There are severalfantasysequel movies that are just as good as or even better than their predecessors. Fantasy has greatly expanded across media, including movies. There areclassic fantasy movies that lovers of the genre should watch, but also niche fantasy films that might not be as well-known. Many fantasy films have great attributes, fromvisually stunning fantasy moviesto compelling storylines to memorable characters. This genre is so vast thatthere is always a movie for everyone, even for those who might not particularly care for fantasy.
Many iconicfantasy movies do not have sequels, but plenty more have follow-up films. Some have even expanded beyond sequels, becoming widely popular and belovedfantasy franchises. The genre only continues to grow, allowing room for more sequel opportunities. While many follow-up films disappoint,many fantasy sequels are just as good as or even betterthan the first film. The reasons vary from more riveting storylines to better directing and editing. Regardless of the reason, these fantasy sequels have impacted the genre on their own, establishing themselves as high-quality films.
Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secretsis often one of the more overlookedHarry Pottermovies, and it is not one of the bestHarry Potterbookseither. However, the movie adaptation ofHarry Potter & the Chamber of Secretsactually exceeds its predecessor. AlthoughHarry Potter & the Chamber of Secretsfalls victim tosecond-book syndrome,the movie adaptation is arguably one of the most stunning of the film series.Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secretsintroduces new visual effects, such as the Weasleys' flying car, Aragog, and the Basilisk.
The new scenarios inHarry Potter & the Chamber of Secretsmake this movie just as good asHarry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone. Furthermore,the mystery surrounding the muggle-born wizards makesHarry Potter & the Chamber of Secretsmore compelling and excitingthan its predecessor.
All threeLord of the Ringsmoviesare stellar, but there issomething truly special aboutThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. The film leads to the final battles in the War of the Ring, the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and the Battle of the Black Gate. Frodo’s inner conflict withthe One Ringreaches a climax when Frodo and Sam finally reach Mount Doom.
10 Biggest Changes LOTR: The Return Of The King Makes To The Book
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, but it was different from its source material in a good few ways.
Even after Sauron is defeated,The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingprovides excellent closure for the primary characters. This film portrays a happy ending for all the heroes—even Frodo, who struggles the most in the aftermath.The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingis the perfect way to end a great film trilogy, andSauron’s defeat and the aftermath make this film more epic than its predecessors.
For a movie as iconic asShrek, it seems impossible that any of its sequels would be better, butShrek 2accomplishes this feat.Shrek 2 takes everything to the next level, including music, humor, plot, and characters.Shrekhas an amazing soundtrackwith hits such as “All Star,” “Hallelujah,” and “I’m a Believer.” However,Shrek 2features even more iconic songs, including “Accidentally in Love,” “Holding Out for a Hero,” and “Livin' la Vida Loca.”
Furthermore,Shrek 2is even funnier than the first film because of the introduction of new iconic characterssuch as Puss in Boots, Prince Charming, and Fairy Godmother—not to mention that Shrek, Donkey, and Fiona are back with their usual funny antics.Shrek 2’s plot is more exciting because the stakes are even higher, and Fairy Godmother is a more iconic villain than Lord Farquaad. Of course,Shrekstill revolutionized animation and fantasy in film, butShrek 2is bolder, better, and braver.
AlthoughNew Moonis the least interesting installment of theTwilightbooks,The Twilight Saga: New Moonis one of the bestTwilight Sagamovies.Twilighthas a more compelling plot, andNew Moondoes not become exciting until the end. However, the directing and editing of the firstTwilightfilm dampens the storyline significantly. It is messy and confusing, making a fascinating story dull. On the other hand,Twilight: New Moontakes the least compelling installment and turns it into a decent film.
Melissa Rosenberg
Bill Condon
Bella and Jacob also have zero chemistry in the books, whereasKristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner’s chemistry is much more exciting to watch. The actors who play the Volturi—Michael Sheen, Dakota Fanning, Jamie Campbell Bower, Christopher Heyerdahl, and Cameron Bright—make these villains more compelling. The introduction ofTwilight’s Quileutes—Jacob’s wolf pack—also establishes a new side to the supernatural world. Edward is hardly inThe Twilight Saga: New Moon, but it is still a better adaptation thanTwilight.
Nanny McPheeis a decent film, butNanny McPhee & the Big Bangis even better. Although the first film is more financially successful, the sequel fares better in just about every other department. Nanny McPhee and her powers have already been established, allowing the sequel to dive into the exciting action much faster than the first film.The stakes are higher with a more devious villain, more dire circumstances, and more magic.
Emma Thompson, who portrays the titular character in both movies, also wrote both screenplays.
Of course,Nanny McPheeis still a great film, butthe first movie acts more like a precursor to the main event,Nanny McPhee & the Big Bang. The Greens are also better developed than the Browns, most likely becauseNanny McPheefocuses on the fairy tale aspect more than the individual characters. It is a shame that the sequel did not do as well as anticipated becauseNanny McPhee 3would surely have been just as good as the sequel.
TheHow to Train Your Dragonmoviesare all great installments, a rare feat for a trilogy. However,How to Train Your Dragon 2is the superior film. While all three movies are excellent,How to Train Your Dragon 2introduces higher stakes because the antagonist is a much bigger threat than the Red Death.How to Train Your Dragon 2also features incredible character development on top of a compelling plot, whereas the first film primarily focuses on the antagonistic dynamic between humans and dragons.
Hiccup and Toothless endure challenging journeys that strengthen the film’s storyline, ending with incredible development for both characters.
Similarly to theNanny McPheemovies,How to Train Your Dragonseems like a prequel to the actual conflictin the sequel. Hiccup and Toothless endure challenging journeys that strengthen the film’s storyline, ending with incredible development for both characters. The dragons and the humans have their respective storylines inHow to Train Your Dragon 2, but they both intertwine at the end. This factor fleshes out the trilogy’s fantastical world more effectively.
WhileDescendantsis a great film, it falls a little flatcompared to Disney Channel’s previous musical films, such asHigh School MusicalorThe Cheetah Girls. The soundtrack is decent, but the film wasted Kristin Chenoweth’s potential, and the only memorable songs are “Rotten to the Core” and “Set it Off.“Descendantshas a great plot and compelling characters, but its sequel,Descendants 2, knocks it out of the park. Every song inDescendants 2is a massive hit, from “Ways to be Wicked” to “What’s My Name” to “Chillin' Like a Villain” to “Space Between.”
Furthermore, the action is much more exciting inDescendants 2becausethe antagonist, Uma, plays a more active role than Mal’s mother in the first film. The new characters inDescendants 2complete the storyline and add more flair to this universe. Most importantly,Descendants 2is a movie that can rivalHigh School MusicalandThe Cheetah Girls.
Mary Poppinsis one of Disney’s most iconic films, so whenMary Poppins Returnswas announced, it seemed impossible that the sequel could live up to the original. However,Mary Poppins Returnsexceeds every expectationand serves as an excellent reminder of why the first film is so beloved to begin with.Mary Poppins Returnsreinvents the titular character while keeping classic elements, such as the animation and live-action sequence, the chimney sweep musical number, and a grand finale.
Emily Blunt pays Mary Poppins justice with her interpretation of the character. She is respectful of Julie Andrews while adding her own flair.Mary Poppins Returnsis also able to do a lot more with visual effects, given that it was released in 2018, compared to its predecessor in 1964. WhileMary Poppins Returnsmight not be better than the original film, it is certainly just as good, with its own strengths.
Similarly toMary Poppins Returns,Frozen 2is not necessarily better than the first film, but it is just as good.Frozen 2acts as a second part of the entire story, which is a significant reason why it is in the same league asFrozen.Frozenfocuses on Anna and Elsa coming into themselves while repairing their bond. On the other hand,Frozen 2continues to strengthen and deepen this bond, allowing it to extend beyond Arendelle’s borders.
It is difficult to imagine whatFrozen 3can come up with becauseFrozen 2feels final. Whereas the end ofFrozenprovides a lot of potential for a sequel,Frozen 2does not accomplish the same thing. However,bothFrozenandFrozen 2have memorable songs, from “Let it Go” to “Into the Unknown” to “For the First Time in Forever” to “Show Yourself.” BothFrozenmovies are two halves of a whole, so it makes sense thatFrozen 2is just as good asFrozen.
James Cameron’sAvatarmovies set up quite the franchise, with its next installment,Avatar: Fire & Ash. There are high expectations for this movie, especially because the first sequel,Avatar: The Way of Water, is even better than the first film. The first twoAvatarmovies have revolutionized the film industry, especially with visual effects and the series' impact on 3D movies.AvatarandAvatar: The Way of Waterhave almost 15 years between them, allowing incredible strides in visuals, setting, and effects.Avatar: The Way of Wateris far more visually stunning than its predecessor.
Every Upcoming Avatar Movie (2025-2031)
Here’s everything currently known about the four Avatar sequels planned by James Cameron up until 2031, including plots, titles, and casting.
Furthermore,Avatar: The Way of Waterdeepens the characters' dynamics and histories while adding more attributes to the creative world-building. If eachAvatarfilm continues in this direction,the upcoming sequels will continue to be better than their predecessors.Avatar: The Way of Waterhas greatly improved thisfantasyworld from the first film and, hopefully, will continue to do so with future sequels.
