11 Comic Book Movie Sequels You Loved More Than the Original
Comic book movie sequels don't always turn out that well. We're looking at you, "Batman & Robin." But sometimes, studios don't really perfect the formula until the second or third go-round. From "The Dark Knight" to "Logan," here are a few great comic book movie sequels that proved to be better than the original.
'Superman II' (1980)
The original "Superman" gave us Christopher Reeve as the definitive live-action Man of Steel, but it didn't have much in the way of villains for him to punch. This crowdpleaser solved that problem by pitting Supes against General Zod and his fellow Phantom Zone criminals. Thanks to this film, "Kneel before Zod!" is one of the all-time great movie catchphrases.
3. 'Batman Returns' (1992)
Tim Burton delivered a worthy (and arguably better) followup to 1989's “Batman." This sequel recaptured much of what made the original great, but bolstered it with a great lineup of villains and a far better love story. If only we had gotten the Catwoman spinoff that was promised...
'Blade II' (2002)
The "Blade" trilogy followed the usual pattern for superhero franchises. The original established a great formula, the sequel improved upon that formula, and then everything fell apart in the third movie. But at least that means we got a dark, stylish action horror movie from Guillermo del Toro.
'X2: X-Men United" (2003)
The original "X-Men" was among the first movies to show that Marvel's superheroes could thrive on the big screen. "X2" did everything a sequel should. It gave us more mutants, a bigger, better story, and a deeper dive into Wolverine's dark past. As massive as this franchise has grown, many would argue that "X2" is still the pinnacle of X-Men movies.
'Spider-Man 2' (2004)
Here's another example of a Marvel sequel capturing everything that made the original great while delivering so much more. One of "Spider-Man 2's" greatest strengths is how it provides a villain every bit as nuanced and compelling as the hero. And in between all the impressive (if a little dated) CG set pieces, there's an insanely good amount of emotionally-driven stakes driving all the kickpunching. It says a lot that even Marvel Studios couldn't give us a better Spider-Man movie.
'The Dark Knight' (2008)
Christopher Nolan rebooted the Batman franchise in 2005 and gave us what was easily the best, most faithful Batman movie to date. And somehow, the filmmaker managed to outdo himself on the sequel. "The Dark Knight" isn't just the best Batman movie ever made, it's a strong contender for the best comic book movie of all time.
'Hellboy II: The Golden Army' (2008)
This sequel to the solid first film pushed the series in a more fantastical direction, one that took full advantage of Guillermo del Toro's visual sensibilities (and penchant for unusual creatures). It's just a shame that we'll probably never get a resolution to that cliffhanger.
'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' (2014)
While "Captain America: The First Avenger" is one of the stronger films in Phase One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's got nothing on its sequel. "The Winter Soldier" gave us a gripping spy thriller disguised as a superhero movie and one of the MCU's better villains to date. It also paved the way for so much of what's happened in this universe since, both on the big screen and TV.
'X-Men: Days of Future Past' (2014)
"X-Men: First Class" gave the franchise the fresh start it so desperately needed in 2011. But that was just an appetizer for "Days of Future Past," the only ensemble X-Men film to rival "X2" in quality. This time travel-centric tale united both the original and reboot casts for one emotionally charged adventure.
'Logan' (2017)
The funny thing about the X-Men franchise is that no matter how bad things get, it's always capable of bouncing back. 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" represents the franchise at its absolute worst. But in "Logan," fans got the gripping, violent look at the twilight of this popular X-Man's long life. It proved that sometimes superhero stories don't truly reach their potential until the very end.
'Thor: Ragnarok' (2017)
Thor has been a pivotal part of the MCU for years, but his solo adventures haven't exactly lit the world on fire. That is, until director Taika Watiti was brought on board to massively reshape this struggling franchise. "Thor: Ragnarok" gave the god of thunder the injection of humor and weirdness he needed, resulting in one of the most offbeat and entertaining MCU movies yet.
