warner Bros
37 sequels that are even better than the original Dawn of the Dead (1978) George A Romero ditched the entire cast of Night of the Living Dead for its first sequel, Dawn of the Dead, which showed the effects of the zombie apocalypse on a much larger scale than depicted in the black-and-white original. One of the most entertaining horror films ever made.
How many years between sequel and original? 10
United Film Distribution Company
37 sequels that are even better than the original Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) The glory you feel watching Hellboy II: The Golden Army comes from the knowledge that you're watching a studio allow Guillermo del Toro to do whatever the hell he wants. A scintillating oddity of a follow-up that surpasses the 2004 original within minutes.
How many years between sequel and original? Four
Universal Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original Evil Dead II (1987) Not so much an improvement on the first as one that rips up its rule book completely: Sam Raimi took the character of Ash (Bruce Campbell), who viewers first met in influential 1981 horror The Evil Dead, and placed him in the heart of what is essentially a slapstick comedy.
How many years between sequel and original? Six
De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
37 sequels that are even better than the original Fast & Furious 5 (2011) After the lacklustre fourth instalment, Fast & Furious 5 was the reinvention the series desperately needed. Bringing in Dwayne Johnson as the bad guy was a genius stroke and the final set-piece – a car dragging a bank vault through the streets of Rio – remains as entertaining as anything the long-running series has ever done.
How many years between sequel and original? 10
Universal Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original The Godfather Part II (1974) The Godfather Part II set the highest benchmark for what sequels should be, but so rarely are – a crucial chapter in a saga. The film won Robert De Niro an Oscar for his efforts, playing the same role Marlon Brando won an Oscar for two years before. This, alongside another film on this list, is one of two sequels to ever win Best Picture (keep scrolling to find out the other one).
How many years between sequel and original? Two
Paramount Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) The fact that Sergio Leone had barely any money to make The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – the third film in his "Man With no Name" trilogy – fortuitously led to the casting of the relatively unknown Clint Eastwood. Leone's film, beautifully soundtracked by Ennio Morricone, is a masterwork that proves less is more: its most classic dialogue-free scenes derived from the fact that Leone had no time to shoot dialogue.
How many years between sequel and original? Two
Produzioni Europee Associate
37 sequels that are even better than the original Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) Gone was the warm glow of Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Alfonso Cuarón's adaptation of the JK Rowling novel proved the franchise could win widespread acclaim, as well as ticket receipts, if put in the hands of interesting directors.
How many years between sequel and original? Three
Warner Bros
37 sequels that are even better than the original How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) Could How to Train Your Dragon endure as one of the most beloved yet underrated franchises of all time? Quite possibly – and its first sequel, which features breathless flight sequences and animation to marvel at, is solid evidence of this.
How many years between sequel and original? Four
Universal Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) Despite essentially rehashing the plot of the first film, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is a bolder, more exciting and, yes, deadlier outing for Jennifer Lawrence's heroine Katniss Everdeen.
How many years between sequel and original? One
Lionsgate
37 sequels that are even better than the original Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) If Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade isn't better than series opener Raiders of the Lost Ark, it's certainly as good. This is thanks to the addition of Sean Connery's Henry Jones Sr – the father of Harrison Ford's whip-cracking archaeologist.
How many years between sequel and original? Eight
Paramount Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original Iron Man 3 (2013) Perhaps it was down to relief that Iron Man 3 was so revered by critics (lest we forget Iron Man 2 is one of Marvel's biggest duds). But, Robert Downey Jr's third solo outing as Tony Starl boasts enough laughs and thrills, not to mention a doozy of a twist, that earns its placement on this list.
How many years between sequel and original? Five
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) Lethal Weapon 2 takes what made the original so fun – the wit and twist-filled action – and amps it up as far as it can possibly go. That it throws in Joe Pesci for good measure just makes the results even more sizzling.
How many years between sequel and original? Two
Warner Bros
37 sequels that are even better than the original Logan (2017) Logan rectified the mistakes of Wolverine's earlier standalone films thanks to James Mangold's decision to place the character in a far grittier film than he was used to (it was rated 15 in the UK). The result remains a perfect send-off to one of X-Men's greatest characters, who first played the role in 2000.
How many years between sequel and original? 17
20th Century Fox
37 sequels that are even better than the original The Raid 2 Gareth Evans's sequel to The Raid is more of the glorious same, only – somehow – more ambitious. Two hours and 30 minutes of breathlessly-paced fight sequences that's unlike anything caught on film before.
How many years between sequel and original? Three
Sony Pictures Classics
37 sequels that are even better than the original The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) The second sequel to ever win Best Picture is all about the payoff. While each film in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy delivers in what it needs to, this final chapter balances all the plates to dish out an epic conclusion that surely would have been everything JRR Tolkien wanted from an adaptation of his classic novels.
How many years between sequel and original? Two
New Line Cinema
37 sequels that are even better than the original Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Nobody could have predicted quite how breathlessly entertaining Mad Max: Fury Road would be. George Miller's dystopian chase film refuses to relent from the very first second and is just as entertaining with every watch – and far superior to the Mel Gibson original, which was released in 1979.
How many years between sequel and original? 36
Warner Bros Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) There has never been a bad Mission: Impossible film. However, since Christopher McQuarrie stepped into the fold as director, the series has taken just as many audacious leaps as its lead star, the stunt-loving Tom Cruise. Fallout is a multi-layered, twisty action film that will undoubtedly go down as a franchise classic.
How many years between sequel and original? 22
Paramount Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) All it took was the spirit of Christmas for the Griswolds to get the film they deserved. Chevy Chase heads up this one liner-filled festive treat that's probably the only Vacation film worth your time.
How many years between sequel and original? Four
37 sequels that are even better than the original Paddington 2 (2017) One critic described Paddington 2 as "the Godfather Part II of Peruvian Bear movies" and they were not wrong. The sequel somehow manages to convey more charm than the original – which in itself is extremely charming – and has the benefit of starring Hugh Grant as a villainous actor named Phoenix Buchanan. A delight.
How many years between sequel and original? Three
StudioCanal
37 sequels that are even better than the original Shrek 2 (2004) All eyes were on Shrek 2 thanks to the unprecedented success of the fantastic original, which was released in 2001. What people didn't expect, though, was that the follow-up would be just as hilarious and even more enchanting.
How many years between sequel and original? Three
DreamWorks Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original Spider-Man 2 (2004) Sam Raimi managed to outdo himself with Spider-Man 2 (the first one remains a superhero standout) with help from Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus and some nightmarish scenes in which the Evil Dead filmmaker delves into his bursting bag of horror movie tricks.
How many years between sequel and original? Two
Sony Pictures Releasing
37 sequels that are even better than the original Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan (1982) By placing the emphasis on character as opposed to action, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan righted the wrongs of the classic TV show's first big screen adventure, a dud that was released in 1979. The result is a staggeringly improved follow-up.
How many years between sequel and original? thREE
Paramount Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) The Empire Strikes Back would make this list for its twist alone, which ranks as one of the greatest in cinema history, but the film also represents so much more. Episode V established the Star Wars franchise's staying power by proving A New Hope was no fluke.
How many years between sequel and original? Three
20th Century Fox
37 sequels that are even better than the original War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) With War for the Planet of the Apes, Fox's closing chapter of the rebooted trilogy, Matt Reeves delivered a near-faultless arthouse film parading as a mo-cap monkey-filled blockbuster.
How many years between sequel and original? Six
20th Century Fox
37 sequels that are even better than the original 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) It would have been easy to chalk up 10 Cloverfield Lane's acclaim to the fact it was a "secret" up until a month before it was released. The fact remains, though, that this "spiritual successor" to 2008 found-footage thriller Cloverfield is a gruellingly tense chamber piece that's even more nail-biting than the first.
How many years between sequel and original? Eight
Paramount Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) Those who believed you couldn't get a more groundbreaking film than The Terminator likely burst a vessel after watching Judgement Day, a sequel that reshaped what people wanted from their action movies forevermore. It did so while subverting expectation in the most simplest of ways – by turning Arnie's killing machine, the terrifying villain in the first, into a cuddly force for good.
How many years between sequel and original? Seven
TriStar Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original Thor: Ragnarok (2017) When Taika Waititi took the keys to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he walked away with one of its greatest films: Thor: Ragnarok. The finished product is Asgards apart from the first of the hero's two adventures, starring Chris Hemsworth, that were released in 2011 and 2013.
How many years between sequel and original? Six
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
37 sequels that are even better than the original Toy Story 2 (1999) Sure, the third and fourth instalments might have the emotional payoffs, but – thanks to a series of standout scenes (the traffic cone pileup, anyone?) – it's Toy Story 2 that stands tall as the best of Pixar's sequels.
How many years between sequel and original? Four
Buena Vista Pictures
Read 37 best film twists we never saw coming and 37 films that are genuinely scary here.
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