When it comes to fantasy sequels, these movies are the cream of the crop! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best fantasy sequels ever made!
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00:00I didn't think it would end this way.
00:03End?
00:06No, the journey doesn't end here.
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo,
00:10and today we're counting down our picks for the best fantasy sequels ever made.
00:15Take her away, Ernie.
00:17Yeah, take it away, Ernie.
00:19It's going to be a bumpy ride.
00:24Number 10. Mary Poppins Returns
00:27I thought we'd never see you again.
00:29It is wonderful to see you.
00:31Yes, it is, isn't it?
00:33For decades, the musical fantasy film Mary Poppins delighted children across the globe
00:38as the titular character floated into the dreary lives of a London family,
00:42giving them magic and color.
00:44Plans for a sequel had been in place since the original's release in 1964.
00:49However, disagreements with the book's original author P.L. Travers,
00:52Julie Andrews' acting hiatus,
00:54and a number of other issues kept the film mired in developmental hell.
01:00Why do you always complicate things that are really quite simple?
01:04Finally, in 2018, and with the blessing of the Travers estate,
01:09a sequel was produced, with Emily Blunt cast as Poppins.
01:12Returns recaptured what had managed to make the original so great
01:16with stunning visuals combining live-action and animation,
01:19creative musical numbers, and a strong emotional through-line.
01:23Can you imagine?
01:34Mr. Mayor, we're here tonight
01:36because a psychomagnetheric slime flow of immense proportions
01:39is building up beneath this city.
01:41Psycho what?
01:42The original Ghostbusters managed to combine urban fantasy and comedy
01:46by having a talented cast of 80 stars face off against a supernatural threat in New York City.
01:51The sequel doubled down on both of those elements,
01:54with almost the entire primary cast returning
01:57and a new fantasy-themed villain much more prominently featured.
02:01On a mountain of scars in the castle of pain,
02:05I sat on a throne of blood.
02:08The baddie in question was Viggo the Carpathian,
02:11a despotic sorcerer from 16th century Europe
02:14who was killed in a way reminiscent of the real Rasputin.
02:17As Viggo noted, however,
02:20and his soul would take up residence in a painting.
02:23Centuries later, the Ghostbusters went head-to-head with Viggo,
02:26reuniting after the events of the first film,
02:29once again saving New York from paranormal disaster.
02:32You think there's a connection between this Viggo character and the...
02:40Slime?
02:44Things never happen the same way twice, dear one.
02:49Many of the greatest fantasy films of all time
02:52are based on iconic literary sagas from the 20th century,
02:55and The Chronicles of Narnia is no exception.
02:58The first film, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,
03:00was a favorite of both the novel's fans and newcomers,
03:03and the screenplay for a sequel was being written even before that film's release.
03:07Have you forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built?
03:10Do not cite the deep magic to me, witch.
03:13I was there when it was written.
03:16Much of the original cast returned,
03:18including the voice of Liam Neeson as the lion Aslan.
03:21It also introduced a slew of new characters,
03:24including, of course, Prince Caspian himself, played by Ben Barnes.
03:28The sequel deepened the themes from the first film,
03:30with the Pevensies experiencing grief and confusion,
03:33and growing larger in scope and scale than its predecessor.
03:36What's the matter, boy?
03:40Too cowardly to take a life?
03:46It's not mine to take.
03:487. Gremlins 2 The New Batch
03:57Almost as much of a parody of the original Gremlins film as it was a sequel to it,
04:01returning director Joe Dante had carte blanche this time around
04:04to make a film as anarchic as he saw fit.
04:07Describing it as, quote,
04:08one of the more unconventional studio pictures ever,
04:11Dante sought to use the film to lampoon the very idea of sequels
04:15with absurdism and meta-jokes.
04:17Creatures. Is that accurate?
04:19Mmm.
04:23Fourth wall breaks featured prominently in the movie,
04:25as did cameos of everyone from Hulk Hogan to film critic Leonard Maltin,
04:29and even the Looney Tunes.
04:31None of this meant that the urban fantasy from the original had disappeared,
04:35as the lovable-turned-mischievous creatures were back.
04:38Now, was that civilized?
04:40No, clearly not.
04:41Fun, but in no sense civilized.
04:45Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End
04:52After Pirates of the Caribbean Curse of the Black Pearl
04:54was an overwhelming critical and commercial success,
04:57two sequels were commissioned and shot back-to-back.
05:00The first sequel, Dead Man's Chest,
05:02amped up the fantasy elements from the original
05:04with stunning CGI characters like the tragic villain Davy Jones.
05:14At World's End served as an epic conclusion to that original trilogy,
05:17with thrilling set pieces including the beginning,
05:20when characters travel to the afterlife,
05:22and the conclusion featuring a grandiose battle between ships inside a raging maelstrom.
05:27Like any good fantasy, characters realize their epic destiny,
05:31particularly Will Turner,
05:32who began the first movie as a humble blacksmith's apprentice
05:35and ended up as captain of the mythical Flying Dutchman.
05:39On the wheel then, Mr. Turner.
05:42Aye, Captain Turner.
05:44How to Train Your Dragon 2
05:46What do you think, bud?
05:48You wanna give this another shot?
05:51Toothless, it'll be fine.
05:54Set five years after the events of the first film,
05:56the teenage Vikings that befriended dragons had grown into young adults
06:00and began to shape a new world where they coexisted with creatures they once hated.
06:04Appropriately, the film dealt with more mature and often darker themes,
06:08with returning writer-director Dean DeBlois citing The Empire Strikes Back
06:12as a major inspiration for the second entry in the franchise.
06:15You can't just say something like that and run off.
06:18You're my mother? I mean, what the...
06:21The film emphasized expanding the world beyond what had been seen in the original,
06:25with visuals of icy landscape alongside fiery dragons becoming something to behold.
06:30It, along with the third and final entry, How to Train Your Dragon, The Hidden World,
06:34made this an animated fantasy trilogy for the ages.
06:38You've looked after us for long enough.
06:41Time to look after yourselves.
06:43Number four, Hellboy 2, The Golden Army.
06:46It is said that at the dawn of time,
06:50man, beast and all magical beings lived together under Aeglin, the father tree.
06:58While the first Hellboy film directly adapted its plotline from Mike Mignola's comics,
07:03the sequel was a new and original story featuring the character.
07:06This time around, director Guillermo del Toro put an even greater emphasis on the fantasy elements,
07:11drawing heavily on fairy tales.
07:13Those fairy tale elements were combined with urban fantasy,
07:16giving us terrifying tooth fairies and a sprawling troll market beneath the Brooklyn Bridge.
07:21Gentlemen, welcome to the troll market.
07:25The fantasy creatures were horrific yet beautiful in a way that only del Toro could provide.
07:30Its plot involves elven royalty vying for control of the titular Golden Army,
07:34an indestructible force leading to a powerful and emotional final confrontation.
07:40Sorry, pal. I win. You live.
07:45Number three, Shrek 2.
07:47Stop, ogre. I have misjudged you.
07:50Join the club. We've got jackets.
07:52It's rare for a beloved children's film to be surpassed by its successor,
07:55but that is exactly what Shrek 2 did,
07:58scoring higher with critics than its already well-received first entry.
08:02Continuing with the fairy tale parodies established in the first film,
08:05the now-married couple of Shrek and Fiona travel to her kingdom,
08:08of course called Far, Far Away.
08:11So, you still think this was a good idea?
08:16Of course.
08:18Along with the returning personalities from the first,
08:202 introduced a number of fairy tale characters into the franchise,
08:24including the fairy godmother, Prince Charming, and, of course, Puss in Boots.
08:28The swashbuckling cat, voiced by Zorro himself, Antonio Banderas,
08:32quickly became a fan favorite.
08:34Finally, the film featured arguably the franchise's best scene,
08:38with the hero storming the castle set to I Need a Hero.
08:42I need a hero.
08:44All right, big fella, let's crash this party.
08:48Number two, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
08:51The ones that love us never really leave us.
08:56And you can always find them in here.
09:04Already a global phenomenon because of the original novels and popular first two films,
09:08the third Harry Potter film saw a major turn in the series.
09:12With Alfonso Cuarón taking over as director,
09:14the movie adopted a more serious tone, much like the book on which it was based.
09:18If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too.
09:21No, only one will die tonight.
09:23Then it'll be you!
09:25Speaking on the film's visual effects,
09:27Industrial Light & Magic received an Academy Award nomination,
09:30as did John Williams for his iconic score, which has become a fantasy staple.
09:35The trio of young stars, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint,
09:39did some of their best work, as did the adults.
09:42Along with the ever-amazing Alan Rickman
09:44were new arrivals Gary Oldman and Michael Gambon
09:47replacing the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore.
09:50Well?
09:51He's free. We did it.
09:54Goodnight.
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10:17Who thought I'd die fighting side by side with an elf?
10:21What about side by side with a friend?
10:27I...
10:29I could do that.
10:30It easily could have been The Two Towers topping this list,
10:33as that film increased the scope of the epic series beyond the first film
10:37by splitting its characters into groups,
10:39each with a truly legendary quest.
10:42However, the ending of the trilogy ultimately takes the prize,
10:45wrapping up perfectly everything that the first two installments had laid out.
10:49We set out to save the Shire, Sam.
10:54And it has been saved.
11:00But not for me.
11:01In Return of the King, battles are fought, love is culminated,
11:05morals are tested, and evil is vanquished, even if some scars remain.
11:10The film became the first fantasy film to ever win Best Picture at the Oscars,
11:14completing a historic sweep and taking home all 11 awards it was nominated for.
11:19Few, if any, films have so satisfyingly wrapped up a trilogy.
11:24My friends.
11:31You bow to no one.
11:33Did your favorite fantasy sequel make the list?
11:35Let us know which was your favorite in the comments below.
11:38The Horn of Helmhammerhand shall sound in the deep.
11:44One last time.