Making a sequel without the original director can be a tricky thing, but some of thebest sequels of all timehave seen someone else come in to give a new take. There seems to be a shared consensus that a franchise works best with one vision guiding it from beginning to end. For example, it is impossible to imagine anyone else but Christopher Nolan doing one of the entries inThe Dark Knighttrilogy. However, sometimes a new voice is just what a franchise needs.
There are somelong-delayed sequelslikeBlade Runner 2049that have made the director switch but maintained the spirit of the original. There are also some examples in the MCU where new directors helped boost a struggling franchise. There are also some extremely successful movies that defied expectations with a sequel that managed to be just as great with someone new at the helm. While rare, these sequels prove that a new director isn’t always a bad thing.
By the time the firstStar Trekmovie was released, the sci-fi series had already gained a cult following. However, despite passionate fans,Star Trek: The Motion Picturewas met with a rather lukewarm reception, with many pointing to the slow pace of the movie and a dull story as its major weaknesses. Given the poor reception, it is not surprising that director Robert Wise did not return, and Nicholas Meyer was chosen to replace him.
Nicholas Meyer returned to the franchise to directStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Countryin 1991.
Star Trek II: Wrath of Khanalso removed series creator Gene Roddenberry from a creative role on the movie, yet still connected to the original series, serving as a sequel to the classic episode “Space Seed”.Meyer clearly knew what was needed to get the franchise back on track, asWrath of Khanis a much faster-paced and exciting installment, boosted by a terrific villain and some emotional stakes. To date, many regardWrath of Khanasthe bestStar Trekmovie.
Despite being one of the founding members of the Avengers,Thor’s solo moviesin the first two phases of the MCU were largely seen as forgettable. The firstThorwas an enjoyable but oddly small-scale fantasy adventure from Kenneth Branagh, whileThor: The Dark Worldfrom director Alan Taylor was seen as one of the earliest misfires from the MCU. It was clear that Thor’s third movie needed to take things in a new direction.
Taika Waititi proved to be as different a direction as you could imagine as he brought a wacky sense of humor toThor: Ragnarok.The movie unexpectedly ended up being the funniest MCU movie while really letting Chris Hemsworth shine as the God of Thunder. While this approach didn’t work as well forThor: Love and Thunder, Thor: Ragnarokreimagined the hero for the better.
WhentheHarry Pottermovie franchisekicked off its story of the young boy wizard, Chris Columbus seemed like an ideal choice to direct, as he had helmed iconic children’s movies, like Home Alone. However, after he stepped away from the franchise following the first two movies, it became necessary for a filmmaker who could handle the darker direction that the franchise was heading in.
While Cuarón never returned to the franchise, he delivered one of its strongest entries.
Following his Oscar-nominated erotic dramaY tu mamá también,Alfonso Cuarón seemed like a bit of an unusual choice for the fantasy franchise, but he injected new life intoHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.The movie has a truly distinct and energized feel compared to the other movies, while also bringing in some necessary character development as the characters get older. While Cuarón never returned to the franchise, he delivered one of its strongest entries.
Rise of the Planet of the Apessurprised a lot of people, as a prequel toPlanet of the Apesdidn’t seem like a necessary story to tell. However, director Rupert Wyatt delivered a hugely entertaining adventure movie about the intelligent ape Caesar (Andy Serkis) leading a rebellion to free the other oppressed apes of the world. However, that was just the beginning of the potentialthe newPlanet of the Apesfranchisehad.
Matt Reeves also directedWar for the Planet of the Apes.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apespicks up in the aftermath of the ape rebellion, with much of the human population wiped out by a virus. However,Matt Reeves' world-building in the sequel makes for a much richer and more epic storythat showcases the continuing struggles of the ape rebellion, including dissent from within. It is a big, ambitious blockbuster that delivers on excitement and emotion.
Joe Johnston’s old-school style of filmmaking worked great forCaptain America: The First Avenger, as it was a thrilling World War II adventure movie. He also helped to make Captain America a character who could work in a real-world setting without seeming too silly. However, a new approach was needed for the sequel, which would explore Steve Rogers' new reality in the 21st century.
Joe and Anthony Russo certainly didn’t seem like the obvious choices forCaptain America: The Winter Soldier, as they were mostly known for their work in sitcoms, likeCommunityandArrested Development. However,they proved themselves immediately with the more hard-hitting fight sequences as well as the tone of a paranoid thriller. This not onlyredefined Captain America in the MCUbut also established the Russos as the go-to directors within the cinematic universe.
Matt Damon was known for powerful dramas before he earned his action movie star credentials inThe Bourne Identity. Director Doug Liman turned the spy thriller into a big hit despite the movie’s troubled production. However, while Liman deserves credit for kicking off the franchise, it was director Paul Greengrass who really madetheBournefranchisewhat it was.
Along with the action, the sequel delved deeper into the morally grey aspects of Damon’s protagonist.
Greengrass was known for realistic dramas by the time he took onThe Bourne Supremacy,and his grounded and gritty style proved surprisingly perfect for the action movie. The handheld camera gave the movie a distinct feel and made the fight sequences all the more impactful. He also delivered a car chase sequence that even bested the excellent one from the first movie. Along with the action, the sequel delved deeper into the morally grey aspects of Damon’s protagonist.
Blade Runneris one of the most influential sci-fi movies of all time, withBlade Runner 2049director Ridley Scott creating an aesthetic with his vision of a future that inspired many movies that followed. The mix of noir storytelling and sci-fi also worked brilliantly. However, while Scott was interested in exploring thevarious cuts ofBlade Runner, he seemed less interested in returning to the story.
While it would seem like no other filmmaker could make aBlade Runnermovie to compete with Scott’s vision, Denis Villeneuve was bold enough to take on the task. Not only did Villeneuve succeed in capturing Scott’s approach, but he and cinematographer Roger Deakins expanded the world with their own arresting visuals. More impressively,Blade Runner 2049does exactly what a sequel is meant to do in building on what came before but telling a completely new story that is filled with thrills and emotion rather than just callbacks.
Top Gunis one of thedefining movies of Tom Cruise’s careerand the role that made him a true box office star. However, despite its iconic status, it never felt like a movie that was in desperate need of a follow-up. This was especially true as more time had passed since its 80s feel was starting to feel more and more outdated, as well as the entire concept of manned fighter planes in the military. With the death of Tony Scott, it seemed decided there would be no sequel.
However, Cruise began to develop the movie with his trademark determination, bringing indirector Joseph Kosinski, who perfectly captured the style of Scott’s filmmaking from the first moviewhile bringing it into the 21st century in a thrilling way. The more immersive midair sequences gave the audience a thrill ride in a way that couldn’t be done in the original movie.Top Gun: Maverickblew audiences away as a superior sequel and a massive box office hit.
Another Ridley Scott sci-fi classic isAlien, a pitch-perfect horror movie set in the isolated darkness of space. Ridley Scott expertly builds the tension and uses the claustrophobic feeling of the atmosphere while also delivering one of thegreatest movie monsters of all time. However, the best sequel in theentireAlienfranchisemanages to follow Scott’s brilliant original by going in a much different direction.
The result is one of the most entertaining popcorn movies ever made, with sequences of terrific suspense, crowd-pleasing moments, and a great ensemble of characters.
InAliens,James Cameron switched out the tense horror feel of the movie with a bombastic action movie approach. The result is one of the most entertaining popcorn movies ever made, with sequences of terrific suspense, crowd-pleasing moments, and a great ensemble of characters. It was a risky gamble from Cameron, but it paid off beautifully.
When it comes to theoriginalStar Warstrilogy, there are probably a lot of people who are under the assumption that George Lucas directed all three movies. While Lucas is rightfully seen as the overseer of the entire trilogy, as its creator and writer, he actually only directed the first movie. WhileA New Hopeset the tone for the entire saga, there are many who feel the bestStar Warsmovie was delivered by another filmmaker.
George Lucas directed all three movies in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
ForThe Empire Strikes Back,Lucas turned the directing duties over to Irvin Kershner.It was reported that Lucas was unhappy with how dark the sequel turned out to be, but that is one of the aspects ofThe Empire Strikes Backthat is praised the most. The story and characters are much richer and more complex, with real emotional stakes involved, rather than just a fight between good and evil.
