Legacy sequels are getting increasingly popular, and after a cryptic message from Mike Myers, it seems like Austin Powers will be getting the same treatment with a fourquel. A legacy sequel often comes decades down the line and, even if the series has had other sequels in the time since, generally picks up where the most beloved movie left off, ignoring other films in the series' timeline.
Legacy sequels also see the return of beloved actors reprising their most iconic roles, and it generally leads to jaw-dropping moments in movie theatres. Redditors have debated what the very best legacy sequel is, whether it's the 12th movie in a horror franchise, the return of a long-lost Jedi, or a film that audiences didn't even know was a sequel.
Halloween (2018)
There are so many movies in the Halloween franchise that it's even hard to keep count of how many times it has been rebooted. But 2018's Halloween is special for several reasons. For starters, it's the first great entry in the series in years, and it sees the return of Laurie Strode, making it a direct sequel to the most important films in the series.
And that's exactly why Shadopup thinks the film is so great, noting, "I liked Halloween '18 as a sequel to the original that ignored the older sequels." Unfortunately, the return to form for the series was short-lived, as the follow-up, Halloween Kills, was universally hated. However, it could still be redeemed, as the upcoming Halloween Ends could right many of Halloween Kills' wrongs.
Scream (2022)
Nobody really had high expectations for Scream 5, and most people didn't have any expectations at all. The fourth movie, which was released in 2011, was generally hated by fans and critics, and the series had already been on a downward trajectory long before that. However, Scream 5 took the series back to its roots, brought back the characters that audiences love, and was full of self-aware and meta-jokes as well as being scary as hell.
Scarfacenahface thinks it's the gold standard of legacy sequels, noting that, ironically, "It perfectly deconstructs the whole concept of legacy sequels." Where Scream 4 was a by-the-numbers thriller and forgot what made the series so unique, 2022's Scream is a masterclass in satirical horror.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
GuiltyCombo calls Ghostbusters: Afterlife the best legacy sequel, and like the ghosts in the film, the 2021 release crept up on audiences and became a surprising people pleaser. Ghostbusters: Afterlife understood what the series is all about way better than 2016's reboot of the franchise. The 2021 movie is funny, but it isn't an outright comedy, it has fan service, but it isn't built on it, and it's character-driven too.
More than anything, Afterlife is a sentimental adventure film and it expertly pulls off being a swan song for the original characters in the series, Venkman, Egon, and Ray. Afterlife is an appropriate name for the threequel in more ways than one, it's a movie that fans didn't know they needed, and it's the least suspecting movie to make audiences cry, but grown men will leave theatres sobbing.
Tron: Legacy (2010)
Tron: Legacy is one of the many examples of movies that critics hate but fans love, and it's mostly because of the lack of story and one of the worst examples of digital de-aging techniques. But the film is so aesthetically pleasing more than anything, as the neon lights and quiet Daft Punk-composed score bubbling beneath the surface build a tone unlike any other.
Ifinallyreallyreddit thinks it's a great legacy sequel, positing, "I think Tron Legacy is the best of these due to how it realizes the promise of the original Tron." The Redditor makes a great point, as digital effects weren't anywhere near where they needed to be to deliver a believable and jaw-dropping Tron experience in 1982. But the sequel, which followed 28 years later, fully realized what the original attempted to do.
The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
PiarPiar thinks that The Matrix Resurrections is the best legacy sequel, but that's a massive unpopular opinion and they're vastly in the minority, even despite Reeves returning as Neo. Just like Scream 5, The Matrix Resurrections attempts to break down the idea of legacy sequels, but it isn't quite as successful as the horror movie.
There are so many great stories in the world of the Matrix that can be found in video games and comic books, but Wachowski instead decided to use the film as a commentary on sequels in Hollywood with meta jokes. Not only that, but Wachowski drastically changed the Matrix story too, which rubbed many fans the wrong way.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is another polarizing movie, but Haverlyyy prefers it over The Force Awakens, which is the least controversial of all of Disney's Star Wars movies. The Redditor knows how controversial their opinion is, claiming, "I love The Last Jedi but don’t wanna start any more wars, real or otherwise."
There are some undeniable merits to The Last Jedi, especially in terms of being a legacy sequel. Though The Force Awakens reintroduces Luke Skywalker to audiences in the closing moments, it's The Last Jedi that sees him as the main character, and the film delves into where he's been for the past 30+ years.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Danishroyalty thinks Blade Runner 2049 is the best legacy sequel, explaining that the movie is, "Something true to the vision of the original but with enough unique ideas to make its own mark and not be a low-key remake of the first." The Redditor refers to The Force Awakens as a bad example of a legacy sequel, but 2049 and the Star Wars movie have a lot in common. It hasn't been revealed by anyone involved with the making of the 2017 movie whether or not they were influenced by The Force Awakens, but given how it is all about the search for the iconic Deckard, the influence is obvious.
While the approaches are wildly different, there are a lot of parallels between the two narratives, as The Force Awakens is another sci-fi movie that follows the characters searching for the long-lost Luke Skywalker. However, 2049 is as much about telling new and inventive stories and building the world as it is a legacy sequel, and Deckard doesn't even appear until around the two-hour mark.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
PugnaciousPangolion thinks Mad Max: Fury Road is not only the best legacy sequel, but that it's "better than any of its predecessors" too. However, other Redditors take issue with the user calling the 2015 release a legacy movie. The film doesn't feature the same actors as its predecessor, and the same amount of time hasn't passed in the series as it has in real life.
Though Fury Road was released thirty years after Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, the character has barely aged. However, the fourquel still continues the myth of the character and features the unique tone of the series that no other movie has been able to replicate, making Fury Road one of the most impressive legacy sequels ever made.
The Color Of Money (1986)
The Color of Money is about snooker hustler Eddie Felson, who takes a young man, Vincent, under his wing and teaches him all of his tricks. The movie is a direct sequel to The Hustler, which was released 25 years earlier, and Kneeco28 thinks it's the best legacy sequel ever.
Many viewers wouldn't know that The Color of Money is even a sequel. While there are references to Eddie's past, that could easily be assumed to be expositional backstory as opposed to referencing another movie. And though The Color of Money is the only sequel Martin Scorsese directed, there could be a third movie in the series that follows Vincent passing down the torch to someone else. And it could be the first movie series to ever have two legacy sequels released decades apart.
Creed (2015)
A legacy sequel was already attempted with the Rocky series, as Rocky Balboa came 16 years after Rocky V, but it didn't have quite the success or fanfare of what followed. While it's common knowledge that Rocky mentors Creed in 2015's Creed, the big question of whether or not the iconic character would even cameo loomed over the lead-up to the movie.
Flat_Foz_7318 notes, "It was a nearly perfect bridge from the Rocky films into a new generation, and the first to get Stallone an Oscar nod since the original." Creed expertly transitioned the series into a new era and easily found a new generation of fans. The Creed series has spawned a whole successful series of its own, as a third movie is scheduled for release later this year, and who knows how many more sequels there'll be in the future.