The Longest Gaps Between Movie Sequels: Which ‘Years Later’ Sequels Were The Best?

Image: https://unsplash.com/photos/7laIG_Xv5FI

In today’s age of movies, nostalgia is a very common theme, with many releases in recent years being sequels of classic movies from years prior. 

It has been revealed that the 1988 movie Beetlejuice is set for a sequel, leaving many fans of the Tim Burton classic very excited. Whilst no official release date has been confirmed, it’s believed to be hitting screens in 2024, 36 years after the release of the original.

With this in mind, the team at Betway have revealed which sequels of classic movies had the longest gap between the release of the last movie in the franchise, and also looked at the IMDb ratings to determine which sequels were the most well-received:

Top Gun: Maverick - 36-year gap (8.3/10 rating)

Second on the list is Top Gun: Maverick, the 2022 sequel to the 1986 classic Top Gun. Its sequel took the box office by storm, earning almost $1.5 billion globally and seeing Tom Cruise step back into the role of Maverick years later. 

The sequel was extremely well-received, with both moviegoers and critics alike having nothing but high praise for the film, as they all flew to the cinemas to catch the action, earning the film a high 8.3/10 rating on IMDb. 

Blade Runner 2049 - 35-year gap (8.0/10 rating)

Whilst the 1982 film Blade Runner was a box office disappointment, the Harrison Ford led film became a cult classic over the years - resulting in Blade Runner 2049 - the 2017 sequel led by Ryan Gosling and seeing the return of Harrison Ford’s character, Rick Deckard.

Unfortunately, the over three-hour sequel was also a disappointment at the box office, earning just over $260 million worldwide. Despite this, many die-hard fans and critics have extremely high praise for the sequel, praising its fantastic sci-fi elements and cinematography, earning it an 8.0/10 rating on IMDb.  

Coming 2 America - 33-year gap (5.3/10 rating)

Up next is Coming 2 America, the 2021 sequel to the 1988 film Coming To America. The sequel sees African royalty, Akeem, played by Eddie Murphy, return to America after finding out about his long-lost son. 

Unlike previous mentions, the sequel to Coming To America was not as well received by audiences. Earning a 5.3/10 rating on IMDb, it’s clear many believe the first film is superior, with that having a higher 7.1/10 rating. 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens - 32-year gap (7.8/10 rating)

Despite there being an entire trilogy of Star Wars films released between the 32-year gap of 1983’s Return of the Jedi and 2015’s The Force Awakens, those early noughties entries were prequel films. Fans had to wait three decades to see a continuation starring their favourite original characters such as Luke, Leia and Han Solo, along with many new faces.

Upon release, excited fans and critics alike gave the film high praise and it was a box office hit - earning over $2 billion - despite some criticising the plot’s similarities to the original 1977 Star Wars film. It earned a decent 7.8/10 IMDb rating, however, fans didn’t have the same opinions of the following sequels. 

Mad Max: Fury Road - 30-year gap (8.1/10 rating)

This post-apocalyptic action epic from 2015 doesn't have much connection to the original trilogy of films, since after 1985’s Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, the franchise faded into obscurity. That was until 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road.

The film performed extremely well at the box office, with many having high praise for the performances from Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, as well as being stunned by the action-packed fast pace of the film, earning it an 8.1/10 rating. 

Tron: Legacy - 28-year gap (6.8/10 rating)

Next on the list is the 2010 sci-fi film, Tron: Legacy. Whilst the original film, 1982’s Tron, was a modest success at the box office, the film quickly earned a cult following, leading to the release of a sequel 28 years later. 

Tron: Legacy did very well at the box office, earning over $400 million from a budget of $170 million, and it was also nominated for Best Sound Editing at the Oscars, but ultimately lost out to Inception. The film holds a 6.8/10 rating on IMDb. 

Dumb and Dumber To - 20-year gap (5.6/10 rating)

The 2014 slapstick comedy Dumb and Dumber To, starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels as the slapstick duo Lloyd and Harry, released 20 years after its predecessor, Dumb and Dumber, which hit screens back in 1994.

The sequel which nobody had really asked for, unfortunately, underperformed at the box office and earned just $167 million dollars, much less than the original film made back in 1994. The sequel has just a 5.6/10 rating on IMDb. 

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - 19-year gap (6.2/10 rating)

The iconic Indiana Jones, played by the legendary actor Harrison Ford, was an icon back in the 80s, with the decade seeing a trilogy of films released adored by fans. It wasn’t until 2008 that the fourth film subtitled Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was released, 19 years after 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Unfortunately, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was considered a disappointment by fans and critics, despite the film-making a fortune at the box office. This earned the film a 6.2/10 IMDb rating. It seems this franchise has become used to long gaps, as the fifth film - Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny - hits theatres this year, 15 years after the last.

The Godfather Part III - 16-year gap (7.6/10 rating)

1972’s The Godfather and 1974’s The Godfather Part II are widely considered two of the greatest films of all time. It wasn’t until 1990 that the acclaimed series became a trilogy with a third part, concluding the story of Al Pacino’s character, Michael Corleone.

Whilst the film performed reasonably well at the box office for the time, fans and critics didn’t have the same acclaim for Part III as they did for the first two, which are considered all-time greats. However, it still holds a good rating of 7.6/10 on IMDb, but compared to the previous two, it pales in comparison.