History Main / EvenBetterSequel

** The ''Shrek'' spin-off ''WesternAnimation/PussInBoots2011'' got good remarks with the main appeal being it stars Puss himself as well as being better than the last two films from the main series. However, its long-awaited sequel, ''Westernanimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'' surpassed it handily by retaining the same comedy and likeable characters while adding surprisingly deep themes about mortality and death, strong CharacterDevelopment, one of the greatest antagonists that [=DreamWorks=] has ever created, and the occasional ArtShift.

* Music/{{Rush}}'s ''Music/FlyByNight'' is vastly more respected than their [[Music/RushAlbum debut album]], largely because of Neil Peart joining the band. Not that the original doesn't still have its charms.

* The ''{{Anime/Patlabor}}'' TV series (a separate continuity from the first OVA and the movies) was consistently decent, but the second OVA (which followed in the same continuity as the TV show) was much better, upping not just the production values but also the humor and the drama.

* Music/{{Nirvana}}'s ''Music/{{Nevermind}}''. While ''Nevermind'' was a massive success and now ranks highly as one of the greatest albums of all time, Nirvana's first album, ''Music/{{Bleach|Album}}'', is almost completely unknown by comparison.

** The ''Shrek'' spin-off ''WesternAnimation/PussInBoots2011'' got good remarks, but ''Westernanimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'' surpassed them handily by retaining the same comedy and likeable characters while adding surprisingly deep themes and the occasional ArtShift.

* ''DCII'' is this for the ''VisualNovel/DaCapo'' franchise. The original was a [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny generic]] cuteness Eroge. The second one had some surprising twists and turns and a plot that was actually moving.

[[caption-width-right:350:Now with 80% ''less'' pointless {{Fetch Quest}}s!]]

* The Super-Poseable Spider-Man from the Spider-Man (2002) movie line, while a great figure, had it's flaws, including very limited chest articulation, a barely-functioning head joint and shoulders that don't move all the way up. When Spider-Man 2 came out, Toy Biz released the Super-Poseable Spider-Man for the second movie, which was a huge improvement over the original. This one fixed all the flaws the first one had,including a second chest joint, shoulders with a huge range of movement, and neck articulation that moves all the way up, and included several new points of articulation, including armpit joints and individual articulated fingers.

Not to be confused with SurprisinglyImprovedSequel, where the sequel is "even better" only because the original wasn't all that good.

** ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2'' has been widely considered to be even better than [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda the original]], which is already considered one of [=DreamWorks=]'s best films to date. This is because, as mentioned in the opening paragraph of this page about ''Alien'' and ''Terminator'', it tried something new. The last story was about Po coming into his own and learning to be the Dragon Warrior. This film was about saving the world and finding out about Po's past. It wasn't a rehash of the same thing at all, which helped it a lot. Also, like the ''Terminator'' and ''Alien'' sequels, it featured a shift towards more action, which was available now that Po had completed the training from the first movie. No BagOfSpilling here! Likewise, there is more drama as Po learns some hard truths about the apparent fate of his family and his people and must struggle to come to terms with it. In turn, it sets the stage for the next with [[spoiler:Po's biological father, part of a hidden village of giant pandas, realizing his son is alive.]] It also gave the Furious Five a much greater chance to actually show off their abilities against actual enemies and help Po in battle, something they didn't get to do in the first movie.
** The ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}'' films received a giant jump in quality with each sequel installment. This was partly because the main cast's struggle to get home gave the series a structure, allowing it to conclude in an emotionally believable way that builds on the characters' growth and change with [[WesternAnimation/Madagascar3EuropesMostWanted the third film]].

* Most fans agree that the second season of the ''{{LightNovel/Slayers}}'' anime, ''Slayers NEXT'', is superior in all aspects, from story to character development, to the first season. Unfortunately, [[{{Sequelitis}} it declined shortly after that.]]

** While the first ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' movie is still regarded as a classic animated comedy, ''WesternAnimation/Shrek2'' is the most popular of all the ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'' franchise's four main movies. It had a bigger plot, [[ArtEvolution much better animation]], more and improved action scenes, several new characters (including [[EnsembleDarkhorse Puss in Boots]]) and was a bigger smash hit during the time it ran in theaters than its predecessor.

** Although not a hard rule, it's often seen that a beloved ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' season will be a sub-par ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' season while a sub-par Sentai will be seen as a superior Power Ranger Series. This is mostly due to the fact that Power Rangers benefits from having knowledge of what the response to the story in Japan is as well as the reaction and can change the plot to better fit American tastes if needed. Consider, for example, ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'' which was well received by U.S. Fans for being a good natured jab at the franchise as a whole, and tossed out the interdimensional storyline from [[Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger its counterpart's]] mediocre plot to instead tell a story that is basically Terminator's Robot War settings, vs. ''Series/PowerRangersSamurai'' which was widely disliked in the States, despite being similar in story line to [[Series/SamuraiSentaiShinkinger its Japanese counterpart]], which was widely praised by Japanese and U.S. Fans alike.

** Although not a hard rule, it's often seen that a beloved ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' season will be a sub-par ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' season while a sub-par Sentai will be seen as a superior Power Ranger Series. This is mostly due to the fact that Power Rangers benefits from having knowledge of what the response to the story in Japan is as well as the reaction and can change the plot to better fit American tastes if needed. Consider, for example, ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'' which was well recieved by U.S. Fans for being a good natured jab at the franchise as a whole, and tossed out the interdimensional storyline from its mediocre Japanese plot to instead tell a story that is basically Terminator's Robot War settings, vs. ''Series/PowerRangersSamurai'' which was widely disliked in the States, despite being similar in story line to it Japanese counterpart, which was widely praised by Japanese and U.S. Fans alike.

* ''WesternAnimation/WallaceAndGromit'': their debut short ''WesternAnimation/AGrandDayOut'' was well received, won or was nominated for numerous awards, and is still popular... but that's nothing compared to the second short ''WesternAnimation/TheWrongTrousers'', a technical tour de force with stronger storytelling and humour that is generally considered the best entry in the series.

* While both of the ''Latibær'' plays that ''Series/LazyTown'' is based on are well-received, the latter, ''Glanni Glæpur Í Latabæ'', is generally seen as an improvement over ''Áfram Latibær'', due to it having more of a plot, having more stylized sets and costumes, and being the introduction of fan-favorite character Glanni Glæpur/Robbie Rotten.

* Some have considered ''WesternAnimation/Cars3'' to be a better film than ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'', due to having even more CharacterDevelopment, improved writing, a well-written female protagonist, as well as completely ignoring the events of the [[{{Sequelitis}} first]] [[WesternAnimation/Cars2 sequel]].

* ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe2'' is regarded by many to be better than the first film as well as the best film of the franchise.

* Many fans consider ''Westernanimation/Sing2'' to be superior to [[Westernanimation/{{Sing}} the original]], due to having a more memorable, fleshed-out antagonist, a consistently strong soundtrack, and the heartwarming character development that many of the returning characters have gained since the last film.

** Fans going off the music alone are not unheard of to find ''The Marshall Mathers LP 2'' a better album than the original, especially when it first came out -- it has a JerkToNiceGuyPlot Eminem rapping with [[TechnicianVersusPerformer superior technique]], and lacks the {{Horrorcore}} experiments, homophobic blowjob skits, forced D12 promotion and repetitive TakeThatCritics theme that hampered the original. However, it has had far less of a social impact than the first album, with its most enduring song ("Rap God") being more of interest to people who rap themselves than to general audiences.

* While both of the ''Latibær'' plays that ''Series/LazyTown'' is based on are well-received, the latter, ''Glanni Glæpur Í Latabæ'', is generally seen as an improvement over ''Áfram Latibær'', due to it having more of a plot, and being the introduction of fan-favorite character Glanni Glæpur/Robbie Rotten.

* Most people agree that ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' ended up better than [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory1 the original]]. Many also consider that ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' managed to top them both. The first two films have a rare 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while the third one has 99% (although it also received many more reviews in total). ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4'' was more contested, though by [[Franchise/ToyStory the series]]' standards the reception was still positive overall (97%), and many were surprised how much it matched up to its predecessors.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuersDownUnder'' is often considered to be better paced, better written, and in general a better movie to the original ''WesternAnimation/TheRescuers'', [[ContestedSequel though there is still some debate within the fandom about that]].

* Most agree that ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' ended up better than the original. Some feel ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' managed to top them both. The first two films have a rare 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while the other one has 99% (although the third also received many more reviews in total). ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4'' was more contested, though by the series' standards the reception was still positive overall (97%) and many were surprised how much it matched up to its predecessors.

* Some feel that ''WesternAnimation/FindingDory'' managed to top ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'' due to having Dory as the main character, its even ''more'' emotional story, and being one of the funniest Pixar movies.

* As far as Rotten Tomatoes goes, critics have rated ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater'' more highly than its predecessor - ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'', which was also generally well-received.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

** While the first ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' movie is still regarded as a classic animated comedy, ''WesternAnimation/Shrek2'' is the most popular of all four movies. It had a bigger plot, [[ArtEvolution much better animation]], more and improved action scenes, several new characters (including [[EnsembleDarkhorse Puss in Boots]]) and was a bigger smash hit during the time it ran in theaters than its predecessor.

** The ''WesternAnimation/{{Madagascar}}'' films received a giant jump in quality with each sequel installment. This was partly because the characters' struggle to get home gave the series a structure, allowing it to conclude in an emotionally believable way that builds on the characters' growth and change with the third film.

** ''WesternAnimation/PussInBoots2011'' got good remarks, but ''Westernanimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'' surpassed them handily by retaining the same comedy and likeable characters while adding surprisingly deep themes and the occasional ArtShift.

* ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe2'' is often regarded by many to be better than the first film as well as the best film of the franchise.

* Many fans consider ''Westernanimation/Sing2'' to be superior to [[Westernanimation/{{Sing}} the original]], due to having a more memorable, fleshed out antagonist, a consistently strong soundtrack, and the heartwarming character development that many of the returning characters have gained since the last film.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet3DreamWarriors'' is considered by a lot of fans to be the best in the series. Same with ''Film/WesCravensNewNightmare'', though some consider that a separate film from the main series.
* Although ''Film/TheAddamsFamily'' was very well recieved critically and financially, it's often accepted that its sequel, ''Film/AddamsFamilyValues'', is even better, especially regarding plot and script.
* While the original ''Film/{{Alien}}'' is a great movie -- interesting characters, creepy and horrifying designs for the alien, it introduced the xenomorph life cycle to an unsuspecting populace, and so on -- the second movie, ''Film/{{Aliens}}'', is widely [[ContestedSequel (though not universally)]] regarded as a better film. It also benefited from a GenreShift from straight up Horror to Action Horror, which meant that instead of suffering from {{Sequelitis}}, ''Aliens'' was able to do things its own way.
* ''Film/AsterixAndObelixMissionCleopatra'' ([[ComicBook/{{Asterix}} the titular comics]] live-action adaptation) was a lot funnier and better than the first, ''Film/AsterixAndObelixTakeOnCaesar''. Its own sequel, ''[[http://streetfighter-4.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/asterix_aux_jeux_olympiques1.jpg Asterix and Obelix at the Olympic Games]]'', is said to be less good than the second but better than the first.
* While ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' was by no means a bad movie, many viewers held the opinion that its script was rather forgettable. ''Film/AvatarTheWayOfWater'', on the other hand, is considered by many to be a better movie than its predecessor due to having a less generic plot and having a more developed cast of characters. Even many of the haters of the first one concede the sequel is better.
* ''Film/BatmanBegins'' was the reboot everyone hoped for after [[Film/BatmanAndRobin the Neon Age of Schumacher]], but it was ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' that won universal acclaim and a posthumous UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Creator/HeathLedger.
* ''Film/BeforeSunrise'' is widely considered to be a great romance film. Its sequels ''Before Sunset'' and ''Before Midnight'' are regarded by most people to be just as good as, if not better than, the original because of their exploration of different stages of Jesse and Celine's relationship and consequently more mature themes of growing up and long-term commitment.
* Albeit ''Film/{{Blade}}'' is not generally considered a bad film, it was also disregarded as just an "action flick" by many critics. But Creator/GuillermoDelToro's ''Film/BladeII'' is regarded as an improvement from the first for the more harsh critics of the franchise and --by far-- the best of the trilogy (especially in comparison to the third movie) for the fans and the more benevolent critics. It's also considered one of Del Toro's more memorable works (which is saying a lot).
* Downplayed example: ''Film/BladeRunner'' is [[VindicatedByHistory now widely considered]] such a cinematic classic that no follow-up could [[ToughActToFollow ever live up]] to its greatness. The announcement of a sequel was met with disbelief and incredulity, but the naysayers were proved wrong when ''Film/BladeRunner2049'' received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, who found it ''at least'' as good as the original if not superior, despite the astronomical expectations. It quickly earned a spot on many lists of the best movie sequels of all time, and picked up two Academy Awards to boot. There's a small but devoted crowd that considers it better than the original thanks to its expanded world-building, deep and emotionally moving story and better writing of its [[ActionGirl female characters]].
* ''Film/BrideOfFrankenstein'' is often considered to be a horror masterpiece and even better than [[Film/{{Frankenstein 1931}} its predecessor]], which is no small feat. In its retrospective of the 100 all-time greatest films, ''Magazine/TimeMagazine'' hailed it as "one of those rare sequels that is infinitely superior to its source."
* ''Film/DollarsTrilogy'' is widely considered to be three good movies, with the closer ''Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly'' standing out as the best.
* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
** ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' was considered a solid action movie by most critics and audiences, applauded for its fun characters and proper character development, but it had the second-lowest box office returns of the MCU's first wave of movies (only ''Film/{{The Incredible Hulk|2008}}'' did worse), and it was written off by numerous fans as nothing more than a simple prologue to ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}''. To many people's pleasant surprise, ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' turned out to be one of Marvel Studios' most critically acclaimed films to date, garnering the strongest reviews for the series since ''The Avengers'', and the fandom considers it one of the contenders for the best film in the franchise. It's also another one of the GenreShift examples, as ''First Avenger'' was a WWII adventure while ''Winter Soldier'' was a ConspiracyThriller.
** In general, Phase 3 is seen as having fixed many of the problems that most of the films in Phases 1 and 2 had, namely their forgettable villains and [[StrictlyFormula formulaic nature]], as well as Phase 2 focusing entirely too much on world-building and continuity.
** ''Film/AntMan1'' was a decent, uneven film with solid performances, entertaining fight scenes and enjoyable sense of humor, but a boring villain, [[StrangledByTheRedString poorly written romance]], awkward attempts at connecting itself to the larger [=MCU=], and the fact that it was mostly a retread of ''Film/IronMan1'' hamstrung it a great deal. ''Film/AntManAndTheWasp'', on the other hand, improved upon it greatly with tighter pacing, more entertaining dynamics between the main characters, connections to the [=MCU=] that came across as far less forced, and a more interesting, fun, and unique plot that featured a compelling, sympathetic antagonist in the form of Ghost.
** ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' has its strong points, but it's generally seen as a step down from ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', which was a ToughActToFollow. In particular, many reviewers criticized its overly complex plot, its over-abundance of new characters (not all of whom were properly developed), and its occasionally [[MoodWhiplash uneven blend of drama and comedy]], as well as a few overlong action sequences that lacked any real pathos. ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' is considered an improvement in every conceivable way, with many critics calling it one of the greatest superhero films ''ever''. It boasts a tighter plot, a stronger villain, and more epic action sequences; it manages to effectively juggle ''dozens'' of superheroes in the same cast, and it's all capped off by [[spoiler:[[TheBadGuyWins an emotional gut-punch of an ending]].]] ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' shattered everyone's expectations all over again, ending with a GrandFinale to end all {{Grand Finale}}s.[[note]] Note that this is partly due to a talent shakeup at Marvel Studios: Creator/JossWhedon directed the first two ''Avengers'' films, but frequently had to deal with ExecutiveMeddling by Marvel's infamous "creative committee". After he declined to return, he was replaced by Creator/TheRussoBrothers who only had to answer to Creator/KevinFeige following Disney restructuring the company.[[/note]]
** ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' has been garnering better reviews than its [[Film/SpiderManHomecoming two]] [[Film/SpiderManFarFromHome predecessors]] and has shaped itself as one of Marvel Studios' most acclaimed films, seen as on par with the above-mentioned ''Avengers: Endgame''.
* ''Film/{{Crank}}'' was somewhat over-the-top (mildly formulated) but enjoyable. The sequel [[{{Pun}} cranked]] everything up, including the meta. Please have your ration of BellisariosMaxim ready!
* ''Film/DrunkenMaster'' is a thoroughly beloved action-comedy, and a classic of {{Wuxia}} cinema that turned Creator/JackieChan into a movie star. Against all odds, its sequel ''Drunken Master II'' managed to surpass its high bar: Magazine/TimeMagazine ranked it one of the 100 greatest films '''''of all time''''' in 2005, and Creator/RogerEbert called its climactic foundry sequence the greatest fight scene ever committed to film.
* The ''Franchise/EvilDead'' series.
** ''Film/{{The Evil Dead|1981}}'' was a cult film that was noted for its extreme violence and low-budget gore. ''Film/EvilDead2'', however, added a new element of slapstick comedy, which is apparently what Creator/SamRaimi wanted all along. The action also focuses more on the character of Ash, who became something of a cult icon.
** The third film, ''Film/ArmyOfDarkness'', has the highest budget and is the most well known. It continued the trend toward increased slapstick violence and making Ash a wisecrack-spouting badass, which is generally what people remember most about the series.
* ''Film/TheExpendables'' was a case of CriticalDissonance. ''Film/TheExpendables2'' managed to get better reviews alongside very positive audience remarks, as it added more big names, more action and used a more comedic, self-deprecating tone.
* ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'': Interestingly, [[Film/FridayThe13th1980 the original film]] is not usually the one people remember. [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness It doesn't even feature Jason]], and on its own, is usually seen as a mediocre slasher at best. The [[Film/FridayThe13thPart2 following]] [[Film/FridayThe13thPartIII three]] [[Film/Fridaythe13thTheFinalChapter films]] are the classics, with the fourth film usually being hailed as the ultimate ''Friday the 13th'' film. ''[[Film/FridayThe13thPartVIJasonLives Part VI]]'' also has its fans.
* ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation'' is seen as this to people who enjoyed ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra''. Others consider it to be a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel.
* ''Film/GameraGuardianOfTheUniverse'' was a pretty good reboot of a long-dead franchise. ''Film/Gamera2AdventOfLegion'' had a tighter script, deeper characters, better special effects, more action and more gore. ''Film/Gamera3AwakeningOfIrys'' had less action but even deeper characterization and still better special effects with more effective gore, and a better script. It's still debated whether the second or third is the best, but everyone agrees they're both better than the first.
* Some film buffs consider ''Film/TheGodfatherPartII'' to be better than the original ''Film/TheGodfather'', and everyone considers it to be at the very least comparable. This is partly because of the brilliant decision to tell as parallel stories the origin of Vito Corleone's criminal career, which was a part of the original Mario Puzo novel, and the tragic descent of his son Michael.
* The original ''Film/{{Gremlins}}'' movie is regarded as a classic '80s horror-comedy, even if it feels [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny cliché by today's standards]] to some. Warner Brothers had tried to make a Gremlins sequel for years with no success before finally re-hiring director Joe Dante to helm it, which he did on the condition that he had final authority on the film's content. The result was 1990's ''Film/Gremlins2TheNewBatch'', which cranked the satire and metahumour up by mocking the very concept of movie sequels and taking a sledgehammer to the Fourth Wall.
* For the third ''Film/HarryPotter'' film, ''[[Film/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban The Prisoner of Azkaban]]'', Chris Columbus left the series and auteur Creator/AlfonsoCuaron stepped in. The end result is a film that many critics consider far more mature and stylized than the [[TheFilmOfTheBook by-the-book]] adaptation approach of the first two films.
* ''Film/HelloMaryLouPromNightII'', while more obscure, is considered a superior film to the original ''Film/PromNight1980'' by those who have seen it. [[InNameOnly It's actually a sequel in name only]], and has a more original premise that combines elements of both the slasher and supernatural horror genres, while also having a more self-referential tone, and it embraces its campiness to the fullest extent. It also pays homage to many, many classic horror films. The original ''Prom Night'', while still fun to watch for its own reasons, stuck very, very close to conventional slasher tropes, and is considered one of the more generic films in the genre.
* While ''Film/TheHungerGames'' is good, its sequel ''Film/TheHungerGamesCatchingFire'' improves on it in every way: a new director, less JitterCam, better performances from everyone, spot-on pacing, much improved effects, a darker and more mature story that remains completely faithful to the book, and a third act filmed in IMAX with a shocking and sudden {{Cliffhanger}} ending. While the first film had to skirt around violence involving children and teenagers, the adult cast for [[spoiler:the special edition Hunger Games featuring past winners]] gave this one much more free rein with its action sequences.
* ''Film/JamesBond'': The first three films are generally considered to be progressively better than the one that came before it. ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}'' is still regarded by some as the best Bond film ever.
* ''Film/JohnnyEnglishReborn'': Many viewers found Johnny's CharacterDevelopment from lucky moron into CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass to make for much more interesting watching than the first film.
* ''Film/MadMax''
** ''Film/MadMax1'' and ''Film/MadMax2TheRoadWarrior''. The first was impressive for a low-budget action film to come out of Australia, though by today's standards is rather slow-paced and tedious (despite some excellent auto-stunts). The second film practically popularized the ScavengerWorld and TheApunkalypse in film, filled with balls to the wall action and was the best remembered film in the series for the next 30+ years, at least until...
** ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'', critically acclaimed for its action, [[ShowDontTell visual storytelling]] and WorldBuilding, acting, surprising amounts of CharacterDevelopment and depth despite a very simple story, and relentlessly feminist message. It earned universally positive reviews - 97% on Rotten Tomatoes (a point higher than ''Film/SchindlersList'', it's actually the 4th highest rated movie on the site) and [[OutOfTheGhetto an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture]], unheard of for a [[ScifiGhetto summer action movie]]. It was only a few weeks after its release that fans and critics started calling it one of the greatest action films ever made.
* ''Film/MissionImpossible'' is a rare franchise where (after the [[Film/MissionImpossibleIII third film]], the first one regarded by a majority of people as [[SurprisinglyImprovedSequel actually being]] [[GrowingTheBeard really good]]) each subsequent movie has gotten better reviews than its predecessor, partly because the films [[SerialEscalation just keeping topping themselves]] in terms of increasingly insane and over-the-top stunts. After the standout first one the films fluctuated in quality, but by movie [[Film/MissionImpossibleGhostProtocol 4]] and [[Film/MissionImpossibleRogueNation 5]], some were beginning to see that they'd even reached greater heights than before. ''Film/MissionImpossibleFallout'', the sixth entry, is touted by some as ''one of the best action films of TheNewTens''.
* ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'' basically invented the entire zombie movie genre overnight, even while [[UnbuiltTrope simultaneously destroying it]] with subtle undertones of social satire. For the sequel ten years later, Creator/GeorgeRomero wisely followed the ethos of "If ain't broke, don't fix it", and kept the core premise of characters trapped in one building that was besieged by zombies, but made the masterstroke of setting it in an urban shopping mall. The result, ''Film/DawnOfTheDead1978'', is a gorier, scarier, funnier, and more intense film than the original, delivering more of what everyone liked in the original but adding more action and more zombies while upping the social attire to scathingly sharp levels.
* Reviews of ''Film/Paddington2'' frequently mentioned it was even better than the critically acclaimed first film. It also became the most-reviewed film on Rotten Tomatoes with a perfect 100% score, surpassing ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2''.
* ''Film/ThePinkPanther1963'' tends to be hit by this, at least for modern audiences. The original movie, while far from unpopular in its day, is essentially a typical (and somewhat dated) 1960s sex farce with a bumbling French policeman played by Creator/PeterSellers popping up every so often. As the policeman -- a certain Inspector Jacques Clouseau -- proved to be the EnsembleDarkHorse even for contemporary audiences, the sequel ''Film/AShotInTheDark'' made him the central character, amped up the absurdist humour and structured the narrative to be more of a crime/murder-mystery spoof, which later sequels would [[{{Sequelitis}} for better or worse]] draw on more.
* The third ''Film/PoliceAcademy'' film, ''Police Academy 3: Back in Training'' is considered by most fans as the series' peak.
* ''Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes'' was considered a flawed but successful and enjoyable reboot to an ailing [[Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes sci-fi franchise]], with a groundbreaking performance by Creator/AndySerkis helping to make up for its faults. ''Film/DawnOfThePlanetOfTheApes'' improves on everything, with more complex characters, both human and ape, across the board, strong social and political themes that are deeply explored, and a career-best performance from Serkis, with many calling for an Oscar nomination. The result has been compared to ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' and ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', been called one of the best and most emotionally powerful movies of 2014, and the kind of film other summer blockbusters should strive to be. And trilogy closer ''Film/WarForThePlanetOfTheApes'' managed to also be an improvement with its heightened emotion and tension, leading to even higher critical scores.
* ''Film/{{Scream 2}}'' is considered by critics to be scarier and funnier than the original ''Film/{{Scream 1996}}''. {{Discussed}} in Randy's film class, where everyone discusses movie sequels, the frequency of sequels that are better than first installments, and which sequels achieve this.
* ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020'' was already considered an astounding subversion of VideoGameMoviesSuck, and ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog22022'' earned even better remarks with a larger scope, fun new characters, and more elements reminiscent of the games.
* ''Film/SpiderMan2'' had a drastically improved plot and insight on the main character when compared to the first movie, as well as longer, bigger, and better fight scenes. And if anything, the knockout train battle against Doctor Octopus was the Spider-Man fight everyone had been waiting and hoping for.
* ''Franchise/StarWars''
** While ''Film/ANewHope'' is considered a cinematic masterpiece, many consider ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' as an even better film, and the best of the ''Franchise/StarWars'' saga, though [[PopularityPolynomial at the time of release it was disliked by many fans]], and there are some who still argue ''A New Hope'' was better (perhaps because ''A New Hope'' can be enjoyed pretty well on its own, whereas casual viewers of all the other films will suffer ContinuityLockOut).
** ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' is generally considered the best of the prequels, although some claim [[SurprisinglyImprovedSequel that's more on the previous two's faults than the film's own merits.]]
* ''Film/SuperSizeMe2HolyChicken'': Held against the original ''Film/SuperSizeMe'', this really shows Spurlock's maturation as a film-maker with vastly improved camerawork, editing, and scripting, as well as delivering a much more targeted and robust critique of the fast food industry by focusing on its VeryFalseAdvertising and [[MegaCorp Big Chicken]]'s abusive corporate practices against the regular farmers compared with the far more {{Anvilicious}} message of the original.
* ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' got even more acclaim than ''Film/TheTerminator'', and had a much higher gross than the already-beloved first film. Like the ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' series, it shifted from horror in the first installment (which was effectively a SlasherMovie) to a greater focus on action in the second. Incidentally, both sequels were directed by Creator/JamesCameron, though unlike ''Alien'', Cameron also directed the first ''Terminator''.
* ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheFellowshipOfTheRing'' [[AndYouThoughtItWouldFail blew away all expectations]] and forever [[GenreTurningPoint set the bar]] for what an epic HighFantasy film would look like. ''Film/TheTwoTowers'' took everything that worked in the original film and cranked it way up, with better pacing, expanding the supporting cast while simultaneously giving the others more time to shine, and providing some of the most iconic moments in the whole series (the return of Gandalf the White, the [[BigBadassBattleSequence Battle of Helm's Deep]]], Sam's lump-in-the-throat-inducing climactic speech to Frodo, and the march of the Ents on Isengard, among ''many'', many others. And those who don't find it the best in the trilogy certainly give the spot to the closer ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing The Return of the King]]'', that aside from [[EndingFatigue not knowing when to end]], was a GrandFinale with even better battle scenes and no dearth of emotional moments, leading to box-office records all over the place and tying for a record-breaking 11 Academy Awards.[[note]]Regarding the source material, [[DividedForPublication the second and third installments are technically not "sequels"]].[[/note]]
* ''Film/TheThing1982'' is widely regarded as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, remakes ever made, with many considering it to be superior to ''Film/TheThingFromAnotherWorld''.
* The Vengeance Trilogy by Park Chan Wook started with ''Film/SympathyForMrVengeance'', which isn't a bad film, but relatively obscure. ''Film/{{Oldboy 2003}}'', the second film, is the one everyone remembers. ''Film/SympathyForLadyVengeance'', the third film, was also well-received but is not as well-known as ''Oldboy''. However, these are all stand-alone films [[ThematicSeries linked only by the theme of vengeance]].
* ''Film/WrongTurn2DeadEnd'' received a far better reception than the original film, even though it was DirectToVideo. Having Music/HenryRollins in it probably helped.
* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries''
** ''Film/X2XMenUnited'' is considered an improvement on the already good original ''Film/XMen1'', fleshing out the characters and themes introduced in the first one, while providing more action. Bryan Singer said the strategy for ''X2'' was to follow the ''Empire Strikes Back'' plot, where they split up the characters for purposes of development, then bring them together again for a fantastic finish.
** While ''Film/XMenFirstClass'' was well-liked by fans for bringing the ''X-Men'' series back on track, ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'' has been even more well-received and cited by a few reviewers as the best of the ''X-Men'' movies. It even currently has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score in the series at 92%, placing ''DOFP'' among the best-reviewed Marvel movies of all, Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse or otherwise. The movie has also become the top-grossing ''X-Men'' film in terms of worldwide box office by far, usurping the position previously held by ''[[Film/XMenTheLastStand The Last Stand]]''.
** Among the Wolverine spin-off trilogy, the critically-bashed ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine'' was followed by a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel with ''Film/TheWolverine'', which was itself followed by ''Film/{{Logan}}'', critically adored (92% on Rotten Tomatoes) and praised by many critics as [[http://www.businessinsider.com/logan-reviews-critics-2017-3/#its-dark-and-risky-1 "one of the best superhero movies ever"]] for its darker tone. It even got an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, becoming very first comic book film to ever do so.
** While ''Film/{{Deadpool|2016}}'' was a funny and well-liked movie, some fans consider ''Film/Deadpool2'' to be a better film that has better humor and action scenes. Some critics have praised ''Deadpool 2's'' humor for satirizing DarkerAndEdgier superhero flicks like ''[[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier The Winter Soldier]]'', ''[[Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice Batman v Superman]]'', and ''Film/{{Logan}}''.
[[/folder]]

* While ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' was by no means a bad movie, many viewers held the opinion that its script was rather forgettable. ''Film/AvatarTheWayOfTheWater'', on the other hand, is considered by many to be a better movie than its predecessor due to having a less generic plot and having a more developed cast of characters. Even many of the haters of the first one concede the sequel is better.

* While ''Film{{Avatar}}'' was by no means a bad movie, many viewers held the opinion that its script was rather forgettable. ''Film/AvatarTheWayOfTheWater'', on the other hand, is considered by many to be a better movie than its predecessor due to having a less generic plot and having a more developed cast of characters. Even many of the haters of the first one concede the sequel is better.