These days, it’s hard to find sequel stories that live up to the original one. When a movie does well enough to get turned into a franchise, it’s usually because the studios know they can make a ton of money off of it, and so sequels (especially for animated kids movies) tend to be cash cows more than anything else. Often, creativity and good storytelling are put to the side in favor of fan service and awkwardly placed callbacks to the jokes from the first movie that became iconic. There’s a reason thatMinionsbecame such a hated franchise despite their roles as the silly side characters in the originalDespicable Me.
But what happens when the sequel is actually good, or in some cases,even better than the original movie? Sometimes the creative teams behind these franchises use sequels as an opportunity to further explore the story they initially set up, and actually expand upon the world and the characters in an interesting way. There are a few animated sequels that manage to capture the same spirit as the first movie, and actually turn out to be better in a lot of ways. These are the animated sequels that paid attention to what made their predecessors great and managed to become iconic in their own ways.
RELATED:5 Underappreciated Animated Sci-Fi Movies
How To Train Your Dragon 2
TheHow To Train Your Dragonseries is one of the most solid and beloved tocome out of Dreamworks. Every movie in the trilogy is fantastic and memorable, and they all manage to feel like complete stories that can stand on their own and aren’t just being made because they’re popular.How To Train Your Dragon 2was obviously the first to follow the initial movie, and it does a really great job of expanding on the characters and the world that viewers were already introduced to in the first movie.
The audience gets to learn more about Hiccup’s family and see how his bond with Toothless has grown in the time between the first and second film.This movie has big stakesand an incredibly emotional climax that doesn’t feel like it’s trying to cheaply elicit feelings of sympathy from the audience. It feels like a true continuation of the story in that it felt like a tale that needed to be told, not just one that they came up with because they needed to make more money off of the franchise.
Paddington 2
This might seem like it’s bending the rules of what counts as an animated movie, becausePaddingtonis essentially mostly live-action, but since the titular bear himself is animated, it counts for the purposes of this list. This movie merits discussion becausePaddington 2had the difficult task of living up to the first movie that wasdelightful and loved by many, and managed to be even more delightful and even more beloved by fans.
Paddington 2recaptures the first movie’s kind and loving atmosphere while also distinguishing itself as its own story.Paddington 2makes itself memorable with an emotional story surrounding Paddington’s love for his family, as well as an absolutely incredible performance by Hugh Grant as the movie’s mustache-twirling villain (the end credits scene alone is an absolute high point of the film). Thewhimsical feelingthat thePaddingtonmovies (andPaddington 2in particular) manage to capture is very unique, and much-needed in the world right now.
Kung Fu Panda 2
At this point, it’s safe to say that theKung Fu Pandamovies are much better than anyone expected them to be. Dreamworks is very often hit-or-miss, but this series of movies is a certified hit, managing to balance humor and emotion in a way that Dreamworks can often struggle with. This is another moviewith a message about family, which is often a good direction for a sequel to go in if they want to expand on the characters in a meaningful way.
The animation in these movies is actually quite stunning, and the influences of Chinese culture that are woven through the story andthe visual stylereally make these movies distinct.Kung Fu Panda 2took what made the first movie successful and carried it over to this film, further expanding the found family storyline and the lore of the universe that had been created. This movie almost feels like a folktale in its own way, and manages to be a fun and engaging watch with a really emotional core of Po wanting to learn more about his family and why they abandoned him.
Toy Story 2
While all of theToy Storysequels are actually quite good in their own right,Toy Story 2might be the most iconic of the bunch. This movie introducedcharacters that are essential to the franchise(like Jessie and Bullseye), and is just as beloved by fans as the original movie was. The characters get to go on a bigger adventure with slightly bigger stakes, but it doesn’t come at the expense of that emotional core, which is what theToy Storymovies are all about.
There’s so much about this sequel that stands out on its own, from the toy store setting to the unforgettable “restoration scene” where the old man repaints andfixes up Woodyin a sequence that is inexplicably relaxing to watch. A good sequel keeps what made the original great while still making its own mark, andToy Story 2manages to do that perfectly.
Shrek 2
This is, perhaps,the greatest animated sequel of all time, and many would even cite it as better than the first one (which is a tough feat because the firstShrekmovie is so utterly iconic). Again, this movie expands the story and the universe, while also not just being a copy of the first movie. This story, like the first one, is about Shrek feeling like an outsider, but this time it’s because he wants to fit in with and impress Fiona’s family. There’s a great emotional through-line and a mature message about not changing to make yourself into what the world wants you to be that works so well.
This movie is also incredibly funny and has jokes and gags thatrival the firstShrekin terms of quality and memorability.Shrek 2introduces characters like Puss in Boots and the Fairy Godmother, and even manages to pull actors like Julie Andrews to lend their voices to the characters. All of it concludes with one of the most spectacular musical numbers ever put in a movie, with the Fairy Godmother singing her rendition of “Holding Out For A Hero” over the final battle. Everything about this movie is fantastic, and the fact that it manages to be an even more entertaining watch than a movie as iconic and memorable as the originalShrekis a testament to its greatness.
NEXT:Studio Ghibli: 7 Fantasy Anime Films By Other Studios Fans Should Watch
