Top 10 Sequels Of The Past Decade: From Blade Runner To Top Gun

As a movie fan, I’ve definitely seen my share of disappointing sequels over the years – you get hyped, but they rarely live up to the original. But honestly, the last decade in Hollywood has been interesting, and since around 2017, I’ve been really impressed by how good some of the sequels have actually been. We’ve gotten some truly fantastic ones!

Over the last ten years, movie sequels have been remarkably successful. Some became massive hits, earning huge amounts of money at the box office, while others, though praised by critics, didn’t perform well commercially. This period has given us everything from grand science fiction adventures and major action films to beloved modern animated movies.

Avatar: The Way Of Water (2022)

The first Avatar film was revolutionary, raising the bar for 3D and visual effects. It became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, earning over $2 billion, but then public attention faded while the sequel was painstakingly developed over the next ten years.

After a long wait, Avatar: The Way of Water proved that audiences were still excited about the world of Pandora. The sequel was a critical and commercial success, earning over $2 billion worldwide. While it follows a similar formula to the first film, it improves upon it with fresh additions and compelling storytelling.

I really felt the time jump, and I loved seeing Jake and Neytiri with a whole family! It instantly raised the stakes. Getting to know all these new characters gave the movie so much more emotional depth than the first one, and that’s what made Avatar: The Way of Water feel truly special to me.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

It’s incredibly challenging to make a successful sequel to a beloved film, especially when decades have passed. Many attempts fall short of fan expectations. That was a real risk with Blade Runner 2049, given how highly regarded the original movie is.

Fortunately, Blade Runner 2049 met the expectations set by the first film. Director Denis Villeneuve created a visually stunning movie and brought out fantastic performances from a talented cast including Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, and Ana de Armas.

Despite receiving critical acclaim – including five Academy Award nominations and wins for Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects – Blade Runner 2049 wasn’t financially successful. With a high production cost, the film’s worldwide gross of approximately $275 million was considered a box office disappointment.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

The Mission: Impossible movies have had a bit of a rollercoaster ride. The original was a hit, the second film wasn’t as well-received, but the movies that came after steadily improved. Many fans consider Mission: Impossible – Fallout to be the best in the series, even better than the more recent installments.

In Fallout, Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt for another unbelievable mission filled with incredible stunts. The HALO jump is a particularly stunning and memorable scene, but it’s just one of many action-packed highlights in Mission: Impossible – Fallout.

The film benefits from a compelling story and a fantastic supporting cast, including Angela Bassett and a standout Henry Cavill, who is a real highlight of the series. If you’re a fan of Tom Cruise and the Mission: Impossible films, this is a must-see.

Logan (2017)

The first Wolverine movie wasn’t well-received, though The Wolverine was a decent follow-up. When Logan was announced, fans were hopeful, but cautious after the earlier films.

Ultimately, Logan proved to be the strongest and most compelling Wolverine film starring Hugh Jackman. The movie draws inspiration from the “Old Man Logan” comic book arc, portraying an aging Wolverine whose powers are fading, leaving him unusually vulnerable.

Hugh Jackman gives a career-best performance, and Patrick Stewart is fantastic as Professor X. However, Dafne Keen as X-23/Laura truly shines, brilliantly portraying both the character’s fierce and vulnerable sides. The film Logan was even recognized with an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Paddington 2 (2017)

The movie Paddington came out in 2014 and was incredibly charming and heartwarming. It was based on the popular British Paddington Bear books and became a big success. The sequel, Paddington 2, was even better and is now considered one of the greatest sequels of all time.

Paddington 2 made history on Rotten Tomatoes by earning an incredibly high number of reviews while still maintaining a nearly perfect 99% approval rating. The sequel built upon the strengths of the first film, improving everything from the supporting characters and overall story to the visual effects featuring Paddington himself.

The movie Paddington 2 is considered a masterpiece – so much so that it’s featured in a memorable scene from The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, where Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal are moved to tears while watching it. Many consider it one of the best films of the 2010s, in any genre.

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

The first two Shrek movies are widely considered animated classics. Unfortunately, the third and fourth films didn’t live up to the original standard, and the Puss in Boots spin-off felt unnecessary. So, making a sequel to Puss in Boots so long after the first one seemed like a risky decision.

It’s obvious this movie was made with a lot of creative thought and strong ideas. The story of Puss in Boots facing his own mortality – being down to his last life – was particularly well done, resulting in a compelling screenplay, especially for its genre and time.

The show’s visuals were fantastic. The action sequences felt like they came directly from a top-quality anime, and the design of the wolf villain was so impressive that it actually inspired Ryan Coogler while he was directing his Oscar-nominated film, Sinners.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Marvel/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Most movies aren’t the thirteenth installment in a series, which is what makes Avengers: Infinity War stand out. It was even bigger than previous, highly successful Avengers films, bringing together a huge cast of characters – including Black Panther, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Spider-Man.

Okay, so here’s what struck me about Avengers: Infinity War. Despite throwing a ton of heroes onto the screen, the movie surprisingly centers around the villain, Thanos. He’s not just some shadowy figure – he leads the story, gets a significant amount of screen time to develop his motivations, and honestly, his complicated relationship with Gamora is one of the most compelling things the Marvel Cinematic Universe has given us so far.

Avengers: Infinity War is fantastic because it maintains a relentless pace throughout. From the very beginning, with Thanos’s introduction, the movie delivers one thrilling scene after another. We get to see unexpected character interactions, huge battles taking place on different planets, and an ending that everyone is still talking about.

Dune: Part Two (2024)

Following the success of Blade Runner 2049, Denis Villeneuve tackled the challenge of adapting Dune, a novel many thought couldn’t be made into a film. He divided the book into two parts, and the first film was both a critical and commercial success, earning a Best Picture nomination.

With Dune: Part Two, Villeneuve raised the bar, creating a truly remarkable film. It was bigger in scope, featured more exciting action, and gave more of the actors a chance to shine. It’s an experience best enjoyed on the big screen.

Dune: Part Two, a Best Picture nominee, surpassed its already excellent first film. The actors who returned delivered even stronger performances, and the new cast members, including Florence Pugh and Austin Butler, were fantastic additions.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

I have to say, legacy sequels are usually a gamble, but Top Gun: Maverick absolutely nailed it. It’s been almost 40 years since the first movie, and they managed to keep what everyone loved about the original while adding all the incredible action we expect from Tom Cruise now. It really worked for me!

The sequel was even better than the first film. Director Joseph Kosinski and Tom Cruise collaborated to create a truly immersive experience, making viewers feel like they were right in the cockpit with the pilots. This resulted in a level of thrilling intensity that’s hard to find elsewhere.

Top Gun: Maverick received widespread critical acclaim and was even nominated for Best Picture. It also earned almost $1.5 billion worldwide, far exceeding expectations, and is widely seen as having helped revive movie theaters after the difficulties caused by the pandemic.

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (2023)

Released in 2018, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse wasn’t just another origin story; it brilliantly introduced Miles Morales and offered a fresh take on Peter Parker. It also broadened the Spider-Verse with characters like Gwen Stacy’s Spider-Woman. For many, it’s the definitive Spider-Man movie.

With high expectations following the first film, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse truly delivered. It built upon the already stunning visuals of the original, introducing a multitude of new universes and blending them together flawlessly.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse really broadened the scope of the story, showcasing more versions of Spider-Man than we’ve ever seen, and opening up entirely new universes. It also laid the groundwork for a third movie that everyone is eagerly awaiting.

2026-01-25 21:14