Summary

Sequels can be arrive at or drop , depending on some critical factors being used to ensure the quality remains in high spirits , and the film live up to the archetype . A sequel film has its advantages and disadvantage over the original in a duo of different ways . Sequels already have a foundation where characters have been enclose , and the story has been unfolding before the moving picture starts . Audiences are familiar with these elements and the subsequence must find a direction to move the story forward and make out the tale .

keen sequels deliver on several fundamental aspect . Theycontinue the arc and maturation of the cardinal charactersinstead of erasing them . They also involve to have a purpose for being made , meaning there should be a logical floor . If this constituent is n’t included , it could just feel like a John Cash grab by the studios .

10Building On The Previous Entry

Good Example: Avengers: Endgame, Bad Example: American Psycho 2

As testify by franchises like The Infinity Saga in the MCU , pic sequel need to build on premature entries , and not efface them . If a serial of motion-picture show is planned from the beginning , this element can be plan before of time , but that is n’t always the lawsuit . A continuation should take into considerationwhere the tale ended in the previous entry , and develop a story beyond that point , which means the world and characters should be dissemble by late event in some way .

9Natural Character Progression

Good Example: Avatar: The Way Of Water, Bad Example: Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blue

One of the worst thing to see in a horrendous continuation is acharacter that seems to reset all of their growthand development from one movie to the next . If a character has get wind a valuable lesson in one moving picture and has a meaningful spark , the worst thing a sequel can do is put them back to square one . Avataris a large example of this being done well , with Jake Sully and his rival Miles Quaritch having lasting and meaningful change from one movie to the next . They undergo strong-arm transformation , with their human bodies having been lay to rest , and they have evolved and cemented their beliefs .

These subsequence keep up major cliffhanger and show character consider with the side effect of a lost engagement , a fight between friends , or another disaster .

8Not To Feel Like A Cash Grab

Good Example: Paddington 2, Bad Example: Son Of The Mask

Some films just take a movie for the pattern , whether that ’s an odd elan of comedy , a heist , a rogue pig , or a spectacular thriller , and they create amovie sequel that does n’t take the franchiseanywhere new . Instead , the same narrative is retold , sometimes with new actors , or slightly interpolate the setting to try and make it original , but these moving picture oft come across as more of a cash catch . Sequels should avoid being exact replication or simply rejigging the formula without any firm intent to lucubrate the story further .

7A Great Starting Point

Good Example: The Dark Knight, Bad Example: Die Hard 2

Sequels involve a real intellect to be in the first place , so creating a fascinate start point is lively . ForToy Story 3 , the fib begins with the toys being donate because Andy is off to college . The Dark Knightopens with a new nefarious menace in Gotham . They both have a natural andrealistic jumping off item to separate the next narrative . Sequels need to jump into a story at an exciting moment that get to sense to the wider narrative and work up from there .

6Apply Feedback

Good Example: Sonic The Hedgehog, Bad Example: Transformers: Age Of Extinction

The menstruation between one film ’s release and the next is critical . film maker get substantial reviews , critiques and congratulations and honour for the story depending on what worked for audience , and what they did n’t savour . It ’s worthwhile for the originative team behind theoriginal movies totake this feedback into accountand consider if some of what the hearing is crying out for should be incorporate . Although not a sequel , when the trailer for theSonic the Hedgehogmovie was released , fans were irresistibly upset with how the central character see . The studio apartment listened and changed his appearance before release to be more similar to the original .

5Strong Story Arc

Good Example: Lord Of The Rings, Bad Example: Die Hard

Of course , most films need to stand on their own two feet when it comes to story arcs . Movies should have a beginning , middle , and end , and often , these are divide up into three distinct acts . However , thefranchise as a whole should also have some sort of arc . A serial of picture show that work well severally is not bad , but unless something ties them together , they are more an anthology of distinct outcome rather than one series of tale . movie likeLord of the Ringsdeliver a strong story electric arc throughout , the journey to destroy the Ring , and each movie has its own distinct bow and role developments .

Most expectant Hollywood franchises have had continuity errors of varying degree , with a single entry in the series often do the confusion .

4Introduce New Characters

Good Example: Top Gun: Maverick, Bad Example: Wayne’s World 2

While new part are not life-sustaining to make a sequel a achiever , it helps . give the original characters someone novel to interact withand build up relationships for dependable or regretful is vital for creating young dramatic event and meaningful moments . New characters can be villains , someone from the biography of the protagonist before the event of an early film , or , even more effectively , someone who enters the tarradiddle because of the action of the original story events . Top Gun : Maverickintroduced new characterslike Bradley " Rooster " Bradshaw , the son of Maverick ’s late escape companion , Goose , to great effect . And the two have a complex relationship because of the event explored in the original .

3Don’t Ignore Original Characters

Good Example: Top Gun: Maverick, Bad Example: Ghostbusters: Answer The Call

While it is crucial to consider adding new characters , a sequel should also assure itdoesn’t forget or efface original role . Again , Top Gun : Maverickdoes a fantastic job involve meaningful characters like Maverick ’s old competition , Iceman , who has since progressed in his military life history to become an full admiral . The film also think of Goose , who passed away in the first film , and the story still revolves around Pete " Maverick " Mitchell .

2The Story Should Naturally Evolve

Good Example: Aliens, Bad Example: Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines

Sequels need to move the narrative along and have a upstanding start power point as mentioned above , but they also demand to naturally evolve . Inconsistent changes can turn down the overall quality , but having thestory naturally develop from what happens in the originalcreates a stronger connection between the two . Aliensdid an incredible chore of carrying the story of Ellen Ripley frontwards , see her battle with the outcome of the first and doing all she could to ensure the wight that plagued her in the first entry were utter and gone by the next . Unfortunately , othermovie sequel shoehorn new elementsto create further sequels , and they are n’t as warm .

1An Ending (Not Just Laying Foundations For Another Sequel)

Good Example: Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Bad Example: Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice

When a enfranchisement make up one’s mind to change the course of their picture show after multiple discharge , major retcons postulate to be made to accommodate the changes .

Terminator 2 : Judgment Daysaw the movieend with the automaton dead and John and Sarah Walker in conclusion spare from the scourge of Skynet . It felt as thoughthat chapter of the story was eventually closed , but as take in with belated entries , there are still ways around conclusion to bring to the story . Some can work and experience like a natural advancement , while others snub other details , late endings and sometimes full movies to make their story body of work .

Christian Bale in costume as Batman in The Dark Knight Rises, with traffic and car lights behind him

Star Wars Rey with Lightsaber and Alien Xenomorph

movie-sequels-retcon-remove-franchise

Tony Stark snapping his fingers to kill Thanos in Avengers Endgame

Aunt Lucy arrives in London to meet Paddington in Paddington 2.

Sonic smiling in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 movie

Aragorn looks concerned listening to bad news while his soldiers anxiously await their next order in the background in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Miles Teller as Rooster, Lewis Pullman as Bob, and Jay Ellis as Payback in Top Gun: Maverick.

Iceman talking with Maverick in Top Gun Maverick

The T-800 Terminator being lowered into lava in Terminator 2