A trivial Saturday morning list.
Making a sequel in Hollywood might be the single most stress-inducing task for cast, crew, director and producer. Why? Because expectations are that the first film was, in all likelihood, well-liked and popular and thus by making a sequel you stand a chance of tarnishing its legacy, if not done right.
I got semi-triggered by some folks proclaiming “Top Gun: Maverick” one of the greatest legacy sequels of all-time. What?! Did they watch the same movie that I did? There have been far worthier sequels over the decades, some eclipsing the whole of ‘Maverick’ with a single sequence.
Most of the time the sequel doesn't come remotely close to the original's freshness, but sometimes, in the case of these classics, it turns out to be a landmark moment. For my money, these are the absolute best sequels ever made:
The Godfather Part II
Toy Story 2 and 3
Aliens
Before Sunset
The Empire Strikes Back
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Dark Knight
Spider-Man 2
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Skyfall
These are the essentials.
With sequels, you also run the risk of angering a considerably well-built fanbase that will ask for heads on a guillotine if the film fails to meet expectations. Thst’s why most of them are safe and familiar — you need to cuddle up to the mainstream and that means not too much risk-taking.