Much like a highly anticipated second album for a musician, releasing a movie sequel can be an intimidating experience. However, despite this common misconception, some of the best films ever made have been sequels. Screenwriters can use tactics like character growth and mixing genres like action with comedy to keep the audience engaged and make the sequels triumph over their predecessors.
Here is a list of the top 10 sequels that are better than the original movie, as ranked by TIME.
10. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
This American Gothic sci-fi horror film is the sequel to the original Frankenstein. This time around, the Bride of Frankenstein sprinkled in the campness that Frankenstein could have done with. This film is widely considered as a benchmark when it comes to monster movies and its themes of queer subplot, feminist plot points and meditations on necrophilia past the ratings board.
9. From Russia With Love (1964)
This is the second installment of the Bond franchise, and some would say it’s the best Bond film. It did well to boost the franchise into what it has become and allow it to be taken more seriously. Many fans believe Sean Connery to have been the best Bond actor to date.
8. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
This popular spaghetti western is the third film in Sergio Leone’s spectacular Man With No Name trilogy – all of which star Clint Eastwood. Leone had a very low budget for the film, so many of the scenes were silent because it was much faster than filming scenes that involved dialogue. Ennio Morricone’s wonderful score filled the silences and created an unimaginable tension.
7. The Godfather Part II (1974)
This one shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. The second installment in Francis Ford Coppola’s gangster thriller series takes the biscuit as the best of all. It was also the Godfather film that took home the most Oscars and it was the first sequel to win the Best Picture award.
6. Dawn of the Dead (1979)
This horror is infamously better than its 1968 cult classic predecessor Night of the Living Dead and it raised the bar for horror movies to come. Its premise follows survivors of the apocalypse who are trapped in a shopping centre and begin to turn as mindless as the zombies that are gunning for them.
5. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
This film is said to include the biggest twist in cinematic history, which earns it the spot for best sequel of the franchise. The storyline of familial anxiety sets the tone for the rest of the Star Wars series and helps to develop it from campy sci-fi flick into a full-blown space opera.
4. Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (1982)
This episode in the Star Trek series focused more on building character development than the special effects its predecessor honed in on. The saga had become slightly formulaic, but the villain, played by Ricardo Montalbán, helped it to stand out from the rest.
3. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
It is a particular rarity to see a comedy film overtake its original, but National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation was the third in its series and remains, to most likely be rewatched. It could be the addition of Christmas that makes this film the best of the catalogue.
2. Superman II (1989)
The second installment of Superman wins the crown this time around. This film manages to separate the personalities of Superman from Clark Kent successfully, and this dynamises the franchise. Superman II brings the watcher in with its character development and humour.
1. Silence of the Lambs (1991)
This film often gets the top spot as many people’s favourite. It’s technically sequel to Manhunter, but it feels like a totally different film. Anthony Hopkins plays Hannibal Lecter and he Jodie Foster’s character Clarice manage to build an eerie connection not easily done. Silence of the Lambs swept the awards season and this included picking up the gong for Best Picture.