10 Best Sci-Fi Sequels, Ranked

The science fiction genre has allowed filmmakers to explore the limits of their craft as well as human imagination itself for well over 100 years now. With the remarkable advancements made to visual effects technology in the digital era, sci-fi is growing exponentially in its potential. As sci-fi films often involve in-depth lore and vast, expansive universes, they frequently lead to the development of sequels and larger franchises.

High expectations and studio pressures can, unfortunately, far too often lead to sequel films being creative let-downs. However, the science fiction genre has often greatly subverted this trend by producing phenomenal sequels to beloved works of art. With the release of Denis Villeneuve‘s long-awaited Dune: Part Two, it’s the perfect time to look back at cinema’s best sci-fi sophomore efforts. These are the 10 best sci-fi movie sequels based on their overall quality, cultural relevance and engagement with and elevation of their source material.

10 ’10 Cloverfield Lane’ (2016)

Director: Dan Trachtenberg

10 Cloverfield Lane, directed by Dan Trachtenberg from a screenplay by Josh Campbell, Matt Stuecken and Damien Chazelle, is the second film in the Cloverfield franchise. The film follows a woman named Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who is forced to shelter in an underground bunker owned by a sinister man named Howard (John Goodman) under the threat that an apocalyptic event has taken place outside.

Considered by many viewers to be superior to the original film, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a claustrophobic thriller with a science fiction edge. The film is anchored by an excellent lead performance from the underrated Winstead and a formidable antagonistic turn from Goodman, with the ever-shifting power dynamics between them making for electrifying tension. Although the film was originally pitched as a standalone project, and its connections to the larger Cloverfield universe are feeble, it remains one of the best sci-fi sequels of the past decade.

Rent on Apple

9 ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ (2017)

Director: James Gunn

Written and directed by James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a 2017 sci-fi superhero film and the 15th film overall in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The second film in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Vol. 2 continues the first film’s found family theme by exploring the characters’ relationships with parental figures and responsibilities. The film’s conflict centers around the arrival of Star-Lord’s (Chris Pratt) father, Ego (Kurt Russell), throwing the crew into turmoil.

Although less tight than the first film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is far more thematically coherent and thoughtful. Its exploration of the tension between biological and chosen family, as catalyzed by the introduction of the dynamic between Star-Lord and Ego, is handled with shocking care and sensitivity in a way that elevates the Guardians series above its MCU contemporaries. A great continuation of the first film and a strong entry to the wider Marvel franchise, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is an excellent sci-fi sequel.

Watch on Disney+

8 ‘Spider-Man 2’ (2004)

Director: Sam Raimi

The second film in Sam Raimi‘s Spider-Man trilogy, Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 superhero film written by Alvin Sargent. Set two years after the first film, Spider-Man 2 follows Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) as he deals with interpersonal dramas with his friend Harry (James Franco) and love interest Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst). These issues are compounded when his mentor, scientist Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), is corrupted by his robotic arm device and becomes supervillain Doctor Octopus.

Doc Ock is one of the best villains in any Spider-Man film, striking the perfect balance between sympathetic and formidable. A compelling story is further elevated by Sam Riami’s distinctive, self-referential style, and Spider-Man 2 perfectly utilizes his skills as a horror filmmaker in its portrayal of Doc Ock’s sci-fi abilities. Commonly considered the best live-action Spider-Man film to date, Spider-Man 2 is a phenomenal sci-fi sequel that takes everything that worked about its predecessor and expands on it, introducing supporting themes and storylines while remaining firmly grounded on Peter’s overarching narrative.

Watch on Apple

7 ‘Blade Runner 2049’ (2017)

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, Blade Runner 2049 is a 2017 neo-noir science fiction film. The sequel to the 1982 Phillip K. Dick adaptation Blade Runner, the film is set in a futuristic society in which artificially created people called “replicants” are exploited and mistreated by humans. The protagonist, K (Ryan Gosling), is a replicant who works with law enforcement to catch and kill his own kind. However, when K discovers that replicants can reproduce organically, his understanding of himself and his society is completely thrown off-kilter.

Anchored by an excellent lead performance from Ryan Gosling, the film expands wonderfully on the themes of dehumanization explored in the first film. By focusing on an explicitly replicant protagonist, Blade Runner 2049 is able to go even deeper with its questions about identity and what it means to be human, which remained largely vague and elusive in the 1982 original. Additionally, the Blade Runner universe feels all the more relevant in today’s era of ever-present technology and rampant loneliness. One of the best sci-fi movies from the 2010s, Blade Runner 2049 is considered by many to be on par with its predecessor.

Rent on Apple

6 ‘Dune: Part 2’ (2022)

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Directed by Denis Villeneuve from a screenplay co-written by himself and Jon Spaihts, Dune: Part Two is an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal 1965 science fiction novel Dune. Continuing directly where the first film left off, Part Two follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he rises among the ranks of the Fremen people as a messianic figure and aims to bring the desert planet of Arrakis to glory.

Dune: Part Two is an absolute triumph of the science fiction genre and one of Villeneuve’s greatest films to date. With its gorgeous cinematography, powerful performances and thrilling action sequences, the film is immensely rewatchable and feels incredibly tight despite its relatively long runtime. Dune: Part Two is already making waves at the box office and gaining fantastic reviews from audiences and critics alike, and its reputation will only keep increasing, cementing it as one of the best sci-fi sequels ever made.

Watch on Theaters

5 ‘Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan’ (1982)

Director: Nicholas Meyer

Based on the classic television series Star Trek and acting as a sequel to Star Trek: The Motion Picture, 1982’s Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan is arguably the high point of the franchise. The plot sees Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and the crew of the Enterprise facing Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalbán), who recently escaped a 15-year exile and is seeking revenge against Kirk.

The Wrath of Khan is far superior to its predecessor, thanks to an engrossing story that ups the emotional stakes. A huge reason behind the film’s success is Montalbán’s chilling, precise performance as Khan, a tyrant whose cunning is only matched by his hubris. Khan is among the best and scariest villains in science fiction, and Montalbán is the perfect choice to bring him to life. The Wrath of Khan‘s self-awareness is its greatest strength, allowing it to embrace the series’ mythology in service of a classic revenge story. The result is a thrilling and electrifying film that towers above the follow-ups that would come out in later years.

Watch on Max

4 ‘Bride of Frankenstein’ (1935)

Director: James Whale

Bride of Frankenstein, written by and directed by James Whale, is a 1935 sci-fi horror film adapted from Mary Shelley‘s 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. The film follows Frankenstein’s monster, portrayed by the legendary Boris Karloff, as he roams the countryside searching for a companion. Ultimately, Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) and his mentor Ernest Thesiger (Doctor Pretorius) created a new reanimated corpse as the monster’s bride.

One of the highest-rated Universal monster movies, Bride of Frankenstein is considered by many to be equal or even superior to the original 1931 Frankenstein. Although the titular bride herself has less than 5 minutes of screen time, Elsa Lanchester is perfect in the role, and her character’s striking appearance is one of the most famous images in horror film history. A fantastic expansion of the original film’s themes that greatly reaffirms the tragic overtones of the Monster’s story, Bride of Frankenstein is among the best sequels ever made, especially in the sci-fi genre.

Rent on Apple

3 ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ (1991)

Director: James Cameron

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a 1991 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron from a screenplay co-written by Cameron and William Wisher. Continuing the first film’s story of a future war between humans and artificial intelligence, the film follows Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and her young son, John Connor (Edward Furlong). The pair are joined by a T-800 Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) tasked with protecting John from the advanced killing machine, the T-1000 (Robert Patrick).

Featuring groundbreaking special effects and thrilling action sequences, Terminator 2 is beloved by fans. The film smashed box office expectations, especially compared to its predecessor, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1991. T2 cemented Cameron as the leading voice in science fiction cinema, a reputation he has maintained to this day. Widely considered one of the best action films of the 1990s, if not of all time, Terminator 2 provides a heartwarming central story of friendship and family as well as adrenaline-pumping sci-fi action set pieces. Few films can juggle so many elements so successfully.

Watch on AMC+

2 ‘Aliens’ (1986)

Director: James Cameron

Written and directed by James Cameron, Aliens is a 1986 sci-fi action film and a sequel to Ridley Scott‘s groundbreaking 1979 Alien. The film follows iconic action heroine Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) as she joins a crew of Marines to investigate the disappearance of a human colony on the Moon, which is revealed to be the result of xenomorph interference.

Where the first film was a suffocating horror film, Aliens takes more of a sci-fi action approach to the material, although the film’s alien designs are still visually disturbing. In particular, the fearsome alien queen is both grotesque and gorgeously intricate in her design, elaborating on the blueprint provided by H. R. Giger’s original alien. Cameron takes Aliens‘ worldbuilding to the next level, introducing more of everything that remained intentionally elusive in the original film, thus ensuring the longevity of the blossoming franchise. An ’80s classic that has truly stood the test of time, Aliens is a remarkable sci-fi sequel.

Watch on Max

1 ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ (1980)

Director: Irvin Kershner

One of the most beloved science fiction films of all time, The Empire Strikes Back is the second entry in the original Star Wars trilogy. Written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, the film was released in 1980 to immense critical and audience adoration. The film follows the war between the evil Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance, focusing in particular on the Jedi training of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) by Yoda (Frank Oz) and the love story between Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford).

Featuring one of the series’ greatest lightsaber battles at its climax and one of cinema’s most shocking twists, The Empire Strikes Back finds the perfect balance between the fantasy, science fiction and action elements that define the Star Wars franchise. The film took George Lucas‘ universe to the next storytelling step, enhancing his established lore and introducing many of the tenets that now form the Star Wars canon. Many of the most iconic Star Wars moments take place in The Empire Strikes Back, establishing it not only as the single most important chapter in the Skywalker Saga but as the greatest sci-fi sequel of all time.

Watch on Disney+

NEXT: The 10 Best Sci-Fi Movie Adaptations of the 21st Century