Making a successful sequel movie can be a daunting task and a tough thing to get right.
Not every movie sequel is better than the original as it isn’t easy to craft a film that is based on the concept of the first. Often screenwriters try to work on old plot points. Some try to reinvent the wheel a little too strongly that it loses connection to what made the first movie so popular.
It’s very rare that one comes across a movie sequel that can actually be better than the original. Sequels surpass the original when the audience already knows and loves the franchise’s characters. Nowadays, sequels are taking over as Hollywood’s go-to when an original film or concept turns into a smashing success.
Here are 5 best movies with a better sequel than their original
1. The Godfather: Part II (1974)
The 1974 American crime film ‘The Godfather Part II’ is the first sequel to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The movie was Francis Ford’s Oscar-winning masterpiece. He managed to top himself and win even more Oscars with The Godfather Part II.
The movie delves into themes of power, loss, heritage, and the moral abyss. Its sequel is better than the original because of Al Pacino’s defining performance in the movie that helps to elevate. Fans’ high expectations led the movie to reach new highs. The movie was nominated for nine academy awards and won three.
2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Terminator’s first part was fantastic in terms of both, its original storytelling and the special effects. But the movie could not compete with Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Terminator 2 is a genre showstopper about outrunning time-traveling robot-assassins and preventing Armageddon. The movie is a masterpiece by James Cameron that improves every aspect of this franchise in his second outing.
In Terminator 2 Arnold Schwarzenegger made good on his “I’ll be back” promise. This part of the movie is the sequel is hands-down better than the original. It is bigger, badder, and a stone-cold classic.
3. Batman: The Dark Knight (2008)
‘Batman: The Dark Knight’ is not just the best sequel, it’s the best superhero movie. The movie is a sequel to ‘Batman Begins’ and there is no doubt that it is better than its original. The Dark Knight is praised due to Heath Ledger’s unforgettable performance as the Joker.
For the movie, Heath Ledger provided a haunting iteration of The Joker, for which he won a posthumous Academy Award. Dark Knight is a gritty categorization that has doomed many a DC superhero film since director Christopher Nolan effectively sets up for the movie. Christopher Nolan’s take made Batman one of the best superhero films of all time.
4. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film by Irvin Kershner. The movie has the best twist in cinematic history and earns the spot of the best sequels ever made. The 1977 film, Star Wars, was nothing short of a cultural phenomenon so its sequel made better than the original.
The movie is the best Star Wars film because it builds the franchise from a campy sci-fi flick into a full-blown space opera. Empire is able to come out swinging with more characters, deeper emotional substance, and higher stakes. It also features the best twists and cliffhangers in cinema history. Plus, fan favorites Yoda and Lando Calrissian make their debut enhancing the glory of the movie.
5. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy adventure film by Peter Jackson and the movie sequel is better than the original. It is widely regarded as one of the most influential fantasy films. The movie has won awards including 11 Oscars for which it was nominated at the 76th Academy Awards. In fact, the movie even made a record of most Academy Awards won by a single film.
At the Battle of Helm’s Deep, director Peter Jackson wisely pulls away from the awe-inspiring mayhem to show the terror of those hiding inside the city walls. In the action scenes, he takes time to linger on a father’s grief over his son’s death, a talking tree’s unlikely friendship with two hobbits.
5 Best Movies whose sequel is better than their original
The 1974 American crime film ‘The Godfather Part II’ is the first sequel to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The movie was Francis Ford’s Oscar-winning masterpiece.
Terminator’s first part was fantastic in terms of both, its original storytelling and the special effects. But the movie could not compete with Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Terminator 2 is a genre showstopper about outrunning time-traveling robot-assassins and preventing Armageddon.
‘Batman: The Dark Knight’ is not just the best sequel, it’s the best superhero movie. The movie is a sequel to ‘Batman Begins’ and there is no doubt that it is better than its original.
The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film by Irvin Kershner. The movie has the best twist in cinematic history and earns the spot of the best sequels ever made.
The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy adventure film by Peter Jackson and the movie sequel is better than the original. It is widely regarded as one of the most influential fantasy films.
