A successful film can often be the beginning of a larger universe. They are because of their success at the box office, their showmanship or the richness of their history. Some of these arguments allow for innovative ways to deepen their universes through sequels and expand on their core approaches. A phenomenon that in recent decades has reached a new peak and, in particular, an unprecedented level of sophistication.
But the sequel could be a lot more than a direct sequel to the original movie. In fact, some of them are a form of storytelling that aims to expand the universe told in the film that preceded it to entirely new levels. Other times, he explores the lives and vicissitudes of characters outside of the main or even central narrative. In some rare cases, alternate versions of the original argument are created to explore unknown spaces in stories rich in detail.
Whichever option the director or screenwriter chooses, a sequel is a cinematic medium with its own principles. But some of them also demonstrate that original narratives can always be better, more thoughtful, and smarter. We leave you with five recommendations for sequels that surpassed the original and became, with rare exceptions, the history of cinema.
Terminator 2: Judgment Daycontinuation is recommended to everyone
When Terminator 2: Judgment Day, written by James Cameron, hit theaters in 1991 and was an immediate critical and box office success. It wasn’t just one of the few times a movie sequel outperformed its source material. Also of no small importance was the special circumstance that its extremely high cost was integrally invested in creating an example of pure entertainment, which was surprising. As if that wasn’t enough, he delivered a quality storyline and good camera work that exceeded all expectations.
Overall, Cameron’s film was the final appearance of a new type of sci-fi cinema on the big screen. From its amazing visual section, to its touching storyline that cleverly uses dystopia. The production marked a milestone of significant interest in how to reformulate a plot and take it into a new dimension without losing its original spirit.
The script is still considered a display of creative ingenuity in using the imagery of time travel to great effect. The director already did this in the original film. But its sequel went further and used the idea of time plane paradoxes to build much of its plot. As if that wasn’t enough, he invented special effects and staging that still amaze. A whole bunch of good ideas that turned Terminator 2: Judgment Day in a much more careful and intelligent production than the original.
Aliens: Return
FROM AlienAn instant classic by Ridley Scott, it seemed reckless to try to make a sequel. But James Cameron did it again and managed to make the film a hit in its own right for its acclaimed predecessor. Cameron himself noted more than once that it was a calculated risk. Especially since what characterized Scott’s work was a type of visual and formal language that could not be replicated. Or at least not with the same result from James Cameron’s point of view.
So the director went to the other side of the spectrum to create this sequel. If Alien was pent up, unsettling and dark, Cameron imagined with Aliens: Return innovative and huge universe. Ellen Ripley’s (Sigourney Weaver) journey into space has turned into a strange plot device. That He returned her to the center of action and made her not only the best character in the saga, but also a rarity in cinema.. But beyond Cameron’s ability to reinvent Ridley Scott’s ideas, the production managed to build its own narrative..
The result is a compact, powerful and gigantic film with its rhythm and amazing technical part. The alien creature ceased to be a monster hidden in the darkness and filled the screen in all its spectacular horror. aliens, as a franchise, showed everything it could give about itself. For Cameron, it was also a real demonstration of his ability to create from an important element of his filmography. Innovation of speech and technology.
Top Shooter: Mavericklong sequel
In 1986, the best weapon, written by Tony Scott, impressed the audience with a simple and unpretentious plot. The original film combined extraordinary high-tech aerial stunts with a mischievous hero. In fact, Tom Cruise became the prototype of a fearless and daring leader. One that gave a face to an irreverent, playful and overwhelming character that became a landmark in cinema. The feature film has gone down in history as a kind of airy version of the great dramas of passionate rivalry. In addition, the concept of danger as an incentive for extravagant dramatic plots.
Top Shooter: Maverick, its belated sequel, directed by Joseph Kosinski, maintains the same sparkle and freshness without resorting directly to nostalgia to achieve success. Instead, it manages to carry on a dialogue with the same themes and concerns as the first one in order to achieve a broader and more concise presentation. The passage of time is evident in the adventures of Top Gun. But This journey is supported by the script’s amazing ability to remember why its predecessor was a classic.. With few elements beyond the original approach, this sequel is a triumph of an argument that is almost naive in its honesty.
Scott created an epic to the greater glory of the character played by Tom. Top Shooter: Maverick he reunites with his hero to celebrate what made him famous. Further, what made him an icon of lightness, strength and an amazing type of charisma in cinema. A rare combination of great creative freedom and a reimagining of what made the original film an instant classic.
Gremlins 2: The Next Generation
For the sequel to the curious ’84 classic, Joe Dante figured out how to reinvent the idea of mysterious creatures central to the plot. The original film is a tiny black comedy horror story that cynically analyzes familiar Christmas symbols. A real feat that Dante surpassed with an unexpected sense of tongue-in-cheek humor and some scenes of violence that were disconcerting at the time. The mixture even created the dilemma of how to define a feature film. Was it a Christmas horror story? Perception of comedy with twisted undertones?
The same approach manifested itself in the analysis of its belated and unexpected continuation. By 1990, almost a decade had passed since the premiere of the commemorative film. Because of this, it was not easy to rekindle interest in a curious little storyline. In response, Dante bet on the other extreme of possibilities. Create a bigger, louder, weirder and more amazing set than the previous film.. In addition to transporting his premises to a completely unknown crazy dimension.
The result was a production that surprises with its creative objectives and the amazing nature of the original approach. Gremlins 2: A New Breed retains the twisted humor of the original, but extrapolates it to a collective notion of fear and the unexplainable. As if that weren’t enough, he turns the scene from monstrous to insane, at times sinister.
The result is a sequel that surpasses the original that preceded it in many ways. And it also demonstrated the ability of Gremlins to be a symbol of wild humor. It is not known that perhaps the announced and always postponed third part can deepen even more.
Planet of the Apes: Collision
Director Matt Reeves has achieved what seemed impossible: to create a film that refreshes a story that has been parsed for over fifty years in cinema. The famous Planet of the Apes franchise spanned three different timelines. reboot failed and successful restart. All at the center of the same story: the possibility of wild nature rebelling against man.
Reeves took the essence of the idea and reformulated it from an almost painful perception of the struggle for survival. Something that also supports a brilliant second reading of the original story. The film adds layers of meaning about fear and primitiveness to an increasingly painful and human story.. Much more so when the inevitable battle between humans and apes turns into a brutal and almost philosophical epic about good and evil.
Planet of the Apes: Collision This allowed the franchise to expand into other spaces and engage in dialogue with entirely new themes. This is while maintaining the relevance of the original and the pessimistic message of its predecessors. No small achievement that made the film a good example of how to properly immerse yourself in complex cinematic universes.
