Top 5 Sequels That Worked & 5 That Killed the Franchise
#5: Killed the Franchise: “Alien 3” (1992)
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“Aliens” did everything a sequel should, not only expanding upon the world, but also expanding upon the characters. Newcomers like Bishop, Hicks, and Newt added deeper layers to protagonist Ellen Ripley. We were eager to see how Ripley’s dynamics with her companions would be broadened in “Alien 3.” Alas, David Fincher’s directorial debut commits a cardinal sequel sin, undoing the previous film’s happy ending only a few minutes in. To get past this enormous hurdle, the rest of “Alien 3” would have to be exceptional. Unfortunately, the studio’s interference and script issues are on full display in an all-around unpleasant sequel, doing Ripley dirty from start to finish. Hollywood keeps trying to resurrect the franchise, but any goodwill died with the characters we loved.
#5: Worked: “Before Sunset” (2004)
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“Before Sunrise” ends with Jesse and Céline parting ways, leaving us to wonder if they’ll reunite in six months as planned. It was a perfectly open-ended conclusion that seemingly didn’t need to continue until we saw “Before Sunset.” Instead of six months, Jesse and Céline reconnect almost a decade later. They pick up where they left off as if no time passed. Of course, time has passed with both taking on new commitments since they last met. Nevertheless, the two remain drawn to each other, unwilling to let go this time. Their natural chemistry, coupled with Richard Linklater’s fly-on-a-wall direction, preserves the spirit of the 1995 film while taking these characters to more mature places. It was a relationship worth further exploring in “Before Midnight.”
#4: Killed the Franchise: “Terminator Genisys” (2015)
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After “Rise of the Machines” set us up for the disappointment of “Salvation,” “Genisys” tried winning fans back by revisiting the franchise’s roots. Resetting the timeline was a risky move, but it worked in “X-Men.” It could’ve worked here too, especially with Arnold Schwarzenegger back. Despite Arnold’s best efforts, the T-800 appears rusty in a sequel that suffers from miscasting, a PG-13 rating, and baffling character choices. The film constantly baits us with empty nostalgia while dumping on everything the series stands for. What was supposed to commence a new trilogy was instead lowered into a vat of molten steel, this time with a thumbs down. While it wasn’t the last “Terminator” movie, it was the point when everyone said, “I’m done with you now.”
#4: Worked: “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022)
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“Top Gun” is a definitive 80s movie. That said, parts are the 1986 original are a product of the time, which can range from enjoyably corny to borderline comedic. Few were clamoring for a sequel over 30 years later, and with the pandemic alienating theatergoers, streamers were circling like vultures. Tom Cruise remained adamant that “Maverick” needed to be witnessed on the big screen. He couldn’t have been more right, and not just because “Maverick” made over $1 billion. Beyond the immersive aerial sequences, this sequel’s meaningful themes of redemption, passing the torch, and starting anew added to the communal experience of watching a movie in the theater. What could’ve been a pointless throwback instead looked to the past, present, and future in unexpected ways.
#3: Killed the Franchise: “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace” (1987)
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“Superman IV” is a sequel so infamous that the name alone makes people cringe, whether they’ve seen the film or not. But hey, what do you expect from a superhero movie that came out in… 1987? Are you kidding us? How did we go from the triumph of Richard Donner’s original classic to this in less than a decade? Granted, “The Quest for Peace” had a smaller budget than the first three films, but that’s no excuse for poor storytelling. The emotional gravitas of being Superman is gone, now solely relying on camp. The goofier tone is only made more awkward due to the serious subject matter concerning nuclear war. Although Superman lived on in time, Christopher Reeve deserved a proper final flight.
#3: Worked: “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” (1982)
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After three seasons on TV, the USS Enterprise crew continued their adventures on the silver screen. While Robert Wise brought a cinematic touch to “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” the film felt more like Stanley Kubrick than Gene Roddenberry. “Wrath of Khan” was the “Star Trek” movie fans had been waiting for, putting the focus back on the characters with the return of Captain Kirk’s most formidable adversary. Despite costing less than half of the first film, this sequel maintains the same visual quality, even featuring some then-revolutionary CG effects. It’s the film’s themes of aging and death that leave a lasting impression, though. It’s still the gold standard for “Star Trek” and a textbook definition of a sequel that improves upon its predecessor.
#2: Killed the Franchise: “Batman & Robin” (1997)
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Are we the only ones who think Joel Schumacher’s “Batman” movies should’ve switched titles? His initial outing should’ve been called “Batman & Robin” because that’s when the dynamic duo first teamed up. His second film should’ve been called “Batman Forever” for hilarious irony. Batman is forever, but his faceoff against Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy killed this incarnation of the franchise. George Clooney would agree. After Tim Burton evolved the franchise, this ill-fated final curtain saw Batman devolve to his '60s phase. That could’ve been fun if the film went all in, but the higher budget and attempts at drama make for an awkward and kind of boring film. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the only one having a good time.
#2: Worked: “Blade Runner 2049” (2017)
The idea of making a “Blade Runner” sequel 35 years later with Ridley Scott only executive producing and Harrison Ford’s role reduced sounded blasphemous. When you have Denis Villeneuve in the director’s chair and Ryan Gosling as the lead, though, the result is a follow-up that honors the original while, in some respects, surpassing it. It functions as both a standalone sequel and a second chapter in Rick Deckard’s story, keeping us guessing even after the credits roll. Villeneuve delivers a masterpiece of neo-noir that’s haunting yet engrossing, drawing us in with every spellbinding setpiece. Like its predecessor, “Blade Runner 2049” wasn’t a financial success, but generations will remember it as one of the great sci-fi films, not to mention one of the best sequels.
#1: Killed the Franchise: “Jaws: The Revenge” (1987)
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“Jaws” gave birth to the summer movie season. “Jaws 2” arguably gave birth to disappointing summer sequels. That wasn’t enough to kill the franchise, nor was a detour to SeaWorld. The series officially jumped the shark with “Jaws: The Revenge,” however. Who’s getting revenge? The shark, who’s apparently the son of the Great White that Brody blew up in the first film. Had this series continued, we assume the original shark’s father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate would’ve pursued vengeance. Thankfully, there wouldn’t be a “Jaws 5” after this ridiculous sequel, which is too silly to be taken seriously yet not entertainingly bad enough to be an unintentional comedy. If the original “Jaws” was a production nightmare, then this sequel is just a nightmare.
#1: Worked: “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015)
For the longest time, “The Road Warrior” was considered the definitive “Mad Max” movie thanks in part to its climatic car chase. Fast forward to 2015, George Miller made that setpiece look like a dress rehearsal with “Fury Road.” What seems like an extended action sequence on the surface is truly an exercise in visual storytelling that ranges from mindblowing to poetic. This isn’t only conveyed through the awe-inspiring practical stuntwork and apocalyptically beautiful production values, but through the driven characters. This is just as much Furiosa’s movie with Charlize Theron giving a commanding performance as a woman who’ll venture to hell and back again. It’s a sequel that builds upon everything that came before, reaching heights we didn’t know existed without ever looking down.
What do you think are the best and worst sequels? Let us know in the comments.
