--- title: 39 Sequels Better Than the Original Movie description: Find out which 39 sequels we deemed better than the original movie, from Logan to Thor: Ragnarok to Paddington 2 to Toy Story 3. canonical: https://time.com/5353143/sequels-better-than-original/ author: Eliana Dockterman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-08-30T13:39:04.000Z article:modified_time: 2024-06-11T18:36:00.000Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: 39 Sequels That Are Better Than the Original Movie og:description: From Logan to Thor: Ragnarok to Paddington 2 to Toy Story 3. og:url: https://time.com/5353143/sequels-better-than-original/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc912413e7509f03a/69893902db29878b172608e1/best-sequals-movies-fast-five-mad-max-logan-dark-knight.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: best-sequals-movies-fast-five-mad-max-logan-dark-knight og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 39 Sequels That Are Better Than the Original Movie twitter:description: From Logan to Thor: Ragnarok to Paddington 2 to Toy Story 3. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc912413e7509f03a/69893902db29878b172608e1/best-sequals-movies-fast-five-mad-max-logan-dark-knight.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 39 Sequels That Are Better Than the Original Movie ## Video: Star Wars Episode V The Empire Strikes Back - Trailer [Watch (HLS stream): Star Wars Episode V The Empire Strikes Back - Trailer](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/01u9ElAc.m3u8) (2:06)  _Published 2018-08-31. Star Wars Episode V The Empire Strikes Back - Trailer_  by [Eliana Dockterman](https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Correspondent Updated: Jun 11, 2024 6:36 PM UTCPublished: Aug 30, 2018 1:39 PM UTC  Shutterstock (4)  by [Eliana Dockterman](https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/)  ## Eliana Dockterman Correspondent Updated: Jun 11, 2024 6:36 PM UTCPublished: Aug 30, 2018 1:39 PM UTC _This list was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2022_. Crafting a good sequel can be daunting. The filmmaker must [top the previous movie](http://entertainment.time.com/2012/07/16/times-review-of-the-dark-knight-rises-to-the-depths-to-the-heights/) or in some cases [redeem a flagging franchise](http://time.com/4726355/fast-and-the-furious-movies-ranked/). Often screenwriters fall back on rehashing old plot points, and studios assume “bigger is better” when it comes to budget and effects. And yet some of the [greatest films ever made](http://entertainment.time.com/2005/02/12/all-time-100-movies/) are sequels: Movies like _The Dark Knight_, _The Godfather Part II_,[ _Toy Story 3_](http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1993864,00.html), [_The_ _Empire Strikes Back_ ](http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,924122,00.html)and _The Good, the Bad and the Ugly_ consistently appear on all-time best lists. Sequels that are better than the original build on what the audience already knows and loves about the franchise’s characters. Perhaps the movie throws the hero into a daunting situations that challenges their beliefs or forces them to evolve. Maybe the movie infuses humor in a traditionally tragic series or poignancy in a historically comedic franchise. Such tricks can elevate a successful sequel that tops its predecessor. Here is a list of sequels we deemed better than the original.  Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya in Dune: Part Two. Niko Tavernise—Warner Bros. ## **_Dune: Part Two_** **(2024)** Denis Villeneuve’s first _Dune_ movie had to do quite a bit of scene-setting. Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi epic is complex, and Villeneuve wisely broke up the first book so as not to jam too much information into a single film. Still, despite great performances from the likes of Timothée Chalamet and Oscar Isaac and wondrous action sequences involving floating space soldiers, the first installment can play a bit slow. Not only does the action pick up in _Dune: Part Two_, but the actors imbue their roles with a little more personality. Zendaya, nothing but a vision in a dream in the first film, grounds the movie as a flesh-and-blood love interest skeptical of the mythology surrounding her lover. Javier Bardem finds genuine laughs from the self-serious sci-fi epic, Rebecca Ferguson finds disturbing dimensions to her role as the mother of the maybe-messiah, and Austin Butler commits fully to his role as a deranged, eyebrowless baddie. _Stream on_ [_MAX_](https://fave.co/3KDiC5x)_._  Four movies in, John Wick is growing tired Murray Close/Lionsgate ## **_John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)_** _John Wick_’s original charm lay in its simple premise: Bad guy kills puppy; good guy goes on a murderous rampage to avenge the puppy’s death. Each new _John Wick_ installment delved deeper into the lore of Wick’s world: We learned about a guild of assassins and the fancy hotels where they lay down their guns when they need a break. The ever-evolving rules of assassindom could get tiresome, but audiences’ affection for Keanu Reeves grew, culminating in an emotional (supposedly) final installment in the series with _Chapter 4_. [_John Wick: Chapter 4_](https://time.com/6264916/john-wick-chapter-4-franchise-future/)is also a feat of stunt work. Any one of several spectacular set pieces could enshrine this franchise in cinematic history, but we’re partial to the stair fight. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/45jU7ny)_._ ## **_Puss in Boots: The Last Wish_** **(2022)** The third installment in the _Puss in Boots_ seriesbreathes new life into the decades-old franchise, originally a _Shrek_ spinoff. The filmbegins with a bacchanal centered on the reckless, swashbuckling Puss (Antonio Banderas). Soon Puss finds out he’s on the last of his nine lives and must undergo some radical lifestyle changes if he hopes to survive. But it’s the new animation style that will entrance audiences. The animator completely rethought the look of the _Puss in Boots_ franchise between installments. Taking a cue from the _Spider-Verse_ animated movies, the _Last Wish_ creators adopted a painterly style filled with rich colors that breaks from the rest of the _Shrek_ cinematic universe and lends itself to Puss’ fairytale world. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/3VzQGGa)_._  Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick Scott Garfield—Paramount Pictures ## **_Top Gun: Maverick_** **(2022)** _Top Gun_ is a classic, but the souped-up _Top Gun: Maverick_ felt miraculous at a moment when almost every other action flick devolved into a CGI morass by its final fight. Tom Cruise, impressively or notoriously, depending on your perspective, performed his own stunts and insisted on the rest of the cast (including Miles Teller and Glen Powell) learning to fly fighter jets too. The dedication paid off. He produced a film that felt like a throwback to the blockbusters of yesteryear and happened to land just as we emerged from pandemic lockdowns, desperate for a fun summer romp. And unlike its macho 1986 predecessor, best known for that volleyball scene, _Maverick_ offers a bit of meta-commentary on Cruise’s public persona as an actor. Maverick, like Cruise, must battle against both aging and advances in technology to prove his worth. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/45jiHoC)_._  Death-defying: Cruise in Mission: Impossible—Fallout Paramount ## _Mission: Impossible—Fallout_ (2018) [Some argue](http://collider.com/why-mission-impossible-is-the-best-franchise/) that the first _Mission: Impossible_ (1996), a taut spy thriller directed by Brian de Palma, is the standout of the series. [Others favor _Ghost Protocol_](https://ew.com/article/2015/07/31/mission-impossible-movies-best-worst/), Brad Bird’s gravity-defying movie that resurrected the franchise in 2011\. But longtime Tom Cruise collaborator Christopher McQuarrie seems to know the star’s strengths best: [_Fallout_ offers jaw-dropping stunts](https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2018/07/25/mission-impossible-fallout-5-times-tom-cruise-blew-our-minds/830088002/), rendered all the more charming by [Cruise’s willingness to occasionally stumble](https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/01/tom-cruise-mission-impossible-stunt-video) while performing them. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/3Vmi09l)_._ ## _Paddington 2_ (**2018)** _Paddington_ [delighted critics](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/paddington%5F2014/) in 2015\. But Hugh Grant, who plays Phoenix Buchanan, [carries _Paddington 2_ to new heights](https://www.vice.com/en%5Fus/article/43qp4p/paddington-2-hugh-grant-vice-essay). Grant leans into the public’s perception of him as a narcissist to play a perfectly villainous actor who wants to thwart Paddington’s plans. And in this outing, Paddington, an immigrant who fights discrimination with decency and marmalade, becomes a poignant symbol of acceptance. As [one critic wrote](https://www.wsj.com/articles/paddington-2-review-paws-that-refresh-and-delight-1515701307), “_Paddington 2_ is the _Godfather Part II_ of Peruvian Bear movies.” _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/3KL3fbf)_._  Marvel ## _Thor: Ragnarok_ (2017) The first _Thor_ movie, released in 2011, was a decent but not particularly enthralling superhero film. Many critics dubbed the second one, which came out in 2013, the [worst of the many Marvel movies](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/marvel-cinematic-universe-movies-by-tomatometer/). Let’s face it: the Norse God was a bore. His self-seriousness and faux-Shakespearean accent didn’t help. [Enter Taika Waititi](http://time.com/5005130/thor-ragnarok-taika-waititi/), an indie director with a quirky voice and a determination to showcase Chris Hemsworth’s comedy chops. Most superheroes wouldn’t risk being this delightfully weird. But the third _Thor_ movie strips the superhero of all his courtly grandeur—as well as his long locks—and is all the better for it. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/3Xl3fGO)_._  20th Century Fox ## _Logan_ (2017) The first two _Wolverine_ movies are among the worst in the [_X-Men_ canon](http://time.com/4674853/logan-wolverine-x-men-timeline/). Hugh Jackman’s character continued to appear in X-Men movies, but avoided another standalone film. But James Mangold salvaged the series when he decided to go [raw and gritty with the R-rated _Logan_](http://time.com/4671852/logan-movie-review/). The movie managed to return to the true roots of the franchise—how to embrace what makes you different even in the face of persecution—in a new political context (Wolverine helps his vicious mini-me Laura literally run for the border.) The risk paid off, and _Logan_ was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 90th Academy Awards, becoming the first live-action superhero film in that category. _Logan_ was a fitting end for a troubled Wolverine trilogy—although its success has [Jackman mulling](https://comicbook.com/marvel/2018/01/13/hugh-jackman-wolverine-x-men-marvel-cinematic-universe/) a return to the franchise. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/4cftRx4)_._ ## _Mad Max: Fury Road_ (2015) _Mad Max: Road Warrior_ (1981) upped the thrill of the original _Mad Max_ (1979). But director George Miller truly outdid himself with his latest excursion into a post-apocalyptic world, _Fury Road_. It’s unclear whether _Fury Road_ is a sequel or a reboot. But the movie is the best the series has to offer. [Updates in technology](http://time.com/4488423/mad-max-fury-road-no-special-effects/) make for thrilling action sequences, and a [surprising focus on feminist issues](http://time.com/3850323/mad-max-fury-road-eve-ensler-feminist/) gave the film more meaning than the average summer popcorn flick. The real standout here is Charlize Theron’s Furiosa, an instant icon. The movie won six Oscars and was even nominated for Best Picture and Best Director—a rarity for a summer popcorn flick. _Stream on_ [_Amazon Prime_](https://amzn.to/4bXvTlw)_._  Marvel/AP ## _Captain America: The Winter Soldier_ (2014) Joe and Anthony Russo, now [stewards of the _Infinity War_ movies](http://time.com/5252990/avengers-infinity-war-deaths/), cut their teeth on the second _Captain America_ film. _Captain America: The First Avenger_ was a solid origin story that grossed more than $370 million at the worldwide box office. But for the sequel, the Russos took the Cap out of his comfort zone by pitting the poster boy for truth and justice against the government he once revered. Channeling heroes from 70s thrillers like _Three Days of the Condor,_ Chris Evans’ Captain America has never been more conflicted or better in action sequences. The success of _Winter Soldier_ even won the Russo brothers the right to helm [_Captain America: Civil War_](http://time.com/4312912/captain-america-civil-war-stephen-mcfeely-christopher-markus/) and the _Infinity War_ movies. _Stream on_ [_Disney+_](https://fave.co/3xlT6ib)_._  8\. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - $208,545,589 20th Century Fox ## _Dawn of the Planet of the Apes_ (2014) _Dawn of the Planet of the Apes_ is the most emotionally gripping, and arguably most philosophical, of the many _Apes_ movies—including the the 1968 original. Director Matt Reeves builds a stunning and believable settlement for the apes with an educational system and distinct architecture to boot. Reeves also hones in on Andy Serkis’ moving performance as Caesar, a benevolent primate who struggles with both inter-ape and ape-human politics. The movie’s heart is bigger than that of any of its predecessors. _Stream on_ [_Hulu_](https://fave.co/3Rphjei)_._  Dreamworks/Cineplex ## _How to Train Your Dragon 2_ (2014) Debuting four years after the original, _How to Train Your Dragon 2_ proved more beautiful and more emotionally resonant than _How to Train Your Dragon_. [Critics raved about how animators](https://www.theverge.com/2014/6/12/5804070/the-amazing-animation-software-behind-how-to-train-your-dragon-2) mastered the languid, hypnotizing movements of flight for the dragons and dancing for the humans. The movie also introduces an ice castle that doubles as a dragon sanctuary and puts the _Frozen_ palace to shame. And while the battle sequences are bigger, the movie thrives when it dares to pause for quieter moments, like the romance between Cate Blanchett’s Valka and Gerard Butler’s Stoick. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/3yQTK7O)_._ ## _Before Midnight_ (2013) _Before Sunrise_, the first movie in Richard Linklater’s _Before_ trilogy starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, had the perfect ambiguous ending. So why make a sequel? Despite the skepticism, the follow-ups, _Before Sunset_ and _Before_ _Midnight_, work beautifully. Linklater’s ingenious conceit to return to the same relationship every nine years captures how romance grows and changes, for better or worse. And with each installment, the series matures. Linklater, Hawke and Delpy—who write the scripts together—manage to capture how as the couple ages, they encounter more real-world problems. The most recent installment, set 18 years after the original, is the saddest but also the most poignant. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/3xd4PzE)_._  Universal Studios ## _Fast Five_ (2011) Before _Fast Five_ came out, the _Fast and Furious_ movies were just a series of loosely connected tales about drag racers. _Fast Five_ turned the series into a full-fledged franchise that has [grossed more than $1.5 billion at the box office](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franchises/chart/?id=fastandthefurious.htm). For the fifth installment, director Justin Lin wisely brings all the characters together from the previous films to [create the broader “family”](http://time.com/3772166/furious-7-box-office-diversity/) that Vin Diesel’s Dom obsesses over in subsequent movies. And Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is a brilliant addition. His over-the-top fight with Diesel (watch for when the Rock pulls off a bullet-proof vest that’s restraining his bulging muscles) proves that the franchise has developed a much-needed sense of humor about itself, even as its stunts became increasingly ludicrous. _Stream on_ [_Apple TV_](https://fave.co/4bYGVXY)_._  Pixar/Disney ## _Toy Story 3_ (2010) Has any movie leveraged the emotional attachment of its audience to the franchise more effectively than _Toy Story 3_? _Toy Story_ and _Toy Story 2_ were great, thoughtful movies about growing up. But they didn’t reduce their fans to puddles of tears. Fifteen years after the original film debuted, Andy is headed to college—just like all the boys and girls in the audience who grew up with Woody and Buzz. The movie grapples with aging and loss and—minor spoiler alert—manages to convince its audience, if only for a second, that a Disney kids’ franchise might actually kill off beloved characters. Talk about a guilt trip for any kid who abandoned their own toys in an attic before heading off to school. _Stream on_ [_Apple TV_](https://fave.co/4egtLad)_._ ## _The Dark Knight_ (2008) _The Dark Knight_ isn’t just the best Batman film. It’s the [best superhero movie ever made](http://www.ign.com/articles/2018/07/16/opinion-why-the-dark-knight-is-still-the-best-superhero-movie-ever), thanks in no small part to Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker. A villain can make or break a superhero movie, and Ledger’s Oscar-winning turn as the anarchic clown easily bests the ho-hum villain Scarecrow and the inscrutable Bane, not to mention Loki, Thanos and Lex Luthor. And while _Dark Knight_ is gritty—a categorization that has doomed many a DC superhero film since—director Christopher Nolan effectively sets up an appropriate backdrop for the Joker’s terror. Gotham feels legitimately grimy and chaotic, a perfect setting for a laughing lunatic. _Stream on_ [_MAX_](https://fave.co/4aGOWiG)_._  Doug Jones as Abe Spaien in Hellboy II: The Golden Army, 2008. Universal ## _Hellboy II: The Golden Army_ (2008) Riding on the success of the first _Hellboy_ comic book adaptation, [writer-director Guillermo del Toro](http://time.com/collection/most-influential-people-2018/) let loose all the monsters he’d been dreaming up for years in _Hellboy II_. There’s a character with a city’s skyline sitting atop his head and a vicious plant-monster that would scare even _Little Shop of Horrors’_ Audrey II. _Hellboy II_ is more a spiritual sequel to _Pan’s Labyrinth_ (or maybe a spiritual prequel to _Shape of Water_) than it is a traditional superhero movie. But its inventiveness and insistence that fantasy is a conduit for exploring human emotion make it a worthy entry on del Toro’s impressive resumé. _Stream on_ [_MAX_](https://fave.co/3RoHKkr)_._  The Bourne ultimatum: Let them see you sweat Universal ## _The Bourne Ultimatum_ (2007) Say what you will about the _Bourne_ series’ shaky cameras. How could they possibly stay still in the face of so much action? Every _Bourne_ movie is designed to get your heart pounding. Paul Greengrass, in his second outing in the Bourne series (he also directed _The Bourne Supremacy_), churns out a breathtaking two-hour chase scene. [As Richard Corliss wrote at the time for TIME](http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1649187,00.html), the _Bourne_ series is like a machine, and “in this third and possibly final episode…the series has come close to attaining a kinetic perfection.” _Stream on_ [_Amazon Prime_](https://amzn.to/4ecwt0x)_._  Marvel ## _Spider-Man 2_ (2004) The first _Spider-Man_ movie starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst [remains one of best superhero origin stories to hit the big screen](http://time.com/4834213/spiderman-movie-ranking/): Peter Parker’s emotional arc from vengeful high schooler to more mature adult as he battles the Goblin will resonate with anyone grappling with adulthood. But Sam Raimi’s second _Spider-Man_ movie amped up the emotional stakes and struck the perfect balance between teen angst and impressive special effects. With the origin story out of the way, the sequel posed a more profound question: What if Spider-Man doesn’t want his powers or the great responsibility that comes with them? _Stream on_ [_Apple TV_](https://fave.co/45BTUfT)_._ ## _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_ (2004) Christopher Columbus’ Harry Potter movies, _Sorcerer’s Stone_ and _Chamber of Secrets_, were solid adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s first two children’s books about the beloved wizard. But in both the book and film series, _Prisoner of Azkaban_ represents a tectonic shift in tone and ambition. Alfonso Cuaron took over the franchise from Christopher Columbus to spin a darker tale for adults. Cuaron repeatedly returns to imagery of ticking clocks and the Whomping Willow growing and shedding its leaves to hint at the [use of the Time Turner](http://time.com/4999597/harry-potter-plot-holes-explained/) in the climax of the story. He also took more liberties with Rowling’s story than Columbus ever did: That scene where Snape steps in front of Harry, Hermione and Ron to protect them from a werewolf is a pure movie invention and conveys in one shot a complicated emotional relationship that Rowling unraveled in seven books. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/3yUaqeJ)_._  20th Century Fox ## _X2: X-Men United_ (2003) [The _X-Men_ universe](http://time.com/4674853/logan-wolverine-x-men-timeline/) has a large cast of characters, and the first movie in the franchise set up their complex relationships and even more complex motivations. Fans complained that the first outing didn’t have quite enough action sequences and left too many plot threads dangling. Director Bryan Singer came out swinging in this sequel that’s better than the original. The movie begins with a new character, Alan Cumming’s blue-hued Nightcrawler, leaping, disappearing and reappearing in a wondrous attempt to assassinate the president. (It later turns out the Nightcrawler was brainwashed.) The scene sets the pace for the movie and presages the conflict: how the mutants must band together to fight xenophobia—instead of each other. _Stream on_ [_Hulu_](https://fave.co/3xfIXnk)_._  Christopher Lee in The Lord of the Rings- The Two Towers (2002). New Line Productions ## _Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers_ (2002) [_The Two Towers_](http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1968770%5F1998752%5F1969405,00.html) broadens the scope of writer J.R.R. Tolkein’s world. There are more battles, yes, but there is more emotional depth too. At that 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, silently awaiting their fate. Between 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 and Andy Serkis’ impressively empathetic motion-capture performance as Gollum. The much-maligned character might have been painted as a pathetic monster in the hands of a less filmmaker, but Jackson gives Gollum the space to shine in _The Two Towers,_ and he ends up becoming the beating heart of the trilogy. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/45i9exX)_._ ## _Terminator 2: Judgement Day_ (1991) The first _Terminator_ was a good, even groundbreaking film—both in terms of its original storytelling and the special effects. But [_Terminator 2_ stands out](http://entertainment.time.com/2010/12/17/top-10-movie-sequels-better-than-the-originals/slide/terminator-2-judgment-day/) as one of the best action movies of all time, with director James Cameron improving every aspect of this franchise in his second outing. Brilliantly, he turned Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator into the good guy, protecting Sarah Conner and her son John from an even more terrifying android. The once-cowering Sarah Connor evolves into a full-blown badass in the sequel. He set a new high bar with the special effects. But it’s really the relationship among the three good guys, and the family that they form, that gives the movie the sort of heart its predecessors—and its sequels—don’t have. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/4ckl113)_._ ## _Silence of the Lambs_ (1991) Technically a sequel to 1986’s _Manhunter_, Jonathan Demme’s _Silence of the Lambs_ feels like a completely new film. Anthony Hopkins replaces Brian Cox as Hannibal Lecter and develops the sort of eerie repartee with Jodie Foster’s Clarice that hadn’t been seen before—or arguably since. Though he’s only in the film for a few scenes, Hopkins made a terrifying enough impression to earn an Oscar for the performance. In fact, the movie swept the big categories that year: Foster won Best Actress, Demme Best Director and the movie Best Picture. Even as the [Lecter stories have proliferated](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/anthony-hopkins-hannibal-sequels%5Fus%5F5693d51de4b0cad15e65912f), _Silence of the Lambs_ remains the high watermark for the series and the genre as a whole. _Stream on_ [_Amazon Prime_](https://amzn.to/3RqedH3)_._  Superman II Warner Bros/AP ## _Superman II_ (1989) Director Richard Lester, taking over from Richard Donner, smartly pushes Christopher Reeves to separate the personalities of Superman and Clark Kent in _Superman II_. Because, let’s be real, Clark’s “disguise” has always been rather ridiculous. But when the glasses are paired with a meek, aww-shucks attitude, his alibis suddenly seem more believable. Lester plays that dichotomy for satire: At one point Louis Lane jumps into Niagara Falls in hopes that Clark will throw on a red cape to save her, thus revealing his true identity. He doesn’t—or at least not that she can see. That sort of humor honors the Superman comics in a way no other Superman movie has. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/3VnxLgi)_._  Chevy Chase hides behind the tree in a scene from the film 'Christmas Vacation', 1989. Warner Brothers/Getty Images ## _National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation_ (1989) It’s rare that a comedy sequel can top its original, especially when that original film is a road-trip comedy written by John Hughes. The laughs can feel derivative. But _National Lampoon’_s _Christmas Vacation_, the third movie in the series and the second written by Hughes, remains the most re-watchable, if only because of its dose of holiday schmaltz and its omnipresence on basic cable every December. The Christmas dinner scene is arguably the funniest in the franchise. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/3yUfq2R)_._  LOS ANGELES - JUNE 4: William Shatner as Admiral James T. Kirk in the movie, "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." Release date, June 4, 1982\. Image is a screen grab. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images) CBS via Getty Images ## _Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan_ (1982) The first _Star Trek_ movie was more concerned with special effects than building characters. The filmmakers course-corrected with _Wrath of Khan_, which not only renewed its focus on our heroes but also on a great villain played by Ricardo Montalbán. And since the _S_[_tar Trek_](http://time.com/4952491/star-trek-discovery-timeline/)[ saga](http://time.com/4952491/star-trek-discovery-timeline/) had become rather formulaic by that point, it’s the villain that helps the film stand out. He’s full of resentment and surprisingly sympathetic, even as he tortures our aging heroes—already tortured by the trials of middle age. _Star Trek II_ wins the “most improved” award on this list. _Stream on_ [_MAX_](https://fave.co/45mQUn7)_._ ## _Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back_ (1980) _The Empire Strikes Back_ has the best twist in cinematic history. That alone earns it a spot on any list of the best sequels ever made. It’s not just that our hero loses a hand—though that’s just one of several huge blows to our heroes in this dark film. That Darth Vader-Luke Skywalker scene introduces the familial anxiety that will hum throughout the rest of the rest of the [_Star Wars_ saga](http://time.com/4594017/rogue-one-star-wars-timeline/). _Empire_, in short, is the best _Star Wars_ film because it builds the franchise from a campy sci-fi flick into a full-blown space opera. Plus, fan favorites Yoda and Lando Calrissian make their debut. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/4aX1Glu)_._ ## _Dawn of the Dead_ (1979) _Dawn of the Dead_ is not just a great horror movie, in fact, it’s even better than its 1968 cult classic predecessor _Night of the Living_ _Dead._ The film’s smart social commentary raised the bar for horror films to follow. The survivors of the apocalypse, trapped in a shopping mall, turn out to be just as mindless and perverted as the zombie horde chasing them down. As Roger Ebert once wrote of the movie, “How can I defend this depraved trash? I do not defend it. I praise it.” _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/4ekS472)_._  Michael Corleone - The Godfather Part II, 1974 Paramount—Getty Images ## _The Godfather Part II_ (1974) Perhaps the most famous sequel of them all. _The Godfather_ (1972) was Francis Ford Coppola’s [Oscar-winning masterpiece](http://entertainment.time.com/2005/02/12/all-time-100-movies/slide/the-godfather-parts-i-and-ii-1972-1974/). Somehow, he managed to top himself and win even more Oscars with _The Godfather Part II_. In fact, the movie was the first sequel to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Thank Robert De Niro. Al Pacino delivered stunning performances in both films, but the addition of another legendary actor in flashbacks [helped elevate the mob movie](http://time.com/3631617/the-godfather-part-ii-at-40/). Those flashbacks give context to the Corleone family and delve deeply into the psychology of power-hungry men and the country of opportunity that created them. _Stream on_ [_Paramount+_](https://fave.co/4ckK6sN)_._  Everett ## _The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly_ (1966) Famed spaghetti western [_The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly_](http://entertainment.time.com/2005/02/12/all-time-100-movies/slide/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-1966/) is actually the third film in Sergio Leone’s masterful “Man With No Name” trilogy, all starring Clint Eastwood. Leone had almost no money to film the movie and so cast a then-Hollywood castoff (Eastwood) and filmed several silent scenes because it was faster than shooting scenes with dialogue. All the better for the film: Those silences are filled with Ennio Morricone’s masterful score that imbued the movie with an epic intensity. All those tense moments built up to the most famous standoff scene in cinematic history. _Stream on_ [_MAX_](https://fave.co/3KG9EVc)_._  From Russia with Love (1963) - Sean Connery United Artists ## _From Russia With Love_ (1964) Debate all you want about the best movie in the Bond franchise. But the second entry in the series, _From Russia With Love_, is [arguably the best Bond film](http://time.com/4079504/james-bond-facts-trivia/). And it undeniably elevated 007 after his first onscreen appearances in 1963’s _Dr. No._ Bond’s antics can seem silly on the screen, but Sean Connery (still the best Bond) executes 007’s duties with a knowing wink. Still, when the moment arises, Connery’s Bond can believably punch a man out cold: The claustrophobic fight scene between Bond and Robert Shaw’s would-be SPECTRE assassin on a speeding train remains iconic. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/3KFRlzC)_._  Everett ## _Bride of Frankenstein_ (1935) _Bride of Frankenstein_ perfects the campiness that the original film, _Frankenstein_, desperately needed. This Frankenstein is not scary—just a mild-mannered monster in need of a friend. He gets one in his mate, who sports one of the most iconic hairdos in Hollywood’s history. Still considered a high watermark in the monster movie franchise, the movie slyly snuck a queer subplot, feminist plot points and meditations on necrophilia past the ratings board. _Stream on_ [_Amazon_](https://amzn.to/45sCaDp)_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5353143/sequels-better-than-original/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5353143/sequels-better-than-original/"},"headline":"39 Sequels That Are Better Than the Original Movie","datePublished":"2018-08-30T13:39:04.000Z","dateModified":"2024-06-11T18:36:00.000Z","description":"Find out which 39 sequels we deemed better than the original movie, from Logan to Thor: Ragnarok to Paddington 2 to Toy Story 3.","url":"https://time.com/5353143/sequels-better-than-original/","keywords":["movies","Evergreen"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc912413e7509f03a/69893902db29878b172608e1/best-sequals-movies-fast-five-mad-max-logan-dark-knight.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eliana Dockterman","jobTitle":"Correspondent","url":"https://time.com/author/eliana-dockterman/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc912413e7509f03a/69893902db29878b172608e1/best-sequals-movies-fast-five-mad-max-logan-dark-knight.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"best-sequals-movies-fast-five-mad-max-logan-dark-knight","caption":"Best Movie Sequals","creditText":"Shutterstock (4)","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/movies/","name":"movies"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5353143/sequels-better-than-original/","name":"39 Sequels That Are Better Than the Original Movie"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"PADDINGTON 2 - 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