Legacy sequels are now bigger than ever, both in popularity and scope, as the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick not only sees Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer reuniting, but it has some of the biggest stunts ever filmed. The Top Gun sequel arrives 36 years after the original movie, but it's far from the first series to have such huge gaps between films.
So many decades-old movies have gotten legacy sequels, which tend to see the return of iconic characters, who are now much older, and with the just as old actors reprising those roles. Many of the films tend to be products of studios capitalizing on their old successful properties, but some are just as nostalgic as they are exciting, and a couple of them are even better than the original movies.
Glass (2019) - 6.6
Glass might not be the most well-liked movie amongst general audiences and it was hated by critics, but it still ended up being one of the highest-grossing M. Night Shyamalan movies. With a budget of just $20 million, the 2019 movie ended up making almost $250 million worldwide, and that's mostly because it sees the return of one of the most inventive and intriguing cinematic rivalries.
Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson reprised their roles of David Dunn and Mr. Glass for the sequel, and they were last seen locking horns 19 years earlier in 2000's Unbreakable. As is often the case with recent Shyamalan movies, there's a twist ending that feels forced and it gets too bogged down in exposition. But it is one of the most vibrant and best-looking movies the director has ever made, and it's great to see two acting heavyweights sharing the big screen again.
The Color Of Money (1986) - 7.0
Few people would even know that The Color of Money is even a sequel if they weren't told beforehand, as the movie feels like a standalone drama between a seasoned snooker hustler, Eddie, and his promising protege, Vincent (Tom Cruise.) However, the movie is a follow-up to a film that came 25 years earlier in 1961, The Hustler.
The first movie follows Eddie rising up through the ranks in the snooker halls, just as Eddie does in the 1986 movie. The sequel is a passing of the torch, and it's full of stylish camera work, effortlessly cool snooker playing, and it's one of Martin Scorsese's best 80s movies. And as it has been 32 years since the sequel's release, there could be a second legacy sequel where Cruise reprises his role for another passing of the torch movie.
Rocky Balboa (2006) - 7.1
Though Rocky would have a lot more success with another legacy sequel nine years later, Rocky Balboa is one of the biggest and first examples of a legacy sequel on such a large scale in the 2000s. Being the sixth movie in the series, people least expected it to ever happen, but it arrived 16 years after 1990's Rocky V.
The movie is as by-the-numbers as a legacy sequel gets, as there's not much of a story and it mostly relies on nostalgia for excitement. But it works brilliantly, and it's a testament to how engaging of a character Rocky is that he's still entertaining after six films and 30 years.
Clerks II (2006) - 7.3
It's a rare case when comedy sequels are as good as their predecessors, and it's an even rarer case when ones that arrive over a decade later are as good. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues and Dumb and Dumber To are just a couple of countless examples of terrible comedy sequels that arrived over a decade later. However, Clerks II set a precedent.
Coming 12 years after the first movie, Clerks II saw the beloved characters much older but still the same hilarious deadbeats they always were. But as well as the old characters, the movie introduces some hilarious new characters, as well as Mooby's, a fast-food chain fans wish existed. And in what must be yet another unprecedented case, Clerks is going to get a second legacy sequel, a first for a comedy franchise, as Clerks III, which comes 16 years after its predecessor, is scheduled for release later this year.
Creed (2015) - 7.6
The Rocky series had already attempted a legacy sequel once with Rocky Balboa, and while that was well-liked by fans, nobody knew where the series would go after that. There's no way anybody would have believed that Rocky would come out of retirement a second time, especially when he's nearing 70s.
However, returning to coach the son of one of his peers is such a natural and real way to bring the beloved boxer back to the ring. Creed is a heart-racing sports movie, it introduced a whole new generation to Rocky, and there hasn't been a better boxing flick since the very original Rocky movie.
The Godfather Part III (1990) - 7.6
An average IMDb score of 7.6 is a big achievement, and that'd be a huge badge of honor for most movies, but for a film in the Godfather series, it's a bitter disappointment. The Godfather and The Godfather Part II sit at a 9.2 and 9.0 respectively, and they are ranked as the second and third greatest films of all time, which makes Part III's score look terrible by comparison.
However, Part III is not as bad as fans think, and as it arrived 16 years after the original and is a film that nobody believed was ever going to happen, it's such a thrill seeing all these characters on screen together again. And for as much as Mary is criticized by fans, Vincent is an incredible character in the series, and he's the MVP of Part III.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) - 7.8
A movie that's full of fan service can be as damaging to the film just as much as it can be beneficial, and that's why Star Wars: The Force Awakens received some backlash from fans when it was first released seven years ago. The movie used every chance it got to remind fans of the original trilogy, but there's no denying how exciting it was seeing the camera whip pan to the Millennium Falcon for the first time.
And above all else, Chewie and Han Solo having such important and major roles in the sequel was such a pleasant surprise. Out of every legacy sequel, The Force Awakens is the best example of the definition. The narrative perfectly intertwines characters old and new, it acts as a swan song and a goodbye for Han, and it uses what fans love about the series and forgets what fans hate about it.
Star Trek (2009) - 7.9
Most people assume that Star Trek is a reboot of the original, and while that's largely the case, it's also a secret sequel to the original Star Trek series. The big reveal two-thirds of the way into the movie is the return of Leonard Nimoy's Spock, confirming that the film is a legacy sequel. Not only that, but it led to uncontrollable amounts of fanfare when it was first revealed in 2009 and rivaled that of Han and Chewie's first appearance in The Force Awakens.
The movie turned the series into a more action-oriented sci-fi adventure, which was a refreshing, welcome, and much-needed change of pace to the stagnant series. It's also the film that clearly earned J.J. Abrams the Force Awakens offer, as he directed both the 2009 sci-fi flick and the seventh Star Wars movie.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017) - 8.0
It's a shock that Blade Runner 2049 was ever greenlit, as the original was a commercial failure, and figuring out which of its many rereleases is the ultimate version confusing enough. But the sci-fi sequel, which sees the return of Deckard and greatly expanded the world of the futuristic franchise, has such a unique look and even gives the original a run for its money.
With 2049 and The Force Awakens being phenomenally successful legacy sequels, whether it's critically, financially, or both, it's only Kingdom of the Crystal Skull that's keeping Harrison Ford from a perfect trifecta of legacy sequels. However, as Indy 5 has just wrapped production, it's another chance for the archaeologist to get the swan song he deserves, and it could be another great Ford-led legacy sequel.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) - 8.1
Mad Max: Fury Road is an unusual type of legacy sequel, as it isn't set decades after the previous movie in the series, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, and it doesn't star the actor who made the character iconic, Mel Gibson. Instead, the 2015 movie, which comes 30 years after its predecessor, stars Tom Hardy and it isn't clear where on the Mad Max timeline the film is set.
But the movie continues the myth of Mad Max, and it continues the series' distinct dystopian tone. Not only that, but it's better than any other movie in the series, as it's the highest-rated Mad Max movie on IMDb, but that's subject to change with the currently-in-production Furiosa.