Which sequel is better than the first

In fact, early drafts of The Empire Strikes Back are wildly different from the finished version of the film, which was given a significant assist by screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan. But this is one of the cornerstones of modern cinema; a dark, tragic, ambitious sequel that doubles down on the characters of A New Hope and expands their horizons in interesting, surprising ways. This is also the most visually impressive film in the Lucas-controlled saga, as director Irvin Kershner brought a dynamic palette to the screen that served the darker story well.

When most people think of Friday the 13th , they're usually thinking of Friday the 13th Part 2. The specter of Jason Voorhees hung over the first film, it was Pamela Voorhees, his mother, who tormented the counselors of Camp Crystal Lake she deemed responsible for her son's death.

Friday the 13th set up the psychology of Jason Vorhees, but it was Part 2 that saw it fully unleashed him and cemented the template that would come to define the series. Don't get me wrong, Friday the 13th is a classic, but Part 2 birthed a horror icon. Its level of ambition is incredible, and what it achieves is even more amazing when you consider that George Miller is still the director.

This is Miller in his own playground taking his game to an entirely new level from the visuals to the story to the themes and everything in between. In doing so, he also introduced a world not so dissimilar from our own, a world of hatred, bigotry, and genocide that just so happened to feature mutants as both a source of fear and an easy scapegoat.

The film was revolutionary for the comic book genre as Christopher Nolan expertly blended a real-world crime drama with superhero characters. Before The Dark Knight , comic book movies were relegated to light-hearted, comic book entertainment. Considering the dark trajectory the DC universe has taken, Superman Returns has aged incredibly well. While every Marvel Cinematic Universe movie is technically a sequel to every single previous MCU movie, Thor: Ragnarok qualifies for this list in both ways—it's better than the previous two Thor films, and it's one of the best MCU movies ever made.

Gone are most of the characters from those previous films, and instead we get a story in which Thor Chris Hemsworth finds himself stranded on a foreign planet without his weapon, without his luscious locks of hair, and with his home world in danger.

What ensues is a hilarious, loose, and silly sci-fi romp that is one of the most enjoyable blockbusters in recent memory. Ragnarok plays with character dynamics in a great way, as Waititi builds on the inherent contention between characters like Thor and Hulk, Thor and Valkyrie, Thor and Loki, Valkyrie and Loki, etc. We understand that Thor cares deeply about his planet and his people, and the story moves along thanks to these engaging pairings, but Waitit's primary goal is having fun.

It's judgment day, James Cameron, and you passed. There's no question that Seth MacFarlane is a comedic genius, but who would've thought that the premise of an R-rated talking teddy-bear coming to life from a child's wish would fill out a top slot on his resume? While MacFarlane's certain brand of obscene comedy is definitely a take-it-or-leave-it style, those who take it couldn't have been happier when they got to see their favorite thunder-buddy back on the big screen.

The only bad thing about this improved upon sequel? It's the only movie on this list that has yet to receive a trilogy Bad Boys for Life comes out in January. Come on, MacFarlane, we know there's room for another Ted. The comic-book web-slinger has graced the silver-screen a total of 11 times, including 8 of his own movies counting Into the Spiderverse and Sam Raimi's follow up is still somehow the best. With the original Spider-Man receiving part of the credit as to why superhero movies have become so popular nowadays, its sequel was what had audiences truly begging for more.

What happens when that hero runs into one of the O. Marvel movie villains? An amazing sequel, that's what. Marvel sequels may fill up two of the slots on this list, but the gold medal ultimately goes to DC and the greatest improved upon sequel every created: The Dark Knight. Heath Ledger's posthumous Oscar-winning performance wasn't even the half of it when it came to Christopher Nolan's masterpiece, and while Batman Begins is certainly a quality movie in its own right, it's hard to compete with a film that should arguably be in the AFI's Top Think about it in this regard; Batman is a cultural icon with countless storylines based upon him and a symbol that every living person recognizes - and yet this is the single piece of work he's most noticed for.

Not the sequel we deserved, but the sequel we needed. Jonathan Meschutt is a writer based in Upstate New York. He's had every job you could think of, including garbage man, dishwasher, administrative assistant, catering cook, and a dozen more, but now works as a list writer for Valnet Inc, and is covering entertainment topics for Screen Rant. He has a B. But when the glasses are paired with a meek, aww-shucks attitude, his alibis suddenly seem more believable. Lester plays that dichotomy for satire: At one point Louis Lane jumps into Niagara Falls in hopes that Clark will throw on a red cape to save her, thus revealing his true identity.

That sort of humor honors the Superman comics in a way no other Superman movie has. The laughs can feel derivative. The Christmas dinner scene is arguably the funniest in the franchise. The first Star Trek movie was more concerned with special effects than building characters.

The Empire Strikes Back has the best twist in cinematic history. That alone earns it a spot on any list of the best sequels ever made. That Darth Vader-Luke Skywalker scene introduces the familial anxiety that will hum throughout the rest of the rest of the Star Wars saga. Empire , in short, is the best Star Wars film because it builds the franchise from a campy sci-fi flick into a full-blown space opera.

Plus, fan favorites Yoda and Lando Calrissian make their debut. The survivors of the apocalypse, trapped in a shopping mall, turn out to be just as mindless and perverted as the zombie horde chasing them down.

I do not defend it. I praise it. Perhaps the most famous sequel of them all. In fact, the movie was the first sequel to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Thank Robert De Niro. Al Pacino delivered stunning performances in both films, but the addition of another legendary actor in flashbacks helped elevate the mob movie. Those flashbacks give context to the Corleone family and delve deeply into the psychology of power-hungry men and the country of opportunity that created them.

Leone had almost no money to film the movie and so cast a then-Hollywood castoff Eastwood and filmed several silent scenes because it was faster than shooting scenes with dialogue. All those tense moments built up to the most famous standoff scene in cinematic history. Debate all you want about the best movie in the Bond franchise. Bride of Frankenstein perfects the campiness that the original film, Frankenstein , desperately needed. This Frankenstein is not scary—just a mild-mannered monster in need of a friend.

Still considered a high watermark in the monster movie franchise, the movie slyly snuck a queer subplot, feminist plot points and meditations on necrophilia past the ratings board. Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana. Shutterstock 4. By Eliana Dockterman. Death-defying: Cruise in Mission: Impossible—Fallout.

Universal Studios. The Bourne ultimatum: Let them see you sweat. Superman II.