The Best Movie Sequels Ever Made

Ranker Film
Updated September 22, 2023 151.5K votes 10.1K voters 145.8K views
Over 10.1K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Movie Sequels Ever Made
Voting Rules
Vote up your favorite second / 2 / Part II movies in series.
Latest additions: Expend4bles, Vacation Friends 2, Extraction 2
Most divisive: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

What are the best movie sequels ever made? This list includes several of the greatest movies of all time, and they all have one thing in common: they were film number two in a series. Which good sequel do you believe deserves the top spot? Which movie is arguably the best in the franchise? Vote for your favorites, vote down any sequels you didn't like and feel free to add any films that might be missing - though remember, this is a list of second films, so no "Part III's" please. You can also re-rank this movie list in any order you choose.

It's really, really hard to argue that The Godfather Part II shouldn't be at the top, or at the very least, near the top of this list. It's one of only a handful of sequels to receive an Academy Award Best Picture nomination (it won, in 1974, by the way). The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers also received a Best Picture nomination, though it did not win (the third installment in the series, did). This is proof that just because a film is a sequel, it can also be among the very best Oscar-winning movies.

Some of the best sequels, not surprisingly, are also among the best superhero movies ever made. Among them: The Dark Knight, Spider-Man 2 and X2. Other notable movies worth a mention (and a spot on this list) include Superman II, Iron Man 2, and Hellboy 2: The Golden Army. Disagree? Vote them down. To each, his (or her) own!

Ranked by
  • The Dark Knight
    1

    The Dark Knight

    Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart
    5,643 votes
    • Released: 2008
    • Directed by: Christopher Nolan
    In The Dark Knight, Gotham City's vigilante, Batman (Christian Bale), faces his greatest adversary yet - the Joker (Heath Ledger), a criminal mastermind with a twisted sense of humor. Under the guidance of mentor Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) and ally Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman), Batman navigates a web of chaos spun by the Joker. The Christopher Nolan directed crime drama won two Academy Awards, including one for Ledger's posthumous performance. Brimming with high-stakes action scenes and moral dilemmas, this second installment in Nolan's Batman trilogy is a captivating exploration of heroism in times of anarchy.

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  • Terminator 2: Judgment Day
    2

    Terminator 2: Judgment Day

    Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong
    4,709 votes
    • Released: 1991
    • Directed by: James Cameron
    Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a gripping sci-fi action thriller. The plot centers on Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and her son, John (Edward Furlong), who find themselves pursued by an advanced, relentless killing machine, the T-1000 (Robert Patrick). Unexpectedly, their only hope lies with another Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), reprogrammed to protect them. Directed by James Cameron, this film won multiple awards for its groundbreaking visual effects and sound design. It expertly explores themes of fate, humanity, and technology's potentially destructive power. This sequel surpasses the original in terms of both spectacle and depth, solidifying its place in cinematic history.

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  • Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
    3

    Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

    Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
    4,938 votes
    • Released: 1980
    • Directed by: Irvin Kershner
    In Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, the saga continues as Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) embarks on Jedi training with master Yoda, while his friends Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) are pursued by Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones). This 1980 space opera, directed by Irvin Kershner, is a sequel in the epic Star Wars franchise. Known for its iconic plot twist and special effects, the film won an Oscar for Best Sound. It's a thrilling mix of adventure, treachery, and revelation, set against the backdrop of an interstellar war.
  • Aliens
    4

    Aliens

    Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn
    3,337 votes
    • Released: 1986
    • Directed by: James Cameron
    In the science fiction thriller Aliens, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), survivor of the spaceship Nostromo, returns to confront her nightmares. Waking up 57 years later, she discovers a human colony has been established on the alien-infested planet she once escaped from. Accompanied by a squad of marines, Ripley must face her fears and the extraterrestrial menace once again. Directed by James Cameron, this sequel boasts an Oscar-winning visual effects team that brings the terrifying creatures to life. With suspenseful twists and thrilling action sequences, Aliens is a cinematic masterpiece in its genre.

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  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier
    5

    Captain America: The Winter Soldier

    Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson
    3,679 votes
    • Released: 2014
    • Directed by: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
    In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) grapples with a modern world that's far from the 1940s he once knew. As a member of the covert agency S.H.I.E.L.D, Rogers finds himself embroiled in an international conspiracy. He teams up with Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), also known as Black Widow, and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), the Falcon. Together they unravel the insidious plot, while a formidable adversary, the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), emerges from shadows. This action-packed, thrilling film is part of Marvel Cinematic Universe, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.

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  • The Godfather Part II
    6

    The Godfather Part II

    Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton
    3,644 votes
    • Released: 1974
    • Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
    In the mesmerizing sequel, The Godfather Part II, we plunge deeper into the Corleone saga. This time, the narrative oscillates between two compelling timelines. In one, we follow a young Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) as he navigates the gritty underworld of early 20th century New York. The parallel story presents an older Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), grappling with the family business's expanding empire and his own moral quandaries. A crime drama masterpiece, this film bagged six Academy Awards including Best Picture, affirming its cinematic legacy.

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