When it comes to generating strong numbers at the box office, sequels are the name of the game. However, a franchise cannot simply be constructed from a singular idea. Rather, additional installments work best when they take their original stories into refreshing new directions while adhering to the established premise. These changes could occur with any number of elements, whether they relate to the tone, plot, or narrative.
However, Hollywood has demonstrated that darkness is one of the most popular routes to take. TheHarry Potterfranchise, now getting aHarry PotterTV show, is one of the best examples of this idea. Throughout the series, the films get progressively darker in their tone, story, and visuals. Although it might not be for everyone,incorporating an edgy direction can be beneficial, and sometimes crucial for sequels.There are manymovie sequels with massive budgets coming in 2025which will likely follow the same trend.
Avatar: The Way of Water
Cast
Avatar: The Way of Water, set more than a decade after the original film, follows the Sully family as they face threats to their survival. With Jake and Neytiri at the helm, they strive to protect their children while combating external perils and confronting personal losses.
When James Cameron releasedAvatarin 2009, it represented a monumental step in cinematic innovation. The unique special effects and stereoscopic 3D motion capture were groundbreaking, and unsurprisingly, it’s the most successful movie ever made.In 2022, the highly anticipated sequelAvatar: The Way of Waterfinally hit screensbut took things in a new direction.
The premise of the original is undoubtedly dark, as the humans are willing to destroy the entire Na’vi civilization in pursuit of resources. However, the sequel sheds more light on the evil human practices and demonstrates further maltreatment of the Na’vi population. The film reveals the Tulkun hunting operation, where humans kill sacred whales to extract their Amrita. Worse yet, Colonel Miles Quaritch and his soldiers show zero remorse, burning down villages and killing locals just to find Jake Sully. The franchise will continue in 2025 withAvatar: Fire and Ash.
Batman Returns
Batman Returns sees the return of Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne after his victory over the Joker. This time, the Dark Knight faces a new threat in the form of The Penguin, an outcast who wants revenge on Gotham City. Featuring Danny DeVito as Oswald Cobblepot, Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle a.k.a. Catwoman, and Christopher Walken as Max Schreck, Batman Returns is Tim Burton’s second and final movie based on the iconic DC comics character.
Regardless of any personal preferences concerning which of theBatmanmoviesis superior, Tim Burton’s take on the caped crusader is undoubtedly iconic. The first film,Batman, was a smash hit upon its 1989 release, both commercially and critically. Three years later, Burton followed up withBatman Returns.Even within the first few minutes of the runtime, it’s clear that the sequel has a different tone.
When it comes to Burton’s directorial style, bleak and spooky undertones are virtually guaranteed.But withBatman Returns,Burton ramped up the potency of his tropes,incorporating more violence and distortion. The villains are completely out of their minds, and it compliments the nightmarish atmosphere. Even though these changes added to the level of absurdity, they effectively created a strange noir vibe that only served to benefit the overall quality.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Captain America: The Winter Soldier, directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, follows Steve Rogers as he adapts to contemporary life while confronting a new adversary, the mysterious Winter Soldier, amidst internal threats to S.H.I.E.L.D. The film explores themes of trust and loyalty as Rogers teams up with allies to uncover hidden conspiracies.
The MCU is no stranger to the practice of going down a dark route with sequels. Their movies have demonstrated this pattern time and again across different franchises. After all, inAvengers: Infinity War, the heroes lose the final battle and literally half of all life is eradicated. However,Captain America:The Winter Soldierrepresents a great early example of the MCU taking a dark direction, the overall palette even being darker than its predecessor.
While the original film is a hopeful tale about a small-statured man turned superhero, the sequel explores the tragic journey of Bucky Barnes, otherwise known as The Winter Soldier. With the events of Bucky’s past, it gives the movie a much gloomier vibe compared to its predecessor. Captain America is also now in an unfamiliar environment, and amidst the chaos of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s collapse, it isn’t clear which side he should be fighting for.
Logan
Logan is set in a near future where an aging Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman, takes care of a frail Professor Xavier, portrayed by Patrick Stewart, at a secluded location near the Mexican border. Their secluded existence is disrupted by the arrival of a young mutant, pursued by malevolent forces.
In 2017, director James Mangold pulled off a seemingly impossible feat. He created a standalone film in a franchise that’s nearly 20 years old, and it arguably turned out to be the best installment. Better yet, he used a completely different formula to do it.Loganwas special for numerous reasons,but perhaps most importantly, it demonstrates a perfect utilization of dark tones.
With the title character, one might initially expect a traditional superhero movie, butLogancouldn’t be farther from it. It shows the once powerful X-men as battered, emotionally weary versions of their old selves. Set in a bleak future where mutants are nearly extinct, there doesn’t seem to be anything worth fighting for.Nobody else could play Wolverine but Hugh Jackman, and instead of erroneously attempting to de-age him, his seasoned look goes hand in hand with his dire circumstances.
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan, is the second installment in the Batman trilogy starring Christian Bale as Batman. Released in 2008, the film follows Batman’s alliance with Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent as they combat the organized crime that threatens Gotham, facing the menacing Joker.
Christopher Nolan’s legendaryDark Knighttrilogyneeds no introduction. The franchise started strong in 2005 withBatman Begins, which offered a thoughtful origin story and the enthralling action that’s typically found in superhero films. However, Nolan still altered the atmosphere in the sequel and effectively created a cinematic masterpiece out ofThe Dark Knight.
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The Dark Knightis widely considered to be the greatest superhero movie ever made,and for good reason.The film takes what is allegedly an idyllic crime-fighting hero’s journey and creates a gritty, sinister, and captivating thriller that never wavers in quality. The unsettling tone is largely a product of Heath Ledger’s masterful performance as The Joker, who embodied the role to its longest length. These gloomy elements don’t feel out of place for an instant, and they elevate the plot from great to exceptional.
Aliens
Aliens, released in 1986, follows Ripley as she joins a group of Colonial Marines returning to LV-426, site of her previous encounter with the extraterrestrial species. Having been in hypersleep for 57 years, her story of survival is met with doubt, yet she assists in confronting the new threat.
In 1979, Ridley Scott created an explosion within the cinematic sci-fi genre via his critically acclaimed space horrorAlien. It was one of the first works of its kind, blending horror and sci-fi in a manner that had never been seen before. The film is unquestionably dark, but interestingly enough, the sequel is even darker. Although some might prefer the original toAliens,its quality is undeniable.
The difference in relative tone between the two movies revolves around the Xenomorphs. InAlien, the creature is an elusive, looming presence that takes down victims sequentially.InAliens, the Xenomorph threat is much more realized and violent,which contributes to the hopeless atmosphere. Even though the sequel exchanges horror for action to a large degree, it surprisingly bolsters the dreadful nature. The dread-filled story of the Xenomorphs was also recently continued with Fede Álvarez’s 2024Alien: Romulus.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
The second installment in Steven Speilberg’s classic film franchise, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom features the titular hero on an adventure in India, attempting to save the children of a remote village from a violent cult of the goddess Kali. Harrison Ford reprises his role as Indiana Jones, with a supporting cast that includes Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan, Amrish Puri, and Philip Stone.
Steven Spielberg’sIndiana Jonesfranchise has dazzled audiences for decades. Since the 1981 release ofRaiders of the Lost Ark, the series has grown into a worldwide sensation, inspiring legacy sequels, theme park rides, and video games. Although the films go through a rollercoaster of events, there is a stark difference in mood between the first and second installments.
While the original has an adventurous, lighthearted tone,The Temple of Doomis daunting, and at times, bone-chilling. From the get-go, the circumstances are utterly bleak.The village whose sacred artifact was stolen is physically affected by its absence, which gives off the effect that the entire land is cursed.From there, Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones and his companions enter an unfamiliar place and are met with pure terror. Whether it be beating hearts pulled from chests or possession, the sequel clearly took on a new vibe.
The Godfather Part II
The Godfather Part II is a continuation of the Corleone crime family saga. The film explores Vito Corleone’s early life in Sicily and 1910s New York, while Michael Corleone navigates the 1950s, seeking to expand the family’s influence into Las Vegas, Hollywood, and Cuba. Released in 1974.
Often referenced as the greatest film ever created, Francis Ford Coppola’sThe Godfatherhas stood the test of time as a marvel in cinematic history. It currently holds the number two spot on IMDb’s Top 250 movies list, and understandably so. It’s a formidable task to create a sequel that maintains the original’s quality, butThe Godfather Part IIdidn’t disappoint (at number four on IMDb).
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While The Godfather focuses on the rise and fall of members of the Corleone family, the trilogy also tells the stories of four other families.
The descent toward darker content in the sequel runs parallel to the nature of the story. While the first movie focuses on Al Pacion’s Michael Corleone’s rise and the glossier exterior of organized crime, part two delves into the underbelly of the lifestyle. It explores the moral decay that certain choices can cause, andCorleone’s transformation exemplifies these changes.His actions are ruthless, and he ultimately becomes the worst version of himself. In the case ofThe Godfather Part II, the dark direction worked perfectly.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: In Harry’s third year at Hogwarts, he faces more complex magical challenges and encounters fear-inducing Dementors. The escape of the notorious wizard Sirius Black from Azkaban casts a shadow over the school year, presenting new threats and mysteries for Harry and his friends to unravel.
TheHarry Pottermoviesperfectly exemplify the practice of sequels gradually moving towards a darker landscape. However, unlike other franchises, the Wizarding World seems to grow exponentially darker until its final moments. Although the films feature plenty of cheerfulness,there isn’t a single installment where Hogwarts is devoid of any threats.With that being said, the largest change in tone occurs in the third film,Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban.
Everything about this sequel is macabre, from the ghastly dementors to Lupin’s werewolf form. For the first time, Harry enters Hogwarts when danger is already established, and it presents a threat to every student. Sirius Black’s apparent escape creates an unsettling hysteria, especially without knowing his true intentions. The thought of him lurking around the castle at night is completely terrifying. The film’s nature is a product of its source material’s plot, but the cinematic execution is flawless.
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
The Empire Strikes Back is the second installment in the original Star Wars trilogy, directed by Irvin Kershner. Released in 1980, it follows Luke Skywalker as he trains under Jedi Master Yoda, while Princess Leia, Han Solo, and the Rebel Alliance face ongoing threats from the Galactic Empire and Darth Vader.
In 1977, George Lucas created what would be one of the largest cinematic universes in existence when he releasedStar Wars(later given the titleA New Hope). The film was obviously a massive success at the box office, yet the follow-up smashed expectations and is arguably the crown jewel of theStar Warsmovies.However, the second installment is noticeably different from its predecessor. To its core,The Empire Strikes Backfeels much darker thanA New Hope, and it makes sense in consideration of the plot.
Beyond qualities of atmosphere or setting, the things that are happening to the characters are simply worse than in the previous movie. There isn’t much success for the heroes of the story, and their obstacles only grow larger. Han Solo is betrayed by Lando, Luke gets his hand cut off, and to make matters worse, he learns that the galactic dictator responsible is his father. Yet no one will say making this sequel (and some others) darker was a bad idea when it remains among the greatest movies of all time.
