Movie Sequels That Were Released 10 Years After Originals PHOTOS: Toy Story, Dawn of the Dead, Anchorman and More
These days, it seems as if Hollywood has run out of fresh ideas based on the number of remakes or movie sequels being released.
It appears rare almost, that any movie that had some modicum of success is not given a sequel these days. Even worse, the films are released so quickly that audiences barely have time to appreciate the first film in a series before another is so quickly thrown at them. Fans of the Twilight series were given five movies based on four books-all within five years. The same treatment has been given to the popular Harry Potter and Hunger Games series as well, not to mention all the other movies that have had sequels released so quickly.
However, sometimes movies buck the grand tradition of quick sequels in favor of elongating the period between films. The latest to do so is The Best Man Holiday, in theaters today. It has been nearly 15 years since the first film in that series, The Best Man was released in theaters. On occasion, this format works better for movies. Enstars has compiled a list of movies that followed a format where the films were released at least 10 years apart.
1. Toy Story (1995), Toy Story 2 (1999), and Toy Story 3 (2010): This film series is still one of the best-rated of all time, with all three movie garnering a 99% or better certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It had been 11 years since fans who first fell in love the series as kids were given the final chapter in the story, and despite being grown up, they still flocked to theaters to see how the stories of Buzz, Woody and the gang played out. Perhaps the most genius part of the film's release being so delayed was that the fans grew up much in the same way Andy did in the movie. Back when the first and second adventure came out, they were kids playing with toys like his themselves. But even being young adults didn't stop them from returning back to the beloved story.
2. The Hustler (1961), The Color of Money (1986): These dramas about the high-stakes world of betting on pool were both so good that they got lead actor Paul Newman an Oscar Nomination for Best Actor in 1962, and a win for his reprisal of the role 25 years later. The idea that an old-school hustler could make a comeback while teaching a younger protégé was also well-received by critics.
3. Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978), Day of the Dead (1985): Before The Walking Dead made zombies cool, George Romero was making them legendary in his trio of movies from way back in the day. What also made his zombie films so great, and actually horrifying, despite being 20 years apart from beginning to end, was their satirical nature. They subtlely commented on the problems with society in each decade they were released. Sadly, terrible remakes in the 2000s have muddied the great quality of the originals in the same way other classic horror movies have had their legacies destroyed.
4. Mission: Impossible (1996), Mission: Impossible II (2000), Mission: Impossible III (2006), Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011): The Mission Impossible movie series that helped catapult Tom Cruise to action star fame are an example of movies that surprisingly only got better as new ones were released. The first film only got a 61 percent rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and while it fared better than the second film (57 percent rating), the third and fourth installments in the series have become the best rated ones. The third installment climbed up to a 70 percent rating, while the fourth is the only one with a certified fresh rating at 93. The success as the franchise has continued has spurned a fifth film, due out in 2015.
5. Men in Black (1997), Men in Black II (2002), Men In Black III (2012): Though neither sequel totally lived up to the original, the third managed to somewhat redeem the series, which suffered from the second one ten years earlier.
6. Wall Street (1987), Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010): Sadly, this sequel probably didn't need to be made, as the original film was a classic tale of financial crisis during a time where the country itself was going through one. The timing of a second film was perfect in that respect, as the U.S. was going through another financial crisis, but the story just didn't complement the original all that nicely.
7. Dirty Dancing (1987), Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004): Perhaps one of the most unnecessary sequels of all-time was Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, which sought to capitalize on the success of the classic tale almost 20 years later. Unfortunately, the original film has something the other one didn't: chemistry between its characters, a poignant tale of young love between two totally different people, and an iconic dance move that is still copied for other movies and TV shows today. There was no way the second movie could even compare.
8. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), Anchorman: The Legend Continues (2013): While the second Anchorman film has yet to open in theaters it is one of the most highly anticipated films of 2013, and for good reason. Ron Burgundy became an instant cult classic character in 2004, despite being one of the most sexist pigs on the planet. He's also one of the best characters Will Ferrell has ever played.
