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Sometimes, a movie is so good that it immediately makes the audience hungry for more. Often, studios attempt to capitalize on this desire by churning out sequels as soon as they possibly can, even if it means pushing out a movie sequel with a massive budget. By doing this, they can continue to keep people excited about the franchise, maintaining its status as a lucrative outlet for the company. The downside of this strategy, however, is that the need to rapidly produce these movies can often come with the consequence of having to sacrifice the high level of quality achieved by the original film.
Once in a while, though, a studio makes the bold decision to make audiences wait quite a while before giving them the sequel they have been craving. This is a risky move, as it can result in losing the excitement surrounding the franchise, but it also has the potential to pay off in major ways, with some movie sequels being even better than the original. Waiting so long to release a sequel also gives the filmmakers much more time to ensure that they give their stories a proper continuation. These sequels may have taken over ten years to come out, but they proved to be worth the wait.
10 Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Released 35 Years After Blade Runner (1982)
Set thirty years after the original film, Blade Runner 2049 is a sci-fi neo-noir film by the director of Dune, Denis Villeneuve. The film follows LAPD replicant officer K, who discovers a devastating secret that could throw society into total chaos. To stop a potential war between replicants and humans, he'll need to locate missing former blade runner Rick Deckard and uncover the truth.
Release Date October 6, 2017
Runtime 163 Minutes
Writers Michael Green , Hampton Fancher
Studio(s) Alcon Entertainment , Columbia Pictures , Scott Free Productions , Bud Yorkin Productions , Torridon Films , 16:14 Entertainment
In 1982, Ridley Scott took the director's chair for a bold cinematic adaptation of Philip K. Dick's classic novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Titled Blade Runner, the film may not have been an immediate hit, but its popularity continued to grow over time, eventually being regarded as one of the greatest science fiction movies ever made. Needless to say, it would be no easy feat for a sequel to live up to the same level of acclaim. Fortunately, Blade Runner 2049 proved itself to be up to the task.
The team behind Blade Runner 2049 clearly opted to prioritize quality over speed, as the film was not released until 35 years after its predecessor. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film takes place decades after the events of Blade Runner, introducing an assortment of new characters, while also welcoming back Harrison Ford, who returned to reprise his role of Rick Deckard. Although Blade Runner 2049 did not end up being a success at the box office, it received widespread acclaim from critics, even going on to win multiple Academy Awards.
9 Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Released 36 Years After Top Gun (1986)
Top Gun: Maverick is the sequel to the 1986 original film starring Tom Cruise as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a top-tier pilot in the Navy. Thirty years after the original film's events, Maverick is asked to head up a section of the TOP GUN program to embark on a dangerous mission. Things become personal when the program includes the son of Maverick's late friend, forcing him to confront his past.
Release Date May 27, 2022
Runtime 130 Minutes
Director Joseph Kosinski
Even among a sea of popular action films being released in the 1980s, Top Gun managed to stand out as a fan-favorite. 36 years later, Tom Cruise returned to the skies once again, reprising his role as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in the long-awaited sequel, Top Gun: Maverick. This time, though, Maverick was forced to play a much different role, becoming a mentor for the latest batch of Top Gun graduates, and having to face his past when introduced to the son of his deceased friend.
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Top Gun fans may not have been happy they had to wait nearly four decades for a sequel, but they surely were not disappointed by it when it finally arrived. Top Gun: Maverick effectively managed to capture all the elements that viewers loved about the first film, while also putting an exciting, modern twist on the story. With a captivating story and plenty of high-altitude thrills, the sequel definitely lived up to expectations, even receiving six Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture.
8 Toy Story 3 (2010)
Released 11 Years After Toy Story 2 (1999)
The third installment in the Toy Story franchise, Toy Story 3, continues the story of Woody and Buzz as they come to terms with the inevitable. With their owner, Andy, growing older and no longer playing with his toys, Woody, Buzz, and co. are given a new lease on life when they end up in a local daycare center. However, things there aren't as they seem, and the toys must work together to find their way home.
Release Date June 18, 2010
Runtime 103 minutes
Director Lee Unkrich
Budget $200 million
Toy Story changed the future of animation in 1995, becoming the first fully computer-animated feature ever made. Unsurprisingly, a sequel soon followed, which also experienced massive success. Fans of the series had to wait quite some time until the next installment came, though, with Toy Story 3 not hitting theaters until 2010, over a decade after the previous film. In a bold decision, the Pixar team decided to have the third film take place equally as long after Toy Story 2, electing to focus on how the beloved toys respond to Andy no longer needing them as he grows older.
The film was a box office triumph, earning over a billion dollars, as well as becoming a critical hit.
The decision paid off, with Toy Story 3 achieving massive success on all accounts. The film was a box office triumph, earning over a billion dollars, as well as becoming a critical hit. Toy Story 3 was widely praised for its surprisingly mature, emotional story, consistently making adult audience members shed a tear while also being a fun time for younger viewers. The film became one of only three animated movies to ever be nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture, while also winning in two other categories.
7 Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Released 30 Years After Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)
Mad Max: Fury Road is the fourth film in George Miller's long-running sci-fi franchise, with Tom Hardy starring as Max Rockstansky, a vagabond who lives on the road in an apocalyptic wasteland. When Max comes across a cult group that keeps its people in fear and under control with a monopoly on water and other crucial supplies, he joins up with Imperator Furiosa, a warrior woman leading a rebellion against the cult's leader, Immortan Joe.
Release Date May 14, 2015
Runtime 120 Minutes
Director George Miller
Budget $154-185 Million
Within a span of only six years, action lovers were gifted the first three installments in the Mad Max franchise, a series of thrilling action movies directed by George Miller, each set in a post-apocalyptic version of Earth. Despite these first three films coming out in such close proximity to each other, George Miller made fans wait three full decades for Fury Road, the fourth (and arguably best) installment. Mad Max: Fury Road hit theaters in 2015, and vastly exceeded all the expectations that had built up over thirty years.
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Mad Max: Fury Road features not only some of the most dazzling action sequences in recent memory, but also a compelling story about some daring individuals teaming up to fight for a better future in the bleak, post-apocalyptic world. The film is widely considered both the greatest film in the Mad Max franchise, and one of the best action movies of all time. It managed to win six Academy Awards out of ten total nominations, an astounding feat that very few action films have even come close to replicating.
6 Finding Dory (2016)
Released 13 Years After Finding Nemo (2003)
The sequel to Pixar's Finding Nemo, Finding Dory focuses on the character of Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) as she sets off to locate her parents. Still living with amnesia after the events of Finding Nemo, Dory is unable to remember her parents, but an unexpected flashback prompts her to find them. Her journey takes her not only across the ocean but also out of it, enlisting all manner of marine life to help her in her quest.
Release Date June 17, 2016
Runtime 97 Minutes
Director Angus MacLane , Andrew Stanton
Writers Andrew Stanton , Victoria Strouse
Finding Nemo made quite a splash when it premiered in 2003, further establishing Pixar as a force to be reckoned with in the world of animation. Years later, following the success of other Pixar sequels like Toy Story 3 and Monsters University, the studio finally decided to give fans a continuation of their favorite fish-focused story. Finding Dory hit theaters in 2016, thirteen years after the release of its predecessor. The sequel shifted the main focus to Dory, following the forgetful fish as she embarks on a journey with her friends to locate her long-lost parents.
Finding Dory definitely proved to be worth the wait, delighting critics and audiences alike with its clever story that was as heartfelt as it was humorous.
Viewers loved seeing all the beloved characters from the first film make their triumphant return to the big screen, alongside a vast assortment of delightful new additions as well. Finding Dory even managed to outperform its predecessor at the box office, earning over a billion dollars, setting various box office records in the process.
5 Avatar: The Way Of Water (2022)
Released 13 Years After Avatar (2009)
Ten years after the events of Avatar (2009), Avatar: The Way of Water follows Jake Sully (Sam Worthington, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), and their new family as they brave the world of Pandora and the struggles they endure to protect themselves and their people. Director James Cameron used The Way of Water to explore the oceans of Pandora and set the stage for the subsequent three sequels. In addition to Worthington and Saldana, Avatar: The Way of the Water sees the return of Sigourney Weaver, this time playing a character named Kiri, and Stephen Lang’s villainous Quaritch.
Release Date December 16, 2022
Runtime 190 Minutes
James Cameron is no stranger to successful sequels, having been the driving creative force behind Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which is often considered one of the greatest sequels ever made. Needless to say, expectations were very high when it was revealed that he would be making a follow-up to Avatar, the groundbreaking science fiction film that currently stands as the highest-grossing movie of all time. Cameron proved to be up to the challenge, though, releasing Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022, marking another major triumph for the acclaimed filmmaker.
Although the thirteen-year wait did not please fans by any means, Avatar: The Way of Water certainly made the most of the time it was given, offering a dazzling spectacle from beginning to end, enhanced by a strong, thought-provoking story. Like its predecessor, The Way of Water also proved to be quite explosive at the box office, earning an astounding $2.32 billion. Audiences were consistently blown away by the stunning, Oscar-worthy special effects used in the film, which immediately transported viewers back to the mesmerizing world of Pandora.
4 Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Released 11 Years After Puss In Boots (2011)
In Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Puss learns he has reached the end of his nine lives. To restore his lives and continue his journeys, he will set forth on a quest to the Black Forest to find a Wishing Star that can bring them all back. To succeed, he enlists help from his former partner/rival, Kitty Softpaws, and a chatty canine friend, Perrito. Unfortunately, they're in a race against many other fairytale characters and villains, including the bounty hunter looking to collect on Puss, The Big Bad Wolf.
Release Date December 21, 2022
Runtime 102 minutes
Director Joel Crawford
Budget $130 million
Every once in a while, a sequel comes out that not only meets expectations, but vastly exceeds them. This was the case for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, the sequel which came eleven years after the 2011 animated feature, Puss in Boots. The original Puss in Boots received decent reviews, but very few people anticipated the widespread success and acclaim that its sequel garnered. Instead of offering another straightforward fantasy adventure, The Last Wish presented a surprisingly clever commentary on aging, as well as the anxiety that comes with it.
The film hugely exceeded expectations of what a sequel to a spin-off could be, establishing itself as a solid standalone film, as well as being a valuable addition to the pre-existing universe.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish impressed both critics and audiences, largely thanks to its impressively creative visual style and its thoughtful storytelling. The film hugely exceeded expectations of what a sequel to a spin-off could be, establishing itself as a solid standalone film, as well as being a valuable addition to the pre-existing universe. The Last Wish proved that thinking outside the box in terms of animation could be a rewarding decision, one that the audiences were bound to thank the filmmakers for making.
3 Twisters (2024)
Released 28 Years After Twister (1996)
A follow-up to the 1996 original film Twister, Twisters is a sequel set years after the original, said to be fast-tracked by Steven Spielberg and Mark L. Smith, with Frank Marshal as producer. Little details exist about the film, but Helen Hunt is expected to reprise her role as Jo, with the film likely to pay homage to the late Bill Paxton.
Release Date July 19, 2024
Runtime 117 Minutes
Director Lee Isaac Chung
In 1996, Twister roared onto the scene with its thrilling story about a group of individuals risking their lives in the path of some deadly tornadoes. The film quickly became a classic in the disaster movie genre, and, after 28 long years, finally received a sequel in 2024. Titled Twisters, this summer blockbuster presented a modern twist on the classic story, showcasing a diverse new team of storm chasers determined to put a stop to a deadly tornado outbreak in rural Oklahoma.
With a charming cast led by Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos, Twisters delighted its viewers, effectively breathing a new life into the long-dormant franchise. The film was praised for its charismatic lead performances, impressive visual effects, and exciting story. Twisters may not have been the kind of film to dominate awards shows, but it provided a fun, thrilling moviegoing experience from beginning to end, and that is exactly what viewers wanted from it.
2 Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024)
Released 19 Years After Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit (2005)
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl features the beloved duo as they confront a "smart" invention gone rogue. When an autonomous gnome hints at larger schemes by a vengeful adversary, Gromit must navigate perilous challenges to protect Wallace and prevent a threat that could end their inventive escapades forever.
Release Date January 3, 2025
Director Nick Park
Producers Claire Jennings
The Wallace & Gromit franchise has been delighting its viewers since the 1980s with its lighthearted stories about the eccentric, cheese-craving inventor and his loyal dog. Sadly, the series went dormant for many years, with its last feature film coming in 2005. Thankfully, the claymation franchise was brought back to life with a new film released on Netflix at the very end of 2024. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl reunited the lovable duo for one more adventure, set in motion by the infamous, villainous penguin, Feathers McGraw.
Vengeance Most Fowl did everything fans were hoping it would do. The charming film paid tribute to the past Wallace & Gromit films while also highlighting a modern story (as well as surprisingly topical commentary on artificial intelligence). The film was witty, humorous, and an impressive demonstration of what stop-motion animation is capable of. Vengeance Most Fowl showed audiences that, no matter how much time has passed, some friendships will never grow old.
1 Halloween (2018)
Released 40 Years After Halloween (1978)
Halloween is the first film of the David Gordon Green-directed sequel trilogy to the 1978 original horror/slasher film. Having been institutionalized for forty years after the events of the original Haddonfield murders, Michael Myers escapes during a prison transfer to pursue his original target, Laurie Strode. Having lived in fear of his shadow for years, Laurie learns of his return, setting the stage for war while trying to protect her daughter and granddaughter from her masked tormentor.
Release Date October 18, 2018
Runtime 106 Minutes
The 2018 horror hit, Halloween, is far from the only sequel to the original slasher film of the same name. The Halloween franchise first began in 1978, and has since accumulated a whopping thirteen cinematic installments. However, Halloween (2018) decided to wipe the slate clean, and serve as a direct sequel to the film that started it all, ignoring all the other additions. The haunting film features the long-awaited return of Jamie Lee Curtis to the franchise, reprising her role of Laurie Strode for one more face-off against the horrifying Michael Myers.
It may have taken forty years, but Halloween finally gave horror lovers the proper sequel they had been craving. The film gave viewers all the heart-pounding thrills and gruesome kills they could have wanted, while also being rooted in a strong story about coping with trauma-related issues. Curtis proved that her acting chops had not diminished at all over the last forty years, melting back into the role and giving a standout performance. Halloween (2018) proved that revisiting a classic story can be a thrilling experience if done properly.
English (US) ·