Summary

Sequels often give out to live up to the original , but there are plenty of examples of second pic being just as popular as their predecessors . " 2nd motion-picture show syndrome " describes the phenomenon of movies which suffer in equivalence to those that came before them . The same can be said of artists read their 2nd record album or authors writing their 2d leger , but it is specially rife in movie , when fiscal success can mother unnecessary follow - ups . as luck would have it , not all sequels suffer this fate .

Some sequels can even surpass the timbre and popularity of the picture which come before them , although this is rare . Pre - planned sequels often have an vantage , especially if they are drawing on well - crafted source material , because they do n’t face the challenge of concocting a young story using quality who have feed their course . In other case , a sequel can give filmmaker the chance to rarify certain aspect of their original flick which did n’t quite work . Second movie syndrome is backbreaking to annul , but these exercise prove it can be done .

12Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Sequel to The Terminator (1984)

Terminator 2 : Judgment Dayfeatures just as much volatile natural process and trademark Arnold Schwarzenegger quips as the first movie , but the presence of John Connor gives the floor much more aroused reverberance . The role of the T-800 is ideally beseem to Schwarzenegger . It ’s an icy combat political machine with just a glimmer of humanity behind its lazer - crimson eyes , and its far along enough on its journey toward understanding humans that John , and the audience , can easily empathize with it .

11The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Sequel to The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringsmovies add up to one of thegreatest trilogy of all time , with no weakly connectedness . The Two Towerspicks up the action after Gandalf sacrifices himself to the Balrog , and it follows the Fellowship as they are scattered across Middle Earth on their quest to reach Mount Doom . The pic is pack full of iconic moments , such as Gandlaf ’s retort and Merry and Pippin ’s get together with Treebeard , but none are as thrilling as the Battle of Helm ’s Deep .

10The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

The Hunger Games (2012)

The enormous popularity ofThe hungriness Gamesprompted Suzanne Collins to keep an eye on it up with a novel , but the brain-teaser was how to continue a report about people battling to the death after the main lineament had all provide the arena . The Hunger Games : Catching Fireadapts Collins ' sequel with considerable panache , as Katniss ' 2nd amour in the Games sparks a revolution all across Panem . Catching Fireis a deeper geographic expedition of the fib ’s motif and of its principal character .

9Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (2023)

Sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Spider - Man : Into the Spider - Versewas notable for its boundlessly inventive animation . Across the Spider - Versegoes one step further , blending disparate visual flair into a kaleidoscopic and funnily cohesive whole . It work back the most interesting grapheme from the original movie , but complement them with a compendium of quirky fresh Spider - People , each of whom has their own unparalleled personality and journeying . Across the Spider - Versecould easily explode at the seams from trying to hold back so many compelling threads , but they are woven together superbly .

Miles Morales and his allies will deliver for a third Spider - Verse risky venture following the exciting ending of Spider - Man : Across the Spider - Verse .

8The Dark Knight (2008)

Sequel to Batman Begins (2005)

It ’s rare for the second movie in a trilogy to be the best , but this is exactly the case with Christopher Nolan’sDark Knighttrilogy . Heath Ledger ’s originative execution as the Joker is key to the movie ’s success , butThe Dark Knighthas much more to count in its favor . Batman and the Joker are caught in a tense struggle for the soul of Gotham . The Dark Knightstill holds up todaybecause , for all of its explosive practical impression , it is focus on a deeply personal moral play .

7Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (2014)

Sequel to Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

The originalPlanet of the Apesdelivers an iconic termination , and the sequel were n’t really necessary . A go enfranchisement restart in 2001 provided further evidence thatPlanet of the Apescouldn’t be anything more than a great standalone movie , but the reboot series has hold first moment since 2011.Dawn of the Planet of the Apesis another vitrine of Andy Serkis ' remarkable endowment for motility gaining control performance , but it is worth far more than just its impressive visual effects . The moving-picture show maintains a trilled boil of tension throughout , and its emotionally wrought story succeeds despite a cast full of simian .

6Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Sequel to Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

Star Warswas an prompt sensation , and its first subsequence only sum up to its legend . The Empire Strikes Backreinvents Darth Vader , both visually and emotionally . With the enceinte reveal on Bespin , Darth Vader transform from a black - cloaked imagination of pure evil into a more complex and compelling kind of scoundrel . This help the entire franchise go forward , as does the institution of Yoda , and his development of the philosophy surround the Force . Han and Leia ’s kinship also becomes much more clearly delineate inThe Empire Strikes Back .

5Back To The Future Part II (1989)

4Toy Story 2 (1999)

Sequel to Toy Story (1995)

Toy Storyrevolutionized 3D animation in 1995 , but it was also a superb youngster ’s write up regardless of its technological worldliness . However , after the battle between the old , true Woody and the flashy , brash unexampled toy Buzz was settle , Toy Storyneeded to generate a completely Modern tale for its sequel . The journeying to deliver Woody from Al ’s Toy Barn brings some great young characters into the mix , alongside the sure-enough admirer from the first flick . Toy Story 2also has one of the most visually satisfy sequences in the franchise , when Woody is meticulously restored and repaired .

Despite Toy Story 4 ’s perfect ending between Buzz and Woody , Disney has annunciate Toy Story 5 , and here ’s everything we know so far .

3A Shot in the Dark (1964)

Sequel to The Pink Panther (1963)

The Pink Panthertells the news report of a debonair international jewel thief , but Peter Sellers steals the show as the tactless French detective , Inspector Jacques Clouseau . After his owing comedic carrying into action , thePink Pantherfranchise continued on without its main character . InA Shot in the Dark , Clouseau is tasked with investigating a murder at a millionaire ’s large country manor house . The picture show introduces Clouseau ’s overzealous companion Cato , as well as his constantly irate boss , Commissioner Dreyfus . This crystallise thePink Pantherformula , and the upshot is one of Peter Sellers ' funniest films .

Miles and Gwen in the Spider-Verse side by side

A composite image of Buzz and Woody smiling and hugging in Toy Story in front of concept art from Toy Story 5

A collage image of Luke Skywalker in A New Hope

Ian McKellen as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Edward Furlong as John Connor, Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor, and Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

Katniss Everdeen by the lake in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Spider-Punk, Miles, Spider-Man India, and Gwen jump through the air in Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse

Caesar in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes image

Marty McFly with a hover board in Back to the Future II

Bullseye, Jessie, and Woody all looking surprised in Toy Story 2

Peter Sellers in A Shot In The Dark