12 “Outdated Sequels” That Don’t Suck (and 8 Kind Of)
I’m not thrilled with our current pop culture obsession with nostalgia , partly because we seem to be approaching a point where the lack of original cinematic board will leave the nostalgic miners of the future with nothing to work with.
The long-awaited sequel premieres this summer with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Doom , actually the franchise’s second sequel since 2008’s Kingdom of the Crystal Skull .
Also coming out this year: October’s The Exorcist: The Faithful looks set to be one of those sequels that ignores all the clunky in-betweens in favor of a “back to basics” approach. Kenan and Kel get back together in the upcoming sequel to 1997’s The Good Burger ; while this year’s other big movie, The Fat Monty , is getting a series of sequels on Hulu. Even the Gremlins are back for a bite to eat after midnight in the new animated series on HBO Max.
It’s a rich vein, that’s what I mean, and Hollywood has been mining it for years. While we wait for the next old thing to be new again, here are 12 old sequels that worked and eight that didn’t.
Failed: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
Sequel: Indiana Jones trilogy (1981–1989).
Many of us think of the Indiana Jones series with great affection, but from film to film it offers less consistency than we usually remember, even if they are all watchable. The Crystal Skull isn’t hideous, but it’s by far the weakest of the four films, featuring competent but unforgettable sets and a bland arc for Indy and his unexpected son Matt (Shia LaBeouf, from the time he was positioned as the next big thing ). Karen Allen makes a welcome return with Marion Ravenwood and Cate Blanchett having fun as a Soviet femme fatale, but it all feels a little warm.
Stream Where: Paramount+
Worked for: Doctor Sleep (2019)
Sequel: The Shining (1980)
Director Mike Flanagan ( Hush , The Haunting of Hill House , Midnight Mass ) has a well-deserved reputation for “sublime” horror, and he did some magic with Doctor Sleep . The novel on which the film is based was written by Stephen King at the end of his career, meaning that opinions were already divided about it, and Flanagan was faced with the challenge of creating a sequel to The Shining that would both adapt the book and satisfy passionate fans of Stanley Kubrick’s original film. . . Even with all that, the film feels surprisingly fresh, taking on heart (in the relationship between a grown-up Ewan McGregor Danny Torrance and a young girl who seems to share his magical abilities) and horror (embodied by the villainous Rose in Rebecca Ferguson’s hat). among the IP requirements.
Digital rental: Prime Video , Vudu , Redbox
Didn’t Work: Coming 2 America (2021)
Sequel: Coming to America (1988)
Eddie Murphy followed up the brilliant Dolemite Is My Name with this long-awaited sequel that was forgotten almost as soon as it hit Prime Video straight after Paramount sold the rights to Amazon in the midst of a pandemic. The only real laughs come from recycled jokes from the original, leaving Coming 2 with little reason to exist. To make matters worse, the plot includes a wildly ill-conceived date rape joke that instantly makes the film feel more dated than its 30-year-old predecessor.
Where to stream: Prime Video
Employed: Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Sequel: Top Gun (1986)
For better or worse, Top Gun: Maverick traded the original’s gay camp for pure action spectacle, and the result is a movie smart enough to realize that pure cinematic spectacle, if done right, is enough. It saved theaters and was good enough to garner a Best Picture Oscar nomination, a rare feat for an outdated sequel, although unlike The Godfather Part 3 , this one does seem to appeal to people.
Where to stream: Prime Video , Paramount+
Worked: Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
Sequel to the Die Hard trilogy (1988–1995).
Bruce Willis’ first return to the career role of John McClane was a good movie time, when the already grumpy action hero easily slips back into the shoes (or not) of the over-the-hill detective when he is pulled into yet another adventure. With the intimidating Timothy Olyphant as the main villain, this is arguably the best of the Die Hard sequels. Unfortunately, the sequel to A Good Day to Die Hard is undoubtedly the worst, which just shows that you can never trust such things.
Where to broadcast: Max
Didn’t Work: Space Jam: The New Legacy (2021)
Sequel: Space Jam (1996)
Digital rental: Prime Video , Apple TV+ , Redbox , Vudu
Worked: Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Sequel to the Mad Max trilogy (1979–1985).
Director George Miller returned to his Mad Max series in 2015 with this incredible triumph, an action masterpiece that is as loud and brutal as it is carefully told. the center of the postmodern apocalyptic western.
Where to stream: AMC+
Worked: Psycho II (1983)
Sequel: Psycho (1960)
Frankly, the Psycho sequel has nothing to do with business, but it’s a small triumph in which we revisit Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and the Bates Motel, playing on our expectations and finding new things to say about the character. It’s one of the best (and least raunchy) slashers of the 80s, with a solid final twist.
Where to stream: IndieFlix , Prime Video digital rental, Vudu , Redbox
Failed: Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Sequel to: Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters 2 (1989).
Even when (wonderfully) trying to do something different (like moving the Ghostbusters out of town), Afterlife spends way too much time looking back, introducing new characters and a new generation, only to put them in the middle of nowhere. ghost hunting. easter eggs from the original movie. It’s good, with some cute moments, but plays too much and too often as a homage to earlier films. [Whispers] Ghostbusters 2016 was better
Where to stream: Starz
Worked: Matrix Resurrections (2021)
Sequel: The Matrix trilogy (1999–2003)
It’s about as polarizing as it gets and a lot of Matrix fans absolutely hate it. For me, this is the best of the sequels. After decades of lazy references to “take the red pill” (looking at you, Elon Musk) it’s clear that it’s not that easy, using imagery with literal mirrors to remind us that, ultimately, the problem isn’t the machines, it’s ours. own ability to stand up to our own flawed humanity. This meta-style is based on the love story between Neo and Trinity, and if there’s any awkwardness in some of the plot twists (why and how are they even alive again?), I’d rather writer/director Lana Wachowski’s signature style and voice than a million other polished ones. made by a sequel committee determined to say nothing.
Where to broadcast: Max
Worked for: Candyman (2021)
Sequel: Candyman trilogy (1992–1999)
Nia DaCosta’s film Candyman serves as a reboot, but ends up introducing enough elements (and characters) from the original to make it work just as well as a direct sequel. DaCosta and company take good racial commentary from the original film and present a black perspective, delving into their exploration of the ways our culture turns marginalized victims into villains, and with incredibly inventive and clever visuals.
Where to stream: Prime Video , Paramount+
Worked: Bill & Ted Face Music (2020)
Sequel to: Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) and Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991).
Equally cute and silly, it didn’t hurt the reception of Bill & Ted’s sequel because it came out just a few months into the pandemic, at a time when we needed cute and silly more than ever. The film knows exactly what we want from middle-aged Bill and Ted, and happily gives it to us.