In the age of movie sequels, reboots, and re-imaginings, movies that harness nostalgia and recognizability seem to be the only things that studios are interested in making these days. In the past decade, however, a new sub-genre of this trend has emerged — The Requel (reboot/sequel). Also referred to as a Legasequel (legacy sequel) or a Seboot (Sequel/Reboot), these terms are all synonymous with this ongoing trend in Hollywood.
But what is a requel, you ask? A legacy sequel is a film that follows the continuity of the original franchise but takes place many years after the original. A requel often focuses on new characters, while bringing original characters back to hand off the franchise baton. While the first notable instance of a Requel was all the way back in the 80s with The Color of Money, the passage of time has created some pretty amazing Requels in the past decade. Here are the best of the best.
Cover Photo: Warner Bros.
7 Greatest Requels of the Last Decade
-
7. The Matrix Resurrections
The Matrix Resurrections may not be the best requel of the past decade, but it is undoubtedly the most interesting. Say what you will about the movie, but Lana Wachowski clearly made a movie that gives a big middle finger to not nly the studio that greenlit the movie, but also the idea of Hollywood reboots altogether. The Matrix Resurrections is the type of movie that people will either love or hate. At the very least, the movie is doing something unique and original, all while playing into Requel tropes that it is big-budget lampooning.
-
6. Creed
The Rocky franchise has seen it’s fair share of ups and downs, but Creed is one of the rare legacy sequels that is just as impactful as the original. Aside from being the movie that got Ryan Coogler the Black Panther directing gig, it also features a star-making role for Michael B. Jordan and the most emotionally complex performance of Stallone’s career since the 80s. Although the eventual sequel didn’t live up to the hype, Creed still stands as one of the better requels in recent memory.
-
5. Halloween (2018)
In many ways, 2018’s Halloween was a watershed moment for the modern movement of horror movie legacy sequels. Considering that the original Halloween is a stone-cold masterpiece that will likely never be topped, the 2018 legacy sequel is probably the closest you could feasibly get to matching the original. However, the fact that it also started the confusing trend of naming legacy sequels the same as the original immediately knocks it down a few pegs on this list.
-
4. Scream (2022)
Despite committing the same naming sins as requel predecessors, 2022’s Scream is arguably the most pure legacy sequel in terms of accurately capturing the feeling of the original. From the way that the film pays homage to the original to exploring the modern themes of toxic fandom, there’s something about Scream 5 that makes it feel like the perfect formula for a horror requel. In other words,Randy would be proud.
-
3. Bad Boys For Life
Bad Boys for Life may not be the best movie on this list, but it surely is the most re-watchable. It’s the rare threequel that also simultaneously serves as a requel. Considering that the third Bad Boys movie was in development hell for over a decade, the movie could have been an absolute tire fire. Luckily, Bad Boys For Life didn’t miss a step, offering the best combination of heart and humor in the franchise. With a 4th film apparently on the way, it’s just a shame that they couldn’t have called the sequel Bad Boys 4 Life. If anything, Michael Bay cameo where he is filmed in his own style is one of the greatest meta movie moments of all-time.
-
2. Blade Runner 2049
The fact that a movie like Blade Runner 2049 exists is, quite honestly, a pure miracle. Released 35 years after the original, 2049 is far more dense than it’s predecessor in just about every way, which is saying something. Denis Villenuve is arguably one of the best working directors today, so it comes a no surprise that the movie pretty much flopped in theaters. Although a sequel series uniquely called Blade Runner 2099 is currently in development at Amazon, there’s a good chance that the dazzling heights of 2049 will ever be reached again.
-
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
Mad Max: Fury Road is the rare legacy sequel that is arguably better than the rest of the entire franchise. Not only is the movie a true masterpiece in the purest sense of the word, but it also puts most modern action movies to shame. Fury Road famously had arguably the the most hellacious production in Hollywood history, to the point where a book was recently published chronicling it. What’s amazing about a movie like Fury Road is not only the technical craftsmanship, but the pure visual storytelling of it all. You could watch the movie without sound and would still get the same effect. These are many of the reasons why Mad Max: Fury Road is easily the best legacy sequel to date.
