20 movie sequels that work as standalones

The 1968 Planet of the Apes was a landmark in science fiction. It succeeded on its own terms and spawned a franchise. Beneath the Planet of the Apes is the first sequel, and it follows yet another astronaut stranded on the titular planet who finds himself caught up in a war between the apes and the mutant humans living in the Forbidden Zone. There are enough callbacks to the original film to help orient a confused viewer, but the central conflict in the film more than suffices. The film is also remarkable for the bleakness of its ending, which sees the planet destroyed by a doomsday missile. 

Mike Myers has many notable roles in his filmography, but for many, he will always be synonymous with Austin Powers, the libido-driven spy in the film series that bears his name. The second film in the series, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, is, if anything, even sillier and more over-the-top than its predecessor. It also manages to retcon most of the first film's events, which means that it manages to function as its own story. There’s also no denying that Myers is a true maestro, appearing as he does in three separate roles: Austin Powers himself, Dr. Evil, and Fat Bastarđ. 

Few spies have gained as much recognition as James Bond, who continues to be the gold standard. Sean Connery originated the role in the film Dr. No, and he fortunately returned for the sequel, From Russia with Love, which helped to establish his iconicity in the role. Though From Russia is technically a sequel, like the other films in the franchise, it has its own focus and story that doesn’t require familiarity with its predecessor. It’s a slick and stylish film, pitting Bond against SPECTRE, and its skillful combination of the Bond ingredients helps to explain why it is often regarded as one of the best Bond films. 

Even though the Mad Max franchise technically began with the first film of the same name, one would be forgiven for thinking that Mad Max 2  is the beginning since it works so well on its own. As with the first film, the story focuses on Mel Gibson’s Max Rockatansky as he helps a group of settlers defend themselves against the predation of a group of marauders. It’s a spectacular piece of filmmaking, and director George Miller and Gibson both lean into their strengths. Almost every frame has a powerful energy, and while it may not always be the most thoughtful film, it does ask the viewer to take its spectacle and violence seriously. The result is a film that is an undeniable success. 

2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes demonstrated that there was still quite a lot of energy in the Planet of the Ape franchise, and it helped to set the stage for a world in which apes become the dominant species. The sequel, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, picks up several years later, and this time jump is a big part of why the film succeeds. Dawn is, at its core, concerned with the fraught relationship between humans and the apes and within the apes themselves. Andy Serkis’ Caesar is again a major draw, and his existential conflict with his subordinate Koba makes for compelling watching. 

Ridley Scott’s Alien  set a high bar for what sci-fi could achieve, and Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley is a true feminist icon. Aliens rejoins Ripley as she joins with other humans to look into a disappearance, and she once again finds herself confronting the monstrous xenomorph, including the fearsome queen. The film played a key role in establishing the Alien franchise and boosting director James Cameron’s profile. The fact that it was able to do all of this while also being a fascinating and terrifying (and largely self-contained) story in its own right is a testament to its strengths as a piece of filmmaking.

Ridley Scott proved to be quite prolific when it came to sci-fi in the 1980s, and though it wasn’t a huge hit on its initial release, Blade Runner  has come to be seen as one of the best in the genre. The sequel is rich, fascinating, and textured in its own right, thanks to the stylings of its director, Denis Villeneuve, himself quite the maestro in the sci-fi genre. Though the appearance of Harrison Ford, the star of the first film, is obviously a reward for fans, the film also charts its own course, thanks in no small part to Ryan Gosling, who portrays the replicant known simply as K.  

Shekhar Kapur’s film Elizabeth  helped to elevate the divine Cate Blanchett, whose physical resemblance to one of England’s most famous queens gave a further layer of verisimilitude to her extraordinary performance. In Elizabeth: The Golden Age director and actress once again make movie magic, and the film focuses on Elizabeth’s efforts to keep her realm safe in the face of an invasion of the Spanish Armada, even as she also has her heart broken once again by a man unworthy of her attentions. The film is a powerful and sweeping testament to Elizabeth's sacrifices in her efforts to be the Virgin Queen to her people. 

The diminutive Paddington Bear stole millions of hearts when he appeared in the first Paddington film, so it was inevitable that it would receive a sequel. Paddington 2  is, if anything, even more charming than the first film, and much of this can be ascribed to Ben Whishaw’s memorable vocal performance as Paddington. However, this film also includes a fantastic and campy villain in the form of Hugh Grant’s Phoenix Buchanan, who frames Paddington for theft and yearns to discover a secret treasure. The film casts a spell from the first frame to the last, and it’s one that anyone can enjoy, no matter their age. 

The first Suıcide Squad suffered from a rather banal and generic storyline and a muddy visual palette. The Suıcide Squad, as its title implies, is a sequel to the 2016 film, but fortunately, it more than stands on its own. It takes the story of this band of misfits and reprobates in some new and exciting directions, thanks largely to the inspired direction of James Gunn, who was clearly ready to let his freak flag fly with this film. The cast is uniformly excellent, the film introduces some new and great characters to the DCEU, and it has a vibrant look that is visually arresting and appealing. 

Though the first Fantasia wasn’t a tremendous success upon its initial release, it would be seen as one of Disney’s greatest triumphs. Several decades later, it received its own sequel in the form of Fantasia 2000, which, like its predecessor, features several brilliantly animated sequences set against renowned pieces of classical music. It contains some of the same spirit that animated its predecessor. Still, it also stands on its own two legs as a testament to what animation can achieve when it is not necessarily anchored to an overarching story. It is, at times, a bit old-fashioned in its approach, which is key to its charm. 

Harrison works his usual big-screen magic in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,  the second film to focus on the title character and his archaeological adventures. This installment leans even more into the action genre than its predecessor, and, just as importantly, it is also darker, with some noted horror elements (it does involve a moment of human sacrifice, after all). Even so, this film still has quite a lot of humor, and Harrison Ford is undeniably entertaining and charismatic. And, because it doesn’t have too many connections to the first film, it can stand on its own and offer its pleasures to audiences. 

The quirky and macabre Addams Family returns in Addams Family Values, the sequel to the 1991 film. While its predecessor focused mainly on the efforts to discover what had happened to Uncle Fester, the sequel has a very different Fester-centered story in that he is now the object of a scheming woman’s attempt to get his money. As with the first film, every character is perfectly cast, and there’s an infectious chemistry at work. It’s the type of film that manages to stand on its own but also rewards those who have seen either the preceding film or the beloved series from the 1960s. 

James Cameron’s original Terminator is a hallmark of sci-fi and action cinema, and, if anything, its sequel is even better. In this case, the story focuses on Sarah Connor, her son John, and their unlikely ally, the T-800. The entire cast is at the top of their game, though, of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger is a highlight as the Terminator. Throughout the film, Cameron showcases his skills as a director, and it’s a film that only grows in importance and relevance as AI becomes a more pronounced and undeniable part of everyone’s daily life, for better and for worse. 

The first film in the Cloverfield franchise was a scary mashup of a monster movie and found-footage horror, but the sequel, 10 Cloverfield Lane, goes in some interesting and fascinating directions. With John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and John Gallagher Jr. giving great performances, it’s the type of film that grabs hold and doesn’t let go. Though the aliens are very real in this film — as they were in its predecessor — most of its thrills and darkness stem from the claustrophobia as the three humans try to survive living together underground, even as more sinister motivations hover in the background. Sometimes, the true enemy comes from within.

Christopher Nolan reinvented Batman for a new generation of audiences with Batman Begins,  which saw Christian Bale step into the role. Though The Dark Knight is very much a sequel to Begins,  it can also more than stand on its own, and much of this is due to Heath Ledger’s inspired performance as the Joker. With its gritty aesthetic, it proved to be the perfect vehicle through which American culture expressed its anxieties about the post-9/11 world. Nolan once again proves himself to be a master of visual style and narrative substance, and the film well deserves its reputation as one of the best films of the 2010s. 

Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike  was a fascinating look at the world of male stripping, and it demonstrated the extent to which Channing Tatum should be taken seriously as an actor. The second film, involving many of the same characters as the first, nevertheless has a story that more than stands on its own. Though it may lack some of Soderbergh’s unique stylistic touches, the sequel does give the characters more time to flex their muscles — both literally and figuratively — and the story is a bit lighter on its feet and not quite as dramatically heavy. It is, in other words, pure visual escapism, and therein lies its brilliance. 

The first Home Alone remains a favorite during the holiday season, and its hero, Kevin McCallister, remains one of Macaulay Culkin’s best roles. The sequel, Lost in New York, follows the same premise as the first film, pitting Kevin against the nefarious thieves Harry and Marv (played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern). While it has some callbacks to the first film, it hits many of the same story beats, which means that it can be enjoyed even if one hasn’t seen it. If nothing else, it’s worth a view just to see the young Kevin once again foil the efforts of the two inept thieves to steal what isn’t theirs. 

Channing Tatum has repeatedly shown that he is far more than just a pretty face, and he has shown that he has a remarkable gift for comedy. Though 22 Jump Street is technically a sequel in that it takes place after the events of its predecessor, it’s still one of those films that can still stand on its own. In this case, Tatum’s Greg Jenko and Jonah Hill’s Morton Schmidt once again go undercover, this time on a college campus. There’s an undeniable chemistry between the two leads, and the sequel doesn’t hold anything back in its hilarity.

Both Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron performed terrific in Mad Max: Fury Road, which is the fourth installment in the series by George Miller. Though it clearly takes place in the same universe established in the earlier films, it is very much self-contained. It’s a film that manages to succeed as an action film and a parable about the dangers of climate change and human inaction. It grabs hold of the viewer from the first frame, and it doesn’t let go until the very end, and one can but hope that Hardy and Theron are brought back together for a future installment.