10 Movie Sequels That Are Much Less Serious Than The Original

After its release in late October, the Enola Holmes sequel received praise for its generally sillier and more lighthearted approach to storytelling in comparison to the original. Doubling down on the eccentricity can often be a great way of making a sequel shine, and Enola Holmes definitely pulled this off well.

But it certainly isn’t the first movie sequel to use this trick – several blockbuster movies have gone down this route in recent years, displaying an entertaining disregard for the serious tone of the original installment. Once the audience is familiar with the story and the characters, introducing some more lighthearted plot points can really help a sequel’s chances.

Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

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Whilst there’s still an element of silliness in the original Gremins, the movie’s sequel really amplifies these traits and centers itself around them. The story forces audiences to ditch every last shred of realism, fully suspending their sense of disbelief and immersing them in a wild story that even the most imaginative mind couldn’t replicate.

Gremlins has never been a franchise to take completely seriously, but there are several scenes in the first movie that rely on tension and apprehension to genuinely instill some fear and shock into the audience. Gremlins 2 doesn’t do this, which many audiences actually started to miss.

Cars 2 (2011)

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Cars is one of those Pixar movies that adults and children can enjoy together, but the sequel left many older audiences wanting more. It ditches the thematic depth of the original and switches it out for a lighthearted, far-fetched story about spies and espionage.

Whilst many audiences were unhappy with the tonal shift between the first two Cars movies, the core spirit of the films is still there. It’s clear that Cars 2 is a basic continuation of the same story, it just lacks that serious storytelling that made the fist entry so memorable.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

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Unlike many other movie series, the Mission: Impossible franchise’s gradual evolution from grounded thrillers to over-the-top action spectacles actually worked strongly in its favor. Whilst the original film is still enjoyed by plenty of fans, nothing compares to the big-budget, epic storytelling of the past few entries.

Fallout is probably the clearest example of this process to date – the film boasts several complex set pieces and plenty of action-packed twists and turns that are almost unrecognizable from the down-to-earth spirit of Brian de Palma’s original installment.

Army of Darkness (1993)

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Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy is an incredibly unique one – every single film is completely different from the last, and that tonal distinction becomes unequivocally clear in the series’ final installment. Where the first two movies were gory, slasher-based horror movies, Army of Darkness is more of a supernatural, historical comedy-horror bloodbath.

Raimi has never been the kind of director to stick to one particular style, so it’s not really a surprise that the Evil Dead trilogy evolved so strongly over the years. There are plenty of unpopular opinions out there about Sam Raimi, but most audiences can agree that he knows exactly how to increase that ‘wow’ factor throughout his career.

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

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First Blood worked so effectively because of the tension and excitement that characterized every single scene. From the very beginning of the film, the stakes are high, and the audience is on the edge of their seat – it was Rambo’s vulnerability and lack of control that made him such a compelling protagonist.

But in First Blood Part II, Rambo is a completely different character. He’s killing soldiers left and right, drawing the film in blood and violence that never existed in the original. The concept of the film is so much sillier and less serious than the original, which allowed the franchise to devolve into a mindless action spectacle.

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

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Taika Waititi’s introduction to the MCU was undoubtedly one of the company’s smartest decisions, and his work on Thor: Ragnarok completely revolutionized the franchise. Whereas the first two films were almost Shakespearean in their drama and tragedy, Ragnarok is much more eccentric and comedy-focused.

Ragnarok also allowed lead actor Chris Hemsworth to fully embrace the character of Thor unlike ever before. His performances in the first two movies were fairly simple and uninteresting, but Waititi revealed that with the right script, Hemsworth could really carry the character to greatness.

Batman Returns (1992)

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Michael Keaton’s Batman movies were a pretty mixed bag overall, but most people can agree that the first installment was a pretty exciting and successful venture into the DC universe. It saw Keaton and Nicholson face off as the Caped Crusader and The Joker in a thrilling battle of wits, but Batman Returns takes a completely different style.

Danny DeVito’s portrayal of The Penguin is consistently fun to watch, but many argue that it doesn’t quite match the tone of Burton’s films. It’s the jarring boldness of films like Batman Returns that keeps many audiences from fully enjoying Tim Burton’s works, even several decades after its release.

Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)

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It’s not uncommon for horror sequels to completely change the spirit and atmosphere of a long-standing franchise, but Exorcist II may just be the clearest example of that. Whilst the original is widely regarded as one of the scariest horror movies ever made, The Heretic is a completely off-the-wall experience that took many audiences by surprise.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where The Heretic departs from its source material, but at some point it morphs into something completely unrecognizable from The Exorcist thanks to its unwavering focus on demons, violence, and satanism. This was all present in the original, but the sequel neglects to actually pull everything together into a real story.

Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull (2008)

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The Indiana Jones franchise has always included supernatural elements that force audiences to suspend reality, but many viewers argue that Kingdom of the Crystal Skull simply takes things a little too far. It sacrifices the charm and excitement of the original trilogy for a story that’s too caught up in its own complexities to ever be entertaining.

Harrison Ford is still iconic as Indiana Jones, but the story itself is just too silly and pointless for audiences to really connect with. Eccentricity and lightheartedness have always been staples of the franchise, but never quite to this extent.

F9: The Fast Saga (2021)

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When audiences were first introduced to the Fast and Furious franchise over two decades ago, nobody could have imagined what the series would look like today. The first installment was a gritty police thriller about stolen DVDs, whilst the latest entry sees the gang travel to space in order to take down an international cyber-terrorist.

General opinion about Fast and Furious’ evolution over the years is pretty mixed – whilst many people are pleased that the sequels are willing to take bold risks and adapt to a new era, others believe that they’re simply too outlandish to ever take seriously and enjoy.

NEXT: 10 Horror Villains That Are Funnier Than They Are Scary