5 sequels that are better than the original

Sequels tend to take steps back from their predecessors, but there are times where they improve on the originals. Here is a list of five sequels better than their first film.

Right now, the film world is in the age of sequels. If a movie performs well at the box office in 2018 and a sequel is not made, at the very least, there will be a discussion about continuing the franchise in some way, shape, or form.

The month is now June, which means we are in the heart of blockbuster season. Every weekend throughout the summer, fans will have a chance to see a film about superheroes, an animated movie, or in this case, a sequel. So far, the summer has provided fans with sequels to The Avengers, The Incredibles, Deadpool, and Sicario.

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There is a common misconception that sequels are automatically bad. That might be the case for sequels to Dumb and Dumber, Zoolander, and The Hangover. That being said, there are rare times when the sequel not only is successful, but improves upon the original film. Here are five films that are better than the original.

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior

Before Tom Hardy played the role of the titular character in Fury Road, Mel Gibson was the legendary “Mad” Max Rockatansky. The first Mad Max showed Max’s transition from police officer to a drifter in the Wasteland. The Road Warrior was a full-blown action thriller. The car chase scenes across the Wasteland inspired the action in Fury Road. In fact, The Road Warrior is regarded as one of the best action films of all-time.

Star Wars Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back 

Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of the generation, The Empire Strikes Back brought the Star Wars franchise to new heights. One of the reasons why this film became so successful was due to the shocking reveal that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker’s father. In an era with no social media, that cliffhanger alone made this film a must-see. In 2010, the film was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry in the Library of Congress for being culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The quest to destroy the One Ring takes a thrilling turn in The Two Towers. The Fellowship of the Ring primarily focused on introducing the main plot and central cast of characters as opposed to elaborate action sequences. The Two Towers was quite the opposite. The Battle of Helm’s Deep was an intense and beautifully-crafted battle from the mind of director Peter Jackson. The third film, Return of the King, might have received all of the accolades, but The Two Towers took the trilogy to another level.

The Dark Knight 

For my money, The Dark Knight is the greatest sequel of all-time because of two words: Heath Ledger. Ledger’s performance as The Joker is not only the most iconic performance of the 21st century, but I’d argue it’s one of the best performances of the last 50 years. Christopher Nolan made a movie based on a comic book, but this film brought the superhero genre to new heights. The action sequences, the cinematography, and the music are superb. In fact, The Dark Knight’s omission from the Best Picture at The Oscars was cited as one of the driving forces behind changing the amount of Best Picture nominees from 5 to 10.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

This statement will receive a lot of backlash, but I am not afraid to say this with conviction. Captain America: The Winer Soldier is the greatest Marvel movie of all-time. Thrilling action sequences, suspenseful drama, an entertaining villain, and a plot that makes sense are elements that I look for in a superhero movie and The Winter Soldier checks all of those boxes. The Winter Soldier was a drastic improvement from The First Avenger and cemented Captain America as one of the most popular characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

What are your favorite sequels of all-time? Leave your suggestions in the comments below or tweet me @danny_giro!