When audiences like a film, there is always a call for a continuation. Most of the time, a sequel is dependent upon box office numbers and whether an investment is worth the risk. Because of the immense pressure from both audiences and studios for a well-liked film's sequel to be perfect, the concepts and writing have to be well-thought-out. This can also cause a change in storytelling or style, especially if a new director is in charge of the sequel.
Update September 1, 2023: This article has been updated by Rafa Boladeras and includes even more sequels that drastically shifted genres in their sequels.
Yet, not all sequels follow the formula. Some drastically change between sequels to breathe new life into the franchise or try out a new approach. Many franchises that start out in horror evolve into action films by increasing the scope, while others decide to experiment with the genre they are telling. These are some cases of sequels that took the franchise into new territory.
12 Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
First Blood (and the book that it was adapted from) told the story of a Vietnam vet who is struggling with PTSD and only wants to be left alone, even though he can be deadly. That story was an action film, but it was also interested in the character and his inner demons. The movie was such a success, creating a second franchise for Sylvester Stallone after Rocky, but its sequel doesn’t take as much care about the character.
In Rambo: First Blood Part II, there’s much more action, killing, and bullets thrown in ten seconds than in the whole first film, as the story gets much more bloody, with the actor showing his muscles without a shirt, and in the vein of every 80s action hero, that kills first and asks questions later. The whole franchise followed the blueprint of this second movie, making it much more action-heavy and less character-driven from then on.
11 Fast Five (2011)
The Fast and Furious movies always were about cars first, and then how they used them, usually in some non-exactly legal way. The fourth film was the welcome back party for Vin Diesel as he raced between Mexico and America, moving drugs for a Mexican kingpin, and Paul Walker’s Brian was an FBI agent infiltrated in that same gang.
Fast Five shifted the franchise gears, as it took the crew to Brazil and changed genres as it's a heist movie, including some of the classic scenes of the genre like the “getting the team together”, crazy stunts, or the final twist with a flashback that shows what really happened. The film’s success made the franchise double down on the ideas of this movie and become much more globe-trotting and international, and they’ve never looked back.
10 Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
During the early success of the Marvel films, there were multiple new heroes being introduced. In 2011, Thor was the film to bring the God of Thunder to audiences. It is a classic action film that follows a hero's journey as he learns to reach his potential. The film had a great cast mixed between veteran actors and newcomers that brought the characters to life. It was a great success that helped pave the way for the expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In 2013, the sequel, Thor: The Dark World, was released with a grim approach to Thor's story. When the film did not perform as hoped at the box office, Marvel Studios decided to change the direction of the third film, Thor: Ragnarok. Because of his unusual and fun storytelling style, Taika Waititi was brought on to direct the 2017 film. This changed the tone of the trilogy from dark and atmospheric to bright visuals charged with '80s nostalgia. Fans of the MCU liked the change, and the box office records reflected that fact, which allowed for a fourth film to be made.
9 Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Captain America: The First Avenger was an origin story for the hero while telling an adventure story with obvious good and bad guys as Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and his team were fighting literal Nazis. The film ends up with Captain America waking up in the present after being frozen for more than seventy years and leaving everything open for the first Avengers movie.
That’s why Captain America: The Winter Soldier is such a surprising sequel to the first movie. It not only happens in the present, but the story follows a conspiracy thriller structure where Rogers doesn’t know who to trust, there are many grey characters, and he’s even accused of treason. Even though it’s a true sequel that follows the adaptation of Captain America to our present and shows how Hydra has been kept alive all these years later, the two movies use different genres, filming styles, tones, and dramatic arcs, as with this experience, Captain America stops being naive and starts thinking for himself.
8 Aliens (1986)
The 1979 Ridley Scott film Alien was a massively successful science fiction film. The film was groundbreaking in the sci-fi genre for its storytelling, creature design, and horror elements. It was a true creature feature with an incredible sci-fi world built around it that made for a highly successful franchise. The film also changed the way female characters were seen in modern cinema. Sigourney Weaver's Ripley is still one of the defining models that strong female leads are judged against.
With the massive success of the first film, James Cameron wrote and directed the sequel Aliens in 1986. This movie took a step away from the horror genre and moved to the action genre. Ripley was no longer stranded on the Nostromo, running and hiding. She had a crew of colonists willing to fight, and lots of firepower to fight back against the xenomorphs. With the goal changed from survival to extermination, the film switched from a horror film to an action-packed heroine film.
7 T2: Judgment Day (1991)
In 1984, James Cameron's The Terminator was released to great success. The movie was set in the science fiction genre, but was ultimately a slasher film. The robot assassin sent from the future was much like Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees. The Terminator, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, is an indestructible villain chasing down Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) with such a cool demeanor that it chills audiences.
The carefully-written 1991 sequel, T2: Judgement Day, was a bigger success than its predecessor. The film had to be changed due to the slasher being defeated in the first movie. Once the Terminator was defeated, it showed the audience that he could be defeated again. The upgraded T-1000 was introduced as the new villain, bringing the Terminator back as a hero. This gave Sarah a new weapon to fight back and switched the story to a gory action flick. The sci-fi inspiration and setting remained intact; however, the execution turned from its horror roots and became one of the greatest action movies of all time.
6 The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
The horror film Pitch Black (2000) is a great story about a motley crew that is stranded on an alien planet and must find a way to escape before the native creatures kill them all. The sci-fi elements gave an interesting setting and the monsters were scary enough to fuel nightmares. What made the film a fan favorite was the characters' backstories; especially Riddick's. While the story was focused on the current situation of escaping the planet, there were many hints dropped about Riddick's criminal background and about his mysterious past.
In the 2004 sequel, The Chronicles of Riddick, the history and lineage of Riddick is explored. The story follows Riddick as he stands off against the army of Necromongers. The story turned the franchise away from the survival horror elements and turned into an action/adventure film. It expanded the world into a massive epic, one similar to fantasy RPG's that star Vin Diesel is fond of. It brought back characters from the first film, and showed the emotional ties that were intertwined. While there was a completely different atmosphere and storytelling style, the film was still incredibly successful and became a fan-favorite film.
5 Magic Mike XXL (2015)
Magic Mike was a surprising success loosely based on the real-life experiences of Channing Tatum as a stripper before he became a movie star. The film has many male strippers dancing, but also has time for some more dark moments about trying to survive and make it in America, being an underdog and there’s some romantic comedy also sprinkled in.
Magic Mike XXL is much more funny, loose, and a hang-out film. This is pretty much a road trip with the funniest characters of the first film, not only Mike and Big Dick Richie (Joe Manganiello), but also Ken (Matt Bomer), and Tito (Adam Rodriguez), never taking itself too seriously, but treating each character’s dreams and desires with the most respect possible. This sequel couldn't have happened without the first, and yet the vibe, tone, and style are as different as they come.
4 Back to the Future Part III (1990)
Each Back to the Future film had its own genre and place in time but the difference between the second sci-fi film and the third old western one is much, much bigger. While Back to the Future Part II offered alternate timelines, and some dramatic, scary moments, even if it still had time to make fun of thirty years into the future, Back to the Future Part III is all about the old Wild West.
Even though they’re still trying to get back to the future, this third movie homages and even makes some fun of the old western movies and tropes, making Marty (Michael J. Fox) a gunslinger and having Doc (Cristopher Lloyd) falling in love and being the hero for once, with his own romantic story with Clara (Mary Steenburgen).
3 Army of Darkness (1992)
Sam Raimi's horror classic The Evil Dead from 1981 is a great example of a film that did not take itself too seriously. The film practically invented the "cabin in the woods" horror trope. With an evil spell book and demonic forces wreaking havoc over a group of friends, the film was pure '80s horror. The film was a moderate success that became a cult classic thanks to its dark humor and great visual style. The reception was positive enough to start a franchise that lead to two sequels, a remake, and a television show.
The second film, Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn, stayed close to its horror roots while upping the dark comedy. The third film in the franchise, Army of Darkness, completely changed direction. Army of Darkness took the franchise from horror to fantasy. Sending Ash, played by Bruce Campbell, back to medieval times and sent him on an adventure to find the Necronomicon in order to return to his own time. The dark humor definitely remains to keep the tone the fans love; however, the movie took an interesting fantasy approach that was the opposite of the former films. The deviation became a cult classic alongside the rest of the franchise.
2 Cars 2 (2011)
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
The first Cars is a down-to-earth movie about a hot-shot racer learning to slow down and appreciate life. It is set in the heartland of America in the world of NASCAR. The sequel, Cars 2, takes the franchise in a direction nobody would have expected. Not only does it go international (as many sequels do), but it also becomes a spy espionage story about an evil villain terrorist organization sabotaging an international race to drive up oil prices.
It is such a drastic turn for the series and is so far removed from the tone and genre of the first movie. Cars 2 is easily one of the strangest and most drastic shifts a franchise has taken.
1 Happy Death Day 2U (2019)
In 2017, Happy Death Day took Groundhog Day and threw in a serial killer. The film is a mystery slasher flick that follows a college student, Tree (Jessica Rothe), as she is stuck reliving her birthday after she is murdered. She tries to find a way to survive and get through the day; however, every day the killer finds her. It was a fun movie with an interesting spin on the time loop scenario. It has a flawed lead that the audience can root for as she grows out of her selfish ways; while still being a great dark comedy slasher film. The film had a great box office run that paved the way for a sequel.
Happy Death Day 2U came out in 2019 and had audiences buzzing with a story explaining why Tree had been stuck in the loop. What audiences were not expecting was the film taking the story into the science fiction genre. The sequel added in a machine that could alter time and space and reach out to parallel dimensions. When the machine misfired, it sent out an energy pulse that pushed Tree into a new dimension that turns everything she knows upside down. While the premise is interesting and fun, it completely diverged from the slasher genre and became a dark comedy science fiction film. While the release was met with mixed reviews, the film was still a success and fans of the first film still liked the new installment.