Why is it that any movie with the number 2 in the title tends to be a flop?
There are exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking, the ratio of bad sequels to good ones is 20:1. In this post, we'll explore the recipe for an awesome sequel.
Firstly, why do producers make sequels?
Sequels are attractive to creators and to publishers because there is less risk involved in returning to a story with known popularity rather than developing new and untested characters and settings. Audiences are sometimes eager for more stories about popular characters or settings, making the production of sequels financially appealing
In other words, sequels are a lazy way to make a buck off us poor saps.
But what about successful sequels, like Terminator 2 or Aliens. What is it about those sequels that made them great?
This is where it gets interesting... The secret to making a great sequel is not to repeat the storyline, but to reinvent it. For some reason, the only person in Hollywood to figure this out is James Cameron.
Terminator 2 didn't copy the original premise of Terminator, it reinvented it, adding a twist, with Arnie becoming the good guy. When it comes to Aliens, Cameron took a horror film and turned it into an action adventure/thriller.
James Cameron understood that if you copy a work of genius, you're left with a poor imitation, so he reinvented rather than regurgitated. If only Michael Bay learnt the same lesson.
The key to a great sequel is to reinvent not repeat.
That brings me to Star Trek. All of its official incarnations have been repeats and, predictably, have failed to reignite the passion that the original series had, even with its cardboard set props.
How could you reinvent, twist and revive a sequel to something as iconic as Star Trek without it becoming a boring repetition? Well, I suspect it's already been done but nobody noticed.
Look closely at the characters in Firefly and you'll see an anti-cast, an alternate universe for Star Trek.
- Mal is an anti-hero based on the archetype, Kirk
- Instead of representing the established order like Kirk, Mal stands against it.
- Zoe and Inara are the rational, logical counterpoint to Mal, as Spock is to Kirk
- Wash has Sulu written all over him
- Kaylee is the cool-headed Scotty
- Dr Simon Tam has the same fiery relationship with Mal as Bones had with Kirk
- While Book has the more rational, constructive side of Bones
- Jayne is a beefed up, muscle-bound Chekov (ok, that's the weakest of the comparisons)
You get the point. Firefly captured the imagination of sci-fi fans because, knowingly or unknowingly, it provided a fresh reboot, a twist on an iconic story rather than being just a shallow imitation.
There certainly are numerous original aspects to Firefly, like the River character, and I don't mean to demean that. But both Firefly and Star Trek are openly modelled on the Western wagon trail, while Star Wars is a reinvention of the swashbuckling adventure on the high seas. So they, themselves, are rejuvenated common story lines.
There certainly are numerous original aspects to Firefly, like the River character, and I don't mean to demean that. But both Firefly and Star Trek are openly modelled on the Western wagon trail, while Star Wars is a reinvention of the swashbuckling adventure on the high seas. So they, themselves, are rejuvenated common story lines.
Bring on a reboot of Star Wars.
Cheers,
3 comments:
Spiderman 2. I would say it is an exception to your rule.
Good point with the reinvention instead of regurgitation! I would also add that both of the examples you used upped the ante as well - they're much bigger in scale and general plot. The main characters both show a completely different side to their character as well which is always refreshing. Great post man!
Yeah, a trilogy like Lord of the Rings or the odd sequential story like Spiderman2 or Fan-Four 2 are the exception because they are exceptional, but Transformers, etc, are poor imitations of themselves.
The batman series fell into this hole for over a decade, until Chris Nolan and Heath Ledger came along and reinvented the character of Joker, stealing the show.
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