If the box office failures of 2023 have taught the film industry anything, it’s that audiences will not support a new film purely out of obligation to a previously existing franchise. In fact, the success of Barbie and Oppenheimer suggested that original films are just as likely to become blockbusters as sequels. 2023 offered no shortage of movie sequels, but only some of them justified their existence. Disappointments like Fast X, Transformer: Rise of the Beasts, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Qunatumania, The Marvels, The Flash, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods indicated that audiences are sick of films that don’t change up the formula.

Sequels aren’t inherently a bad thing, as returning to the same universe can allow a series to deepen its core mythology and put a greater focus on its characters. While 2023 didn’t have any sequels that reached the height of Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Waters’ success in 2022, there were several sequels this year that revived their respective franchises. Here are the best sequels of 2023, ranked.

10 ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ (2023)

Directed by James Mangold

The final installment in the Indiana Jones saga may have been the first without Steven Spielberg behind the camera, but director James Mangold stepped up to give Harrison Ford the graceful exit that he deserved. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is certainly a throwback to an older generation of storytelling, featuring a haphazard plot that carries Indy and his new ally Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) between locations with kinetic energy. The inclusion of Mads Mikkelsen as the villainous Nazi scientist Dr. Voller gave the series one of its best villains to date.

While this propulsive nature may have been overwhelming, Dial of Destiny acknowledges that Indy has grown older, and gives him an adventure befitting of his seniority. With its mix of nostalgic nods to older entries and creative action, Dial of Destiny was a satisfying conclusion to the Indiana Jones saga.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary artifact that can change the course of history.

Release Date

June 30, 2023

Rating

PG-13

Runtime

142 minutes

Writers

Jon Kasdan , Philip Kaufman , David Koepp , George Lucas

Studio

Walt Disney Studios

Watch On Disney+

9 ‘Evil Dead Rise’ (2023)

Directed by Lee Cronin

Evil Dead Rise is a curious entry within the Evil Dead franchise that managed to take the iconic horror series in a new direction. Although it’s not quite a traditional sequel, reboot, remake, or prequel, Evil Dead Rise opened up the series’ continuity by showing that there were stories that involved the Book of the Dead. Although it lacked the quirky humor that had distinguished Sam Raimi’s installments within the series, Evil Dead Rise featured enough bloody dismemberment and creative visuals to retain the saga’s spirit.

Horror is often a great way to explore family dynamics, and the relationship between the single mother Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) and her estranged sister Beth (Lily Sullivan) gave Evil Dead Rise a strong foundation for its drama. The empathy that these two performers generated for their characters makes Evil Dead Rise’s propulsive scare sequences even creepier.

Evil Dead Rise

A twisted tale of two estranged sisters whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.

Release Date

April 21, 2023

Director

Lee Cronin

Cast

Alyssa Sutherland , Lily Sullivan , Morgan Davies , Nell Fisher

Rating

R

Runtime

97 minutes

Main Genre

Horror

Genres

Horror

Watch on Max

Directed by Sam Hargrave

While Sam Hargrave’s 2020 Netflix thriller Extraction didn’t do much to differentiate itself from other action films, it did create an iconic new protagonist in Chris Hemsworth’s Tyler Rake. Thankfully, Extraction 2 gave Hemsworth a stronger story to work with, as it focused on Rake’s surprising survival after the end of the first film. Standout supporting performances from Olga Kurylenko, Idris Elba, Golshifteh Farahani, and Adam Bessa made the Extraction universe feel more lived-in.

While the depth given to Rake’s backstory made Extraction 2 a more emotionally compelling film, the groundbreaking action sequences are what make the film so watchable. Between an epic prison fight and a stunning final shoot out sequence, Extraction 2 was among the year’s most propulsive films. Extraction 2 felt like a fun throwback to classic action films, and thankfully a third installment in the series is on its way soon.

Extraction 2

Release Date

June 16, 2023

Rating

R

Runtime

122 minutes

Watch on Netflix

Related

The 10 Most Watched Netflix Shows of the First Half of 2023

Love is sharing the streaming data.

7 ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ (2023)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

The Magic Mike franchise is an outlier compared to other Hollywood franchises, as each installment in the series has taken it in a novel new direction. If 2012’s Magic Mike was a surprisingly moody throwback to Old Hollywood character dramas, Magic Mike XXL made a tonal shift that turned the series into a raucous musical celebration. Fittingly enough, Magic Mike’s Last Dance takes another bold swing by telling a more intimate romantic story about Mike’s (Channing Tatum) relationship with the wealthy woman Maxandra Mendoza (Salma Hayek).

While director Steven Soderbergh is still able to incorporate humor through Mike’s interactions with his fellow dancers, Magic Mike’s Last Dance proved to be a more reflective installment that showed how its characters were dealing with a post-pandemic economy. The breathtaking final musical number makes Magic Mike’s Last Dance an unmissable conclusion to a truly unique series that celebrates positive masculinity.

Magic Mike’s Last Dance

Mike takes to the stage again, following a business deal that went bust, leaving him broke and taking bartender gigs in Florida. Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite who lures him with an offer he can’t refuse.

Release Date

February 10, 2023

Director

Steven Soderbergh

Rating

R

Runtime

112 minutes

Main Genre

Drama

Genres

Drama , Comedy

Watch on Max

6 ‘Scream VI’ (2023)

Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

The Scream series remains the best horror franchise because the whodunit premise allows the films to continuously introduce new villains. While 2022’s Scream had successfully revamped the series with more cheeky humor, Scream VI continued this self-aware direction by exploring victimization culture and the sensationalism of violence. While these are themes that have been present in the series since Wes Craven’s original film from 1996, Scream VI made them feel fresh again with its focus on how the new protagonists Tara (Jenna Ortega) and Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) were recovering from the events of the previous installment.

The New York setting allowed Scream VI to get creative with its scare sequences, and the return of franchise favorites Kirby Reed (Hayden Panettiere) and Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox) gave the film the nostalgic boost that it needed. While Neve Campbell’s absence was unfortunate, Scream VI proved that the series had successfully launched a new generation of heroes.

Watch on Paramount+

5 ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ (2023)

Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson

2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was a breakthrough achievement in animation that brought the pages of Stan Lee’s comics to life with a unique visual style. While living up to the lofty expectations that the first film generated was no easy task, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse featured the same intimate focus on Miles Morales’ (Shameik Moore) coming-of-age story. Despite the inclusion of many new Spider-People, it’s Miles’ struggle to balance his adolescent anxieties with his responsibilities as Spider-Man that makes the film so unique.

In an era where both the Marvel Cinematic Universeand DC Films have attempted to pull off multiversal stories, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse showed how to do a multiverse story right. With a terrific new villain in Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac) and a jaw-dropping final plot twist, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse proved itself to be a cut above other superhero films in 2023.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Miles Morales catapults across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. When the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles must redefine what it means to be a hero.

Release Date

June 2, 2023

Studio

Sony Pictures Animation, Marvel Entertainment, Arad Productions

Watch on Netflix

Related

The 10 Best Movie and TV Breakout Performances of 2023, So Far

Watch out Hollywood, make way for these rising stars!

4 ‘Creed III’ (2023)

Directed by Michael B. Jordan

While the Creed franchise started off as a compelling way to continue the Rocky series, the spinoff franchise has proven that it no longer needs Sylvester Stallone. Creed III moved the saga in a bold new direction by exploring the relationship between Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) and his childhood friend Dame Anderson (Michael B. Jordan). The history of conflict between these two characters gave the boxing sequences emotional weight. Anderson is a compelling antagonist because he has something to prove, and feels that he has nothing to lose.

As a first time director, Jordan utilizes visually dazzling editing techniques that evoke comparisons to anime. As brutal as the boxing scenes are, Creed III doesn’t forget to spend time developing Adonis’ relationship with his wife Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and his young daughter Amara (Mila Davis-Kent). While previous films in the Creed series drew from the Rocky mythology, Creed III developed a legacy of its own.

Creed III

Adonis has been thriving in both his career and family life, but when a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy resurfaces, the face-off is more than just a fight.

Release Date

March 3, 2023

Director

Michael B. Jordan

Rating

PG-13

Runtime

116 minutes

Main Genre

Drama

Watch on Prime Video

3 ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ (2023)

Directed by James Gunn

To say that Marvel Studios had a rough year would be an understatement, as both Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels were critical and financial disappointments that failed to generate enthusiasm for the remainder of Phase Five. However, James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was a healthy reminder of what the MCU could be at its best. Rather than spend time setting up future installments, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 told an intimate story that brought the trilogy to a natural conclusion.

Although Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 features just as much great music and quirky humor as its predecessors, the exploration of Rocket Racoon’s (Bradley Cooper) backstory was a surprisingly dark way to examine one of the most light-hearted characters. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 also did a great job at handling the relationship between Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and Gamora (Zoe Saldana) in the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Still reeling from the loss of Gamora, Peter Quill rallies his team to defend the universe and one of their own – a mission that could mean the end of the Guardians if not successful.

Release Date

May 5, 2023

Rating

PG-13

Runtime

150 minutes

Franchise

MCU

Story By

Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning

Characters By

Arnold Drake, Gene Colan

Prequel

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Cinematographer

Henry Braham

Producer

Kevin Feige

Production Company

Marvel Studios

Sfx Supervisor

Stephane Ceretti

Watch on Disney+

2 ‘Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One’

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

Despite what the title may suggest, Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One did not feel like only half of a film. While the film foreshadowed the further adventures of Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) in the next installment in the series, Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One told a complete story about the IMF’s battle with the all-powerful artificial intelligence system “The Entity.” Although writer/director Christopher McQuarrie introduced many incredible action sequences, the focus on the dangers of AI made Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One a timely warning about putting too much faith in technology.

While Cruise’s charisma is unparalleled, the latest sequel gives more screen time to fan favorite characters like Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), and Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg). Additionally, the introduction of Hayley Atwell’s Grace served as a great way for Ethan to “pass the torch” to a younger IMF hero.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Release Date

July 14, 2023

Rating

PG-13

Runtime

164

Watch on Apple TV

1 ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

Directed by Chad Stahelski

John Wick: Chapter 4 was a rousing conclusion to the Keanu Reeves action franchise that closed out the titular assassin’s story in an emotionally compelling way. Despite its 169 minute running time, John Wick: Chapter 4 never loses its sense of momentum by constantly pitting Wick against new enemies. With its allusions to westerns, espionage films, international action cinema, noirs, and an opening sequence worthy of Lawrence of Arabia, John Wick: Chapter 4 pays tribute to every generation of cinema.

While the action in John Wick: Chapter 4 is even more brutal than its predecessors, the fourth installment in the series is also its most emotional. The return of characters like Winston Scott (Ian McShane), Charon (the late great Lance Reddick), and the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) was the perfect way to close out the John Wick story, whilst leaving the door open for future adventures.

John Wick: Chapter 4

With the price on his head ever increasing, legendary hit man John Wick takes his fight against the High Table global as he seeks out the most powerful players in the underworld, from New York to Paris to Japan to Berlin.

Release Date

March 24, 2023

Rating

R

Runtime

169 minutes

Writers

Derek Kolstad

Watch on Starz

NEXT: The 10 Most Underrated Sci-Fi Movie Sequels, Ranked