The 10 movie sequels that were better than the originals...
Who says the originals are always the best? After making a film that’s widely regarded to be excellent, directors are thrown into a bit of a predicament: how can they make the sequel as good?
The 10 movie sequels that were better than the originals...
Who says the originals are always the best?
After making a film that’s widely regarded to be excellent, directors are thrown into a bit of a predicament: how can they make the sequel as good ?
Filmmakers often struggle to live up to expectations, as the originals prove to be just too good an act to follow.
However, there are a small handful of sequels that manage to outshine their predecessors...
With the first instalment of the series certainly being a horror movie as much as a sci-fi flick, Aliens rightly leans more so into its action elements, to make it an overall better and more enjoyable watch.
With Sigourney Weaver back, the 1986 film’s story of Ripley taking on a parental role to nine-year-old Newt (Carrie Henn) while having to defy all odds to defeat hundreds of blood-thirsty Xenomorphs makes for an enthralling and very entertaining picture.
After laying the groundwork for what would become cinema’s biggest genre, Spider-Man certainly proved to be quite the hard act to follow.
That said, Sam Raimi's sequel, Spider-Man 2 is often touted as the superior flick, thanks to its more mature and compelling story, while also managing to retain the fun campiness that was present in the original.
Alfred Molina stole the show as villain Doctor Octopus.
The vast majority of Star Wars fans have The Empire Strikes Back at the top of their list, and it’s clear to see why.
The sci-fi adventure - which stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher - takes its time to expand on the elements that made the original 1977 film so special, like the story, lore, music and visuals.
Of course, the movie is probably best known for including one of the biggest plot twists in cinema history, with Darth Vader revealing to Luke Skywalker that he is his father.
While some have lamented the overproduction of certain franchises in recent times, Dune: Part Two proves modern Hollywood is still capable of making worthwhile and entertaining sequels.
Starring Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler and Rebecca Ferguson, the picture is full of pay-off from its 2021 predecessor, and is jam-packed with jaw-dropping action sequences, while the captivating story how Paul Arteries becomes a deity on Arrakis comes into full-force.
Christopher Nolan really came back stronger than ever with The Dark Knight.
The 2008 film - which stars Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman and Maggie Gyllenhaal - is a very dark and gritty take on The Caped Crusader, and its character work and story make it a far more compelling watch than its predecessor Batman Begins.
A lot of that praise comes down to Heath’s portrayal of The Joker, who manages to keep the character as terrifying and unpredictable as he was in the comics, while also adding new characteristics to make his Clown Prince of Crime very much his own.
Reflecting on his late co-star - who sadly passed away just before the film was released - Christian said: “Heath Ledger, who, oh my God, you know, what a performance. What a pleasure to have gotten to work with him. Just to see him, and you know, how much he put himself into the Joker.”
To this day, The Dark Knight is often still considered to be the best superhero movie ever by many.
