Movie Sequels That Were Better Than the Original

If a movie is successful, there is a pretty high chance that it will have a sequel, especially if enough source material is available. However, while often good enough on their own, it is tough for a sequel to capture the magic of the first movie. The first movie is always a revelation. The second, at best, just go a bit deeper. But in this list, we are bringing you three classics where the second movie is better than the original.

Godfather

Pretty much everyone agrees Godfather III is nowhere close to the level of cinematic and storytelling beauty the first two movies achieved. However, whether the original or the first sequel should be considered “better” is debated. We believe it is Godfather II. Fundamental to this is dynamic in the movie. Simoultainesly it shows the rise of Vito Corleone (and his softer, less cold approach to people) and the moral and human fall of Michael Corleone. The characters are much more fleshed out, and the movie has an actual moral dimension to it.

Moving away from the grim skylines of New York, the movie goes to California, to Cuba. The family is more about luxurious hotels and grand casinos rather than small street gangster stuff. So it is no surprise that the movie inspired many Canadian slots and, of course, slot games around the world. After all, it is that kind of affluence and money that many players have in mind when they visit a casino The suits and looks Michael wears in the movie are no less iconic.

Going back to the first movie, we even have quotes that have become part of our daily lives. “An offer he can’t refuse” and “nothing personal, its only business.”

Star Wars

Just to be clear, we are talking about “The Empire Strikes Back” versus “A New Hope,” not the prequels. When “A New Hope” was in the making, there was great uncertainty there would even be a sequel. But, of course, with the tremendous success of the first movie came a more significant budget and more freedom for Lucas to present his vision entirely. So in the sequel, he enlarged the conflict to a much grander scale, developed the characters more, and gave one of the most famous plot twists in cinema history: Darth Vader revealing Luke’s father.

Batman

“Batman Begins” versus “The Black Knight.” When Christopher Nolan relaunched the franchise in 2005, critics and the general audiences were impressed. But what he achieved with the sequel was even more impressive. Finally, a film gets generally regarded as not just the best Batman movie but maybe even one of the decade’s best movies.

And it is straightforward to pinpoint the cause of this. It is, without a doubt, Heath Ledger’s Joker. None of the villains from the first or the third movie come even close. With his love for random chaos, the Joker seems like the perfect antagonist for Batman and his strong sense of duty and order. The movie is almost a clash of philosophies as much as individuals. And all with a great supporting cast, and evenly paced plotline, and beautiful visual.