Of Dune: Part Two to Inside Out 2 for the long awaited Beetle juice Beetle juice2024 delivered some truly excellent sequels that managed to live up to their classic predecessors. As Hollywood increasingly relies on well-known franchises to ensure audiences show up to theaters, sequels are becoming even more common. And those audiences are showing up to prove the studios right — eight of the 10 highest-grossing films of 2024 were sequels — so sequels will likely continue to dominate multiplexes for years to come.
There have been some great prequels in 2024 as well. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is an explosive new chapter in George Miller's post-apocalyptic epic, The first omen is a terrifying portrait of the birth of Damien Thorn, and A peaceful place: first day went back to the day the sound-sensitive aliens landed. This year brought some sequels that divided fans and critics, like Joker: Folie à Deux and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empirebut there have been plenty of satisfying sequels that expanded their franchises in really exciting ways.
10
Twisted
Lee Isaac Chung Twisted it's only tangentially connected to the original film. It doesn't share any of the same characters; It's just another story about storm chasers in tornado season. But it is exactly the dazzling cinematic spectacle that the first film was. The real star of a disaster movie is the disaster itself, and Twistedvery similar Twistedmanages to give audiences the thrill of experiencing a deadly tornado in the safety of a movie theater.
Romantic subplots often detract from a disaster movie's blockbuster entertainment, but Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones share such electric on-screen chemistry that their love story is as exciting as any of the tornadoes. Twisted demanded to be seen on the big screen. It's an eye-popping cinema experience, just like the first one.
9
Paddington in Peru
Of Jump to Sonic the HedgehogFilms about CGI animals wreaking havoc on anyone's life in live action tend to be mediocre, tepid family entertainment. But Paddington and Paddington2 ended up being two of the best films of all time. Ben Whishaw's endearing performance as the titular bear made him one of cinema's most beloved icons, and Paul King's no-nonsense direction ensured the films were witty, fast-paced and wore their hearts on their sleeves.
The third sequel from 2024, Paddington in Perufell short of the two previous masterpieces. It suffered from not having King in the director's chair; King passed the torch to first-time filmmaker Dougal Wilson as he moved to Wonka. But just because it doesn't live up to two of the best films ever made doesn't mean it's a bad film. Paddington in Peru It's still a fun and heartfelt adventure.
8
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
Eddie Murphy reprized one of the most iconic roles of his career in 2024. Netflix has brought back quick-witted undercover cop Axel Foley for another action-packed adventure in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F - and, fortunately, it turned out much better than Coming 2 America. Considering that the Coming to America the sequel paled in comparison to the original film, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F It's easily the best Beverly Hills Police Officer film from the first.
The fourth film sends Axel back to Beverly Hills when his estranged daughter, now a powerful defense attorney, is targeted by a dangerous gang. Murphy recaptures the chatty energy of his original performance as Axel, much more so than in his reprisal of Prince Akeem. Director Mark Molloy restores the perfect balance between action spectacle and laugh-out-loud hilarity of the original film.
7
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
From the “Ugly Sonic” controversy to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sonic the Hedgehog It has faced every obstacle possible in its quest to become a blockbuster film franchise. And against all odds, it managed to overcome these obstacles and become a smashing success. Each of Sonic films were better than the previous ones. The first film was an affable action comedy, the second pushed the boat out with a little more imagination, visual flair, and video game knowledge, and the third is the best of the bunch.
Shadow's story is surprisingly emotional and Keanu Reeves brings real depth to the character. Jeff Fowler's direction is more bombastic and assured than ever. And franchise MVP Jim Carrey has twice as much time to shine in a dual role as Dr. Robotnik and his grandfather, Gerald.
6
Gladiator II
It could easily be argued that Ridley Scott's case Gladiator It didn't need a sequel. It is a perfect epic of swords and sandals, whose mythic simplicity makes it a timeless masterpiece. But there's no denying that Scott's standalone sequel, Gladiator IIis one of the most impressive blockbuster shows of the year. Scott didn't just pit men against men; he threw them into the arena along with wild animals like monkeys, rhinos and even bloodthirsty sharks.
Thanks to Denzel Washington's performance as Macrinus, Gladiator II It's much funnier than the first film. It's also a more complex and compelling political narrative about an iron-fisted tyrant usurping the throne of Ancient Rome. Gladiator II It may not be the untouchable masterpiece that its predecessor is, but it is one of the most enthralling big-budget films of the year.
5
Deadpool and Wolverine
Marvel Studios' Deadpool and Wolverine is not a direct sequence of Deadpool 2. It uses Deadpool's crimes in the film's post-credits scene to instigate his conflict with the TVA, but it serves more as a standalone film integrating Deadpool into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Still, it deftly recaptures the meta mutant mayhem that made those first two Dead Pool very entertaining films; the threequel could be even more Deadpool than its predecessors.
It was a joy to see Ryan Reynolds' Merc with a Mouth back on the big screen, and his pairing with Hugh Jackman's Logan - the perfect straight man for his wacky comedic persona - made him even funnier. Deadpool and Wolverine It's a delight from start to finish. It has some of the biggest laughs, biggest action sequences, craziest cameos and the best soundtrack in history. Dead Pool trilogy.
4
Alien: Romulus
Stuck between Foreigner and AliensFede Álvarez Alien: Romulus took the franchise back to its roots. Since releasing two of the best films ever made with its first few entries, this series has had a very bumpy road. The sequels that followed got worse and worse, and the interim was filled with bad crossovers and polarizing prequels. But in 2024, Álvarez delivered the best Foreigner film since Aliens - and it should have happened a long time ago.
Alien: Romulus combines the best elements of Foreigner and Aliens. The first half of the film is a chilling space haunted house thriller, like Foreignerwith shocking blood and tense scares. The second half is a high-octane action blockbuster like Alienswith swarms of xenomorphs and acid-stained gunfights. Cailee Spaeny is the toughest Foreigner heroine since Ripley and David Jonsson is the most likable synth since Bishop.
3
Beetle juice Beetle juice
After 36 years of anticipation, Tim Burton finally directed a sequel to Beetle juice in 2024. Legacy sequels don't always live up to their predecessor - in fact, they rarely do - but Beetle juice Beetle juice is exactly the macabre delight that its 1988 predecessor was. It may not be as scary or hilarious as the first, but it perfectly recaptures the spirit of the original classic.
Michael Keaton effortlessly returns to the role of Betelgeuse, once again stealing every scene he's in and capturing the audience's attention. Instead of giving in to the temptations of CGI and green screens, Burton reused the traditional methods of practical sets and special effects that made the first film so immersive and spectacular. Beetle juice Beetle juice it was a welcome return to the afterlife that recaptured what made the original great without just remaking it.
2
Inside Out 2
It was incredibly risky for Pixar to make a sequel to From the inside out. It wasn't a commercial risk – from Disney's point of view, it made perfect financial sense – but it was certainly a creative risk. From the inside out is one of Pixar's most moving films, with a powerful message about the positive role of sadness. This set the bar very high for a potential sequel. Inside Out 2 could have ended like Finding Dory and Incredibles 2unnecessary additions to their perfect predecessors, or even Cars 2a total disaster.
Happily, Inside Out 2 became more similar Toy Story 2. It's a worthy successor to the first film that builds on what came before. It rounds out Riley as a three-dimensional, individual character and introduces a wider range of more complex, mature emotions – particularly Anxiety, one of the biggest movie villains of 2024.
1
Dune: Part Two
Dennis Villeneuve Dune: Part Two It's not a sequel in the traditional sense. It's not a sequel to an independent film that was produced just because the first one generated enough profit for the studio to want more; it is the second half of the story that Villeneuve began in the last. It was always planned to make a second film to complete Villeneuve's ambitious and visually stunning adaptation of Frank Herbert's science fiction literary work.
From Greig Fraser's breathtaking cinematography to Hans Zimmer's otherworldly music, Dune: Part Two There are all the things they did Dune: Part One a masterpiece. But it's also a much bigger and bolder film than Part One. Part One everything was built and Part Two everything is reward, as Paul Atreides reluctantly leads the Fremen in an apocalyptic holy war.