List Rules Sequels that arrived at least 10 years late. Vote up the movies that actually lived up to expectations.
A list of cinematic sequels that hit theaters after long stretches of franchise inactivity, with the best and worst ranked by savvy movie buffs. Hollywood sometimes has a hard time continuing a series, even one that sounds like a guaranteed blockbuster. With films that take forever to get made, all those years spent in development hell can heighten hype as well as the potential for spectacular flops.
Jurassic World arrives more than two decades after the original and just shy of 15 years after the last Jurassic Park, and all that time riding the proverbial bench means outsized expectations like those that accompanied long-delayed chapters like Toy Story 3, Mad Max: Fury Road, and, of course, The Godfather: Part III.
This kind of film is like running into an old friend you haven't seen in years: either you're reminded of all the good times you shared or you're embarrassed to have ever been associated with them. So where do these sometimes classic and occasionally notorious movies that really took their sweet time coming to theaters rank when stacked against each other?
Vote up the sequels that were worth the wait, vote down each film that dashed hopes and brought shame to the originals. Your votes will make it clear which franchises aged like fine wines and which sequels arrived way after their expiration dates.
Released in 2015, 30 years after Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985).
Mad Max: Fury Road is a 2015 action film directed by George Miller. In a post apocalyptic desert wasteland where gasoline and water are scarce commodities, Max Rockatansky (Max Hardy) joins ...more
Released in 2015, 32 years after Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983) and 10 years after Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005).
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a 2015 American epic space opera film directed by J. J. Abrams. Three decades after the Empire's defeat, a new threat arises in the militant First Order. ...more
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654 260
Toy Story 3Tom Hanks, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Keaton
Released in 2010, 11 years after Toy Story 2 (1999).
Toy Story 3 is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated comedy film, and the third film in the Toy Story series. It was produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. ...more
4
755 338
Jurassic WorldBryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt, Vincent D'Onofrio
Released in 2015, 14 years after Jurassic Park III (2001).
Jurassic World is an upcoming 2015 American science fiction adventure film directed by Colin Trevorrow. It is the fourth installment in the Jurassic Park film series. The screenplay was ...more
5
256 171
Finding DoryEllen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Hayden Rolence
Released in 2016, 13 years after Finding Nemo (2003).
Finding Dory is a 2016 American 3D computer-animated comedy adventure film directed by Andrew Stanton, and a sequel to Finding Nemo. The friendly but forgetful blue tang fish, Dory (Ellen ...more
Released in 2012, 10 years after Men in Black II (2002).
Men in Black 3 is a 2012 American 3D comic science fiction-action film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starring Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, and Josh Brolin. It is the third installment in the ...more
Released in 2017, 35 years after Blade Runner (1982).
Blade Runner 2049 is a 2017 American neo noir science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve, and a sequel to the 1982 film. A young blade runner's (Ryan Gosling) discovery of a long-buried ...more
9
324 359
RamboSylvester Stallone, Julie Benz, Graham McTavish
Released in 2008, 20 years after Rambo III.
Rambo is a 2008 American-German independent action film directed, co-written by and starring Sylvester Stallone reprising his famous role as Cold War/Vietnam veteran John Rambo. It is the fourth ...more
Rocky Balboa is the sixth installment in the Rocky franchise, written, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone who reprises his role as the title character. The sixth film in the Rocky ...more
Released in 1990, 13 years after The Rescuers (1977).
The Rescuers Down Under is a 1990 American animated adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures on November 16, 1990. Set in the Australian ...more
Clerks II is a 2006 American comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith, sequel to his 1994 film Clerks, and his sixth feature film to be set in the View Askewniverse. The film stars Brian ...more
Released in 2007, 12 years after Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995).
Live Free or Die Hard is a 2007 American action film, and the fourth installment in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by Len Wiseman and stars Bruce Willis as John McClane. The ...more
14
320 363
Tron: LegacyOlivia Wilde, Jeff Bridges, Cillian Murphy
Released in 2010, 28 years after TRON.
Tron: Legacy is a 2010 American science fiction film produced and released by Walt Disney Pictures. A sequel to the 1982 film Tron, it is directed by Joseph Kosinski, produced by Tron director ...more
(32 Years Before Episode IV) Stranded on the desert planet Tatooine after rescuing young Queen Amidala from the impending invasion of Naboo, Jedi apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Jedi Master ...more
Released in 1996, 15 years after Escape From New York (1981).
Escape from L.A. is a 1996 American science fiction action film co-written, co-scored, and directed by John Carpenter, co-written and produced by Debra Hill and Kurt Russell, with Russell also ...more
Released in 2009, 10 years after Boondock Saints (1999).
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day is a 2009 American vigilante film written and directed by Troy Duffy. The film serves as a sequel to the 1999 film The Boondock Saints. The film stars Sean ...more
18
60 16
The Incredibles 2Holly Hunter, Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson
Released in 2018, 14 years after The Incredibles (2014).
Released in 1990, 16 years after The Godfather: Part II (1974).
The Godfather Part III is a 1990 American crime film written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, and directed by Coppola. It completes the story of Michael Corleone, a Mafia kingpin who ...more
Released in 2003, 12 years after Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991).
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines is a 2003 American science fiction action film, directed by Jonathan Mostow and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes, and Kristanna Loken. ...more
Released in 2006, 19 years after Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987).
Superman Returns is a 2006 American superhero film directed and produced by Bryan Singer. It is based on the DC Comics character Superman and serves as an homage sequel to the motion pictures ...more
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143 279
Fantasia 2000Steve Martin, Bette Midler, James Earl Jones
Released in 1999, 59 years after Fantasia (1940).
Fantasia 2000 is a 1999 American animated anthology film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 38th film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics ...more
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a 2008 American science fiction adventure film. It is the fourth film in the Indiana Jones series created by George Lucas and directed by ...more
Released in 2014, 20 years after Dumb and Dumber (1994).
Dumb and Dumber To is a 2014 American road buddy comedy film co-written and directed by Bobby Farrelly and Peter Farrelly. It is the third film in the Dumb and Dumber film series and a direct ...more
Released in 1998, 18 years after The Blues Brothers (1980).
Blues Brothers 2000 is a 1998 American musical comedy film that is a sequel to 1980's The Blues Brothers, written and produced by John Landis and Dan Aykroyd. Directed by Landis, the film stars ...more
Released in 1998, 30 years after The Odd Couple (1968).
The Odd Couple II is the 1998 sequel to 1968's The Odd Couple. Written by Neil Simon, the film reunites Jack Lemmon as Felix Unger and Walter Matthau as Oscar Madison in their last film ...more
