Best sequel in movie history.

[Wormwood]

In terms of a sequel's net improvement over it's predecessor, Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan is unequalled in the history of film.

Evil Dead 2 is my personal favorite sequel, but I also loved the original. I consider it a single 3 hour movie rather than two separate films anyway.

 

[orbitalfreak]

Star Trek II: The Wrath of KKAAHHHNNNN!!!!
Aliens
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
T2: Judgement Day
Toy Story 2

 

[reapersaurus]

Can't argue with any of the choices making the list so far, but I'll add Predator 2 into the mix as a possible...

Mark, you HAVE to be joking, right?
Please say you're joking.

I'll go with Star Trek 2, without a doubt.

But one not mentioned, but pretty unequivocoble, is X2.

 

[Mark]

Mark, you HAVE to be joking, right?
Please say you're joking.

Nope. I thought it was a bold move to basically change the setting, cast new star protagonists and simply keep the antagonist. I'm not sure that's been done before and I think the acting talent enlisted was a cut above those cast for the original miove, acting-wise. Granted actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura and Sonny Landham lend themselves more readily to an action film, but you must admit that picking up stars like Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Rubén Blades, Maria Conchita Alonso, and Bill Paxton doesn't follow the trend to short-sheet the budget of a follow up film. The sequel focused not only on the struggle between the alien and humans, but also on the protagonists' place in the world and relationships with others around him. I enjoyed the movie despite it being quite different from what I expected it to be.

 

[Psychotic Dreamer]

Wow. I had never quite looked at Predator 2 like that Mark. I did enjoy the movie, but had never really given it that much thought.

 

[KenM]

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=sequel

se·quel ( P ) Pronunciation Key (skwl)
n.
1. Something that follows; a continuation.
2. A literary, dramatic, or cinematic work whose narrative continues that of a preexisting work.

The Two Towers certainly qualifies as a continuation of the work begun with Fellowship of the Ring. And its also the greatest sequel of all time.

IMO The Two Towers is not a sequel because they filmed all 3 movies at same time. A movie sequel is something that goes into production after production on the last movie stoped.
Back on topic, best sequel IMO was Mummy Returns(2001), in the fact it continued to devlop the characters more, plus you need to know the story from the first one, it was not just a re-hash.

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

My vote goes to Godfather II. When you watch both together, it feels like one film. Some people felt that it went too far in showing Michael's descent, but I always felt it was necessary and reinforced everything that was said about the Mafia in the first film. The level of depth they added to Michael Corleone, the continuing mob wars, the interweaving stories of Michael and the younger Vito Corleone, the interconnectedness with real-world history vis a vis the Cuban revolution and the Senate hearings on organized crime, as well as the amazing climax on the lake. Quite possibly better than the first, itself a superb film.

 

[Welverin]

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=sequel

se·quel ( P ) Pronunciation Key (skwl)
n.
1. Something that follows; a continuation.
2. A literary, dramatic, or cinematic work whose narrative continues that of a preexisting work.

The Two Towers certainly qualifies as a continuation of the work begun with Fellowship of the Ring. And its also the greatest sequel of all time.

Problem is tTT doesn't stand on it's own and thus can't truly be considered a separate movie. That adds up to it not be a sequel, just like the novel the movies were broken up because they were deemed to long to sell as one, and in the case of the movies it was definitely the right decision.

Of course it's not good enough to be the greatest sequel of all time either.

>snip defense of Predator 2<

I also liked Predator 2 and I'm a bit surprised that anyone would think it was bad, which may not be the case here, but I do remember in an older thread it getting put down.

 

[John Crichton]

All time, eh?

The Empire Strikes Back followed closely by Wrath of Khan. Honorable mention goes to Aliens, The Two Towers and T2. I made my choices based on the quality of the actual film versus other films, not the sequel compared to the original.

I have enjoyed other sequels tremendously but if we are talking all time and not my favorites then Empire is tops. I have always considered it the quintessential sequel - at least to the fantasy/scifi genre. It made possible all the sequels that came after it.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Nope. I thought it was a bold move to basically change the setting, cast new star protagonists and simply keep the antagonist. I'm not sure that's been done before and I think the acting talent enlisted was a cut above those cast for the original miove, acting-wise. Granted actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura and Sonny Landham lend themselves more readily to an action film, but you must admit that picking up stars like Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Rubén Blades, Maria Conchita Alonso, and Bill Paxton doesn't follow the trend to short-sheet the budget of a follow up film. The sequel focused not only on the struggle between the alien and humans, but also on the protagonists' place in the world and relationships with others around him. I enjoyed the movie despite it being quite different from what I expected it to be.

It also provided the greather myth of the Predator, moving it from just a hunter killer to cult status. If Predator 2 was not made and did as well as it did the Predator would not have made it to pop culture icon.