One of the biggest cash grabs for Hollywood film studios are sequels. If a movie is successful at the box office, there’s a good chance it’s going to get a sequel. Most times, sequels make more money at the box office than the original. Today, franchise films dominate the box office while movies with original stories are overlooked by general audiences. So, this begs the question, ‘why do people love sequels so much?’ Let’s take a deeper dive into this question to find out why sequels are so popular.
The most important topic to discuss when talking about sequels is what makes a sequel good in the first place. The way I see it, there are three main criteria for a good movie sequel.
- It has to provide new elements to the original story,
- Main characters must develop throughout film,
- A sequel must be a logical step forward in the franchise.
Criteria One: For a movie sequel to be considered good, it must provide new elements to the original story. The story should be fresh, while still providing the elements that made the first movie good. The new elements that should be included are a new plot, good character development, and memorable scenes. If the sequel provides nothing new to the overall story and is nothing more than the same plot with a different setting, the sequel is not a great follow-up to its predecessor.
Criteria Two: Main characters must develop throughout the sequel. The characters from the original film must show emotional growth with the continuation of their journey. If the main characters do not show any growth or change, the story is less compelling. If the main characters of the story do not develop, the sequel should be considered a bad one.
Criteria Three: A sequel must be a logical step forward for the franchise. A sequel should not be a straight remake of the original movie. A good movie sequel will build on its predecessor. The new elements included in the movie will be a logical step forward for the story and allow the franchise to grow and expand. It’s okay for a movie to place the original characters in a new setting, but only if that setting is a logical place for the characters to go. Sometimes wild, outlandish settings and characters can stifle a sequel and provide the franchise with nowhere to go in the future. Let’s now look at a popular movie sequel and see how it stacks up against the criteria stated above.
Toy Story 2, 1999 (Sequel to Toy Story, 1995)
Let’s start with the first criterion for a good movie sequel. Toy Story 2 starts off in the same setting as the first movie, Andy’s bedroom, and then quickly places our main characters in a new setting. That being Al’s apartment and the toy store. Already we have a new and interesting setting for our characters to navigate. The plot is fresh while still exploring the overall idea of the franchise which is the life of a toy. Not to mention, there are some very memorable scenes in this film such as the “when she loved me” scene and the “Rex defeats Zurg” scene.
Okay, so Toy Story 2 seems to pass criteria one, how about the second criteria though? Throughout the film, we see major character development for all of our main characters, but especially Woody. For Woody, he learns that the love of a child is his true purpose, and he prefers to live out his days with Andy than to be placed on a shelf and never loved again. That is major growth from where we started with him. I would say that based on Woody’s growth alone, it meets criteria two.
On to the last criteria for a good sequel. I think that the plot of Toy Story 2 is a logical step forward in the Toy Story franchise. It is not just a straight remake of the first movie. The new plot and setting make for a very nice change of pace for the characters and give the audience an emotional ride. The movie’s ending also leaves room for more stories to be told about our favorite group of toys. So, with criteria three being met, I think it’s safe to say Toy Story 2 is a good sequel.
Some people will say sequels are unnecessary and Hollywood should focus more on films with original storylines and characters. While this is one possible goal, I think that Hollywood film studios should care more about the quality of the sequels they make and not just use them for cash grabs. Also, audiences should be more selective about the sequels they decide to see in the theaters.
My advice to you would be: you shouldn’t see a sequel just because you saw the original and liked it. Use these criteria to help you decide if the sequel is worth your time and money.
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