Movie Sequels: What Makes Them Work (and What Doesn’t)

Each year it seems there are more sequels than ever on the slate of new movies. Luckily, it also seems they often meet the expectations set by the first film.

Sequels that stick to the formula that worked in the first film usually find more success at the box office. Examples of this can be found in Shrek 2 & 3, Mission Impossible II & III, Lord of the Rings (Two Towers and Return of the King), The Empire Strikes Back, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Toy Story 2, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (as well as Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire) and Godfather Part II. As most of these also reveal, sequels also seem to have better luck if the story actually continues from one movie to the next.

Also key is getting back the actors from the first movie. Speed 2: Cruise Control just wasn't the same without Keanu Reeves; and when Vin Diesel didn't sign on for 2 Fast 2 Furious, maybe Paul walker should have followed suit. The Batman films also changed their cast and cast of characters, causing them to slowly sink in the eyes of Batman fans...until the franchise reinvention with Batman Begins. We'll see how they maintain that series when The Dark Night hits theaters next summer, but even just the return of Christian Bale and the other main actors will give it an initial boost at the box office.

Trying to make a sequel than a decade after the first movie was a hit is also risky. Take Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights or Dumb and Dumberer. Neither one even came close to bringing home the bank or becoming the fan favorite the first was.

Keeping the action or the laughs from your favorite movie characters fresh is also important in making a sequel work. Great examples of this are National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Die Hard 2, Bourne Supremacy, X2: X-Men United and Spider-Man 2. With the right people in the right role and a well-crafted script, a sequel can be a sure thing.