Top 10 Favorite Legacy Sequels That Resurrected Beloved Franchises

With the release of several franchise-reviving sequels in the past few years, I thought it would be fun to share my 10 favorite legacy sequels. Legacy sequels are films that return to franchise after 15-20 usually featuring the return of beloved characters from the original run. They also usually call back to moments from the original film as well as deliver a lot of fan service-type moments. They often serve as a bit of a revival to the franchise launching it with a new batch of characters. With all that said, here are my 10 favorite Legacy sequels.

Honorable Mentions

Bill and Ted Face the Music: This was a sequel that came out during COVID following a grown-up Bill and Ted. While the plot itself is a bit lacking, it is fun to see a 55-year-old Keanu Reeves hamming it up as Ted again.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle: This is a loose definition of a legacy sequel. It features the same game and premise but none of the original characters. However, it does make some clear references to the original movie to make it clear they are in the same universe.

Terminator: Dark Fate: This is a bit of a mixed legacy sequel for me. It is fun to see Arnold and Linda Hamilton together again, the plot itself is a bit repetitive and it makes some questionable choices with how it handles the ending of Terminator II.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F: This was a fun yet safe legacy sequel. It is fun to see Axel reunite with his cop buddies again and Eddie Murphy still has the same charm 30 years later. It isn't anywhere close to the first two films and the daughter character isn't a great addition.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: This was one of my most anticipated legacy sequels. It is great to see Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice as well as the return of many of the other characters. I also liked how the movie still looked and felt like the original. However, the story is a bit of a mess with way too many different plots going on.

Gladiator II: This is the newest Legacy sequel I've seen. It includes some fun moments and it is cool seeing Paul Mescal make his own way in the franchise. The movie is a bit derivative in the first half but finds its own way in the later part of the film.

Rambo: Last Blood: This is another one that is a bit mixed for me. It is fun to see Sylvester Stallone return as Rambo again but the story doesn't feel a bit like Taken meets Home Alone instead of feeling like another Rambo story.

Spider-Man: No Way Home: Spider-Man: No Way Home isn't technically a legacy sequel but I felt that it should at least be mentioned on this list. It features the return of many major villains from the older Spider-Man franchise as well as includes both Toby McGuire and Andrew Garfield returning as Spider-Man.

10. Jurassic World

Jurassic World may not be the best legacy sequel in terms of plot and characters but it is one I have a lot of fun with.  It gives a great premise of a new park actually open to the public. It is great as a legacy sequel pulling in all of these references to the original film. The new characters, while one-dimensional, are a lot of fun. There is just something funny about Chris Pratt playing it so straight in such a ridiculous movie. While the plot is a bit stupid with it being about a genetically engineered dinosaur getting loose in the park, it still is so much fun to watch. This film is what I call a junk food movie. It isn't high quality but it is very easy to watch and consume and is a lot of fun. The movie falls apart if you think about it too hard but it doesn't matter because you get to see Christ Pratt riding on a motorcycle with Velociraptors as well as a T-Rex and Raptor tag team fight. Overall, this is a pretty silly movie but packs the right level of nostalgia and is a lot of fun. 

9. Halloween

 Halloween 2018 allows us to see Laurie many years after the events of the original film. This film shows Laurie in a natural place after all of the trauma of the first film in that she is now a reclusive paranoid woman who has pushed her family away. We also get to see how that paranoia has impacted her relationship with both her daughter and granddaughter. The film gives us quite a few compelling new characters in Laurie's daughter Karen and granddaughter, Allyson. Both characters add something new to the story and provide interesting dynamics with Laurie. This film also has the best showdown between Laurie and Michael as we get to see the results of Laurie's planning for this moment for the past 40 years. It has a very exciting conclusion and could've had a good sense of finality had they not decided to turn it into a trilogy. In the end, this is a solid follow-up to the original film and delivers a reunion between Laurie and Michael that fans have been waiting to see. 

8. Bad Boys for Life

Bad Boys for Life does a great job of showing both Mike and Marcus in a new phase of life as the movie came out 20 years after Bad Boys 2. Marcus wants to slow down and enjoy life as a grandparent while Mike is in denial that he is getting older and the way cops do things is changing. I also liked how this movie brings in new younger characters to complement the older characters. It effectively does what Expendables 3 failed to do back in 2014 which was introduce a younger batch of characters while not sidelining the iconic older character. One of the standout new characters was Vanessa Hudgens of High School Musical fame as Kelly. It was just cool to see her be able to break away from the Disney label and do something different and do it well. The movie also manages to age with the times while not jeopardizing quality. This movie still manages to capture the magic of the franchise today even though many moments of the original films would not fly today. The villains in this movie are also the best in the franchise as they have a deep connection with Mike and have an actual motivation for what they are doing instead of just being a generic drug dealer that likes to make money. Overall, this is a great continuation of the Bad Boys franchise and managed to perfectly pick up where the last film left off 20 years ago.

7. Scream

Scream returns to the franchise after 10 years and brings some new life and new direction to the story. I liked that they decided to use new characters as the center of the story while still utilizing the legacy characters as side characters. The addition of Sam as the center was a great change to the franchise. While she is a new character, the story still manages to tie Sam back to the original franchise in a unique way. I also thought the handling of the legacy characters was very well done. They play a significant role in the story but they don't take the spotlight of the new cast. As is typical of the Scream movies, this film also takes on the meta-commentary of the requel (Reboot Sequel) style of Hollywood. The story manages to make fun of some of the tropes of requels while also acknowledging that they are in one. Finally, I thought the Ghostface action was well done with some very exciting and suspenseful moments.

6. Twisters

 Twisters is technically a legacy sequel but doesn't carry over any of the original characters. Going in, I was expecting an entertaining enough movie that was ultimately not very good, much like the first film. Surprisingly enough, this movie ends up being a lot of fun with lots of action, a solid story, and some heart. This is just an incredibly crowd-pleasing movie that is fun for everyone. All of the characters are so likable with Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos, and Glen Powel giving great performances. Glen Powel of course steals the show with his charm. The movie does a great job of making silly elements work such as Glen Powel as "The Tornado Wrangler". There are several great tornado action sequences that keep you invested for the entire film. The movie also has a good amount of heart to it. We get to see Daisey Edgar-Jones cope with the loss of her friends to a tornado and learn to grow beyond her mistakes and become a better person. We get to see the effects of this loss on her which leads to some great emotional moments. Overall, this is a solid summer blockbuster and one of my favorite movies of the year.

5. Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a movie I find special. It is a great sequel to the original Ghostbusters film. It has some great new characters. Podcast and the Paul Rudd character are both a lot of fun but Phoebe is the star of the movie. McKenna Grace does a great job of playing a tiny Egon and carries this movie from beginning to end, The plot is also really well done. It is somewhat derivative of the original film, but the way it is done, it feels more like a love letter to the original than just a remake. They also paid tribute to the original team nicely. They gave them their moment to shine but didn't allow them to overpower the movie. The movie also is just a nice tribute to Harold Ramis. It gives him and Egon the proper respect in this film and sends him off in a way that is both tasteful and emotional. Finally, the last 15 minutes of the movie are just fantastic. It has some great fan service a fantastic final battle and just an emotional and well-done ending. 

4. Creed

Creed does a great job of continuing the legacy of the Rocky movies while shifting the focus to a new character and his story. One of the best parts of the movie is the bond between Adonis and Rocky. It isn't quite a father-son type of bond but still, this closeness shines throughout the movie. This movie probably has the best Sylvester Stallone performance in any of the Rocky movies which makes sense considering he got nominated for an Oscar. I also thought the story of Adonis himself was very good. It focuses on Adonis trying to create a name for himself on his own merits while also struggling to balance that with living up to his father's legacy. I also liked the love story aspect between Adonis and Bianca and think in some ways it is done a bit better than the Rocky and Adrian love story. The movie does have some callbacks and similarities to the Rocky movies but in general, I think it does a good job of establishing its tone and story.

3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Forces Awakens is my favorite of the new trilogy films. I enjoy this movie as it is a great return to form for Star Wars films. It feels like such a homage to classic Star Wars more so than trying to be like the prequels. It has such a great story with a bunch of fun new characters. Both Finn and Kylo Ren add layers of complexity to the story and their individual characters. This is such an exciting movie and feels like a roller coaster ride of excitement from beginning to end. The movie also has quite a few funny moments mostly coming from either Finn or Han Solo. I also found the film to have some very emotional moments specifically in the final act of the film. Finally, I really like the character portrayal of Kylo Ren. There is so much conflict in him and at the time it set up some great potential for his character to go. Overall, this is a great Star Wars film that set the expectations high for what could come next.

2. Mad Max: Fury Road

Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the best legacy sequels out there. From an effects standpoint, it is just so much bigger and better than the original three films. It is just so fascinating that the franchise went from the original film to this. What makes this movie so great is its ability to deliver excellence through simplicity. The story itself is extremely simple as it is essentially a two-hour car chase but what elevates it is the amazing action sequences and interesting characters. The action sequences are all just so much fun with so many different car chases and fight choreography jumping across different vehicles. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron are great as Max and Furiosa. Furiosa is such an interesting character and a great addition to the franchise. The visual effects in this movie were also fantastic with most of the effects being done practically with CGI only used to enhance elements in certain scenes. It is just so great to see a film that delivers practical action sequences like this. This movie also managed to get nominated for Best Picture if that gives any indication of how great this movie is. In the end, this is just a fantastic action movie with great visual effects and fun action sequences. 

1. Top Gun: Maverick

 Top Gun: Maverick is the most crowd-pleasing film on this list.  The movie is very exciting with action and flight sequences throughout. It was cool how the movie opted to use practical effects instead of CGI. The movie also manages to deliver the nostalgia of the original film while still creating a fresh new story. All of the characters are very compelling and they all get to experience growth throughout the story. Tom Cruise is great in the movie as well, managing to keep up with the younger actors during the more physically tiring scenes. The story itself is well done. It is never slow and delivers a fantastic finale that pays off a bunch of moments set up earlier in the film. Overall, this movie achieves exactly what it is going for, delivers a crowd-pleasing feel-good story, and is a perfect example of a legacy sequel.