Everything is a sequel nowadays, between TV series, video games and movies today sequels rule and nothing can be said, the 2024 box office says so where the 10 highest grossing films are all 10 sequels or reboots.
“Inside out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, Despicable me 4, Dune: part two, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Kung fu Panda 4, Venom: The Last Dance, Beetlejuice, Bad Boys: Ride or Die and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”, these are all the box office champions of the past year. As much as I appreciated many of these films it cannot be ignored that they are all franchises that we already know and have seen, so the question I ask myself is that all this is not a danger for the film industry?
The advantages of sequels:
- Money, money and money: Ok, let’s be honest: sequels are like a sure hit at the cash register. If the first film hit the mark, here comes the sequel like a friend who brings you a giant gold cake. Producers love sequels because they already have a loyal fan base, and the chances of high box office returns increase. And if we talk about franchises like Marvel, Star Wars or Fast & Furious, well, we are talking about empires more than brands. Between films, merchandise and video games, the flow of money seems never ending and this can give more solidity to the industry. After all, who doesn’t love money?
- The introduction of narrative universes: We can’t deny it, people love to be immersed in a universe that continues to grow, The Avengers is not just a film, it is a whole world of stories, characters and intrigues that intersect. And let’s also think about Harry Potter with all its spin-offs. Sequels, when they are well done, can expand narrative universes, offering fans a “second home” where they can take refuge film after film. If there is one thing that makes your eyes shine, it is knowing that the story is not over yet. Universes are a great opportunity to go deeper into the various characters, both those we love and those we hate, and sequels if done well, can give second chances to characters that weren’t properly written in the previous film.
The disadvantages of sequels:
- Movies becomes déjà-vus: Well, sometimes, sequels are nothing more than the cinematic version of a déjà vu. If a film has been a great success, it’s easy to decide to re-propose a formula that has already worked. But, by repeating the same tricks over and over, the result can be a bit… predictable. The risk of falling into the “already seen” is always around the corner.
- Where has the originality gone?: Finally, when everyone is too busy growing a franchise, sometimes we forget about original and fresh films. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from this long saga of sequels, it’s that a bit of originality never hurts. And while sequels dominate, it is not easy for emerging directors to have their moment of glory. Unfortunately, producers seem to prefer the safe “already seen” rather than giving chances to emerging directors and risking new stories.
- Sequels that should not have existed: there are many sequels of good films that have come out badly and logically failed like Joker: Folie à Deux just this year, or The Matrix Revolutions, Jurassic Park III or The Next Karate Kid, all projects that despite nostalgia or the attempt to replicate a success have made the sequel become a shadow of the original film, with forced scripts, characters that seem more like caricatures and an absence of that magic that made the first chapters shine. The result is that the audience, disappointed, prefers to forget these sequels rather than remember them as part of the saga.
It’s a Question of Balance!
Like any good film, the answer to the question of whether sequels are good or bad for cinema is not simple. They can carry on exciting stories, continue to excite us and give us new memorable chapters. But, when you overdo it, they risk becoming a game that is too safe, devoid of surprises and sometimes they can even fail. The secret is to find the right balance between innovation and continuity, between nostalgia and freshness.
