The 25 Best Movie Sequels of All Time

“Captain America: Civil War” is the last of the trilogy focusing on Captain America. In this high-action superhero flick, Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) is squaring off with Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) in a dispute over the Avengers’ future. Released in 2016, the film has a 90% Freshness rating among critics and 89% score among audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.

One of the most anticipated films of all time, “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens” finally delivered a universally enjoyed Star Wars film, after the prequel trilogy was universally panned. Fans and critics enjoyed returning to a galaxy far, far away, giving the film 86% and 93% Freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively. The film features newcomers like Daisy Ridley and John Boyega as well as stars from the original Star Wars trilogy like Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher.

Following the release of “Captain America: The First Avenger” in 2011, “The Winter Soldier” finds Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) teaming with an unlikely partner in S.H.I.E.L.D. — the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). Together they must find an assassin known as the Winter Soldier. This second movie about Captain America is certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 92% audience score.

Following the success of the first “How to Train Your Dragon” film, Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, and much of the original cast returned for another adventure. Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett joined the team as the main character’s mother. The film earned a 91% Freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was nominated for an Academy Award for best animated film. The movie had another sequel — “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” (2019) — which was also very well received.

“Thor: Ragnarok” is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 17th film and the sequel to “Thor” and “Thor: The Dark World.” In “Ragnarok,” Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must escape his imprisonment to save his home planet and the Asgardian civilization from destruction. According to Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus, the film is a “colorful cosmic adventure that sets a new standard for its franchise.” Critics gave it a 93% Freshness score, while 87% of the audience gave it a positive review.

Tom Holland made his debut as Spider-Man in “Captain America: Civil War” (2016). A year later, his own movie, “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” was released. The sequel, “Spider-Man: Far from Home” follows Peter Parker on a vacation in Europe, where he encounters the world-threatening villainy he thought he left in New York. The movie is not rated higher than its predecessor by critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but it is on IMDb.

“X-Men: Days of Future Past” is the highest grossing movie of the X-Men series. In this seventh installment of the franchise, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is sent by the X-Men into the past to change history and prevent an event from causing catastrophe for humanity. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a Freshness score of 90%, and moviegoers awarded it a score of 91%.

This is the third installment of the original Star Wars series, following “A New Hope” (1977) and “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980). After almost 30 years, “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” is still beloved by fans. The movie currently holds an audience score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.3 out of 10 rating on IMDb, the latter of which is higher than all other Star Wars movies except from the first two.

The superhero blockbuster pits the Avengers and their allies in an epic battle against Thanos, who is set on the destruction of the universe. “Avengers: Infinity War” has a 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. According to the site’s Critics Consensus, “Infinity War,” which is the 19th movie of the Marvel heroes series, “(mostly) realizes its gargantuan ambitions.”

“Mission Impossible – Fallout” is the sixth movie of the action franchise. Stylish and packed with stunts, “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” earned a 97% Freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes — the best-reviewed film of Tom Cruise’s storied career. The movie and series as a whole are so popular that two more M:I films were announced and are already filming.

In the final film of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, an aging Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is brought out of retirement to face Bane (Tom Hardy) and save Gotham yet again. Nolan assembled an all-star cast, featuring Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Morgan Freeman, and more. Though it was not as highly rated as the previous Batman film, critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave it a Freshness rating of 87% and 90% of audiences liked it.

Like its two predecessors — “The Bourne Identity” and “The Bourne Supremacy” — “The Bourne Ultimatum” is also certified Fresh by Rotten Tomatoes. “The Bourne Ultimatum” is the top-rated film of the five Jason Bourne movies. Matt Damon plays the titular Jason Bourne, a trained killer with no memory on a mission to find out who he is and who is out to get him.

The third film of the Indiana Jones franchise enlisted legendary actor Sean Connery to play Jones’ (Harrison Ford) father. This time, Indy and his allies must prevent the Nazis from acquiring the Holy Grail. The pairing of Connery and Ford met approval of critics who liked the fact that the sequel was “lighter and more comedic than its predecessor,” according to Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes. “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” received a Freshness rating of 88% from critics, while 94% of audiences liked the movie.

It’s not often that a children’s movie sequel is so charming, entertaining, and well done that moviegoers are genuinely upset it is not nominated for the Oscars. But “Paddington 2” is such a film. The talking bear in a coat charmed audiences and critics, earning a rare 99% Freshness rating from Rotten Tomatoes. According to the Critics Consensus, the story of the sequel is “perfectly balanced between heartwarming family fare and purely enjoyable all-ages adventure.”

The Toy Story franchise helped establish Pixar’s reputation as the creator of entertaining and endearing films that people of all ages can enjoy. Buzz, Woody, and the rest of Andy’s toys return for another adventure — this time in an attempt to rescue Woody from a toy collector. The Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes hails the film as “The rare sequel that arguably improves on its predecessor.” The site awarded the film a 100% Freshness rating, while 87% of audiences liked it.

The eighth and final film of the Harry Potter series is also by far the best reviewed. The teen wizard series culminates with an epic battle between the main heroes and Voldemort and his followers. The franchise’s final movie has been well received by critics and audiences thanks in large part to terrific visual effects and powerful, grounded acting performances.

The Toy Story films have always been popular, and the series’ fourth installment is no different. The film is the fifth-highest grossing digitally animated movie of all time. As with the preceding films, “Toy Story 4” combines humor, adventure, and emotional storytelling to create a winning movie, which was enjoyed by 97% of critics and 94% of audience members, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

“Avengers: Endgame” is the top grossing film in the hugely popular Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. The movie, which runs for more than three hours, once again finds the Avengers teaming up to restore order to the universe in the wake of Thanos’ destructive actions. Critics have mostly enjoyed the film, giving it a 94% Freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” is the third installment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. This film continues the plot of “The Two Towers,” with Frodo, Sam, and Gollum journeying toward Mount Doom in Mordor to destroy the One Ring as their friends throughout Middle-earth continue to wage epic battles against the dark forces of Mordor. The film won all 11 Oscars it was nominated for and tied “Titanic” (1997) and “Ben-Hur” (1959) for the most Oscars of any film.

Once again starring Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as the voices of Woody and Buzz Lightyear, “Toy Story 3” has an almost perfect score, with 98% of critics liking the film. “Deftly blending comedy, adventure, and honest emotion, Toy Story 3 is a rare second sequel that really works,” according to Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Consensus.

James Cameron’s early directorial effort “The Terminator” (1984) was a huge success — it currently has a perfect Freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes. As he did with the first movie of the series, Cameron similarly delivered an action-packed and visually exceptional sequel with “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991). The movie would win four Oscars in the visual, makeup, and sound effects categories.

“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” is the highest rated of all Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, receiving 95% positive reviews from both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie focuses more on action than its predecessor while maintaining its emotional core, delivering viewers a wholly satisfying experience.

“The Empire Strikes Back” built upon the smash-hit success of the original Star Wars film “A New Hope.” The film delivers classic lines, memorable characters, amazing new planets, and one of the greatest twists in film history. “The Empire Strikes Back” is the top-rated entry in the beloved Star Wars franchise, based on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes ratings. The movie has a 94% approval rating on the latter site.

Director Christopher Nolan reinvented the world of Gotham City with his dark and atmospheric “Batman Begins” (2005). He improved it with “The Dark Knight,” thanks in part to the work of actors Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, and the late Heath Ledger, who delivered an iconic and Oscar-winning performance as the Joker. On Rotten Tomatoes, both critics and audience members gave it a 94% approval rating.

Nevermind sequels, “The Godfather: Part II” is widely hailed as one of the greatest films of all time. The film chronicles Vito Coreleone’s (Robert De Niro) rise to power in the Mafia along with the struggle of his son (Al Pacino) to maintain power decades later. The film won six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for De Niro, and Best Director for Francis Ford Coppola.