Media Sequels Discussion Thread

[bdt2002]

Let me start off the OP of this thread with a question. Is it just me, or has the year of 2023 been completely flooded with sequels so far? Sequels of your favorite books, movies, games, all happening all at once. Why is that, I asked myself? Are major content producers shifting towards continuations of existing content again, or is this just a coincidence? Last night I went to hang out with some high school friends and we saw the new Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse movie in theaters. Just last month we finally got our hands on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, arguably the most anticipated Nintendo Switch exclusive in several years, at the very least since 2018's Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was announced. Within the past year or so, we've had announcements and/or releases for several game series getting sequels, including Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6, and Mortal Kombat 1 all coming to mind as examples from the competitive fighting genre. And then, of course, you're going to have your yearly fillings of content from other content mediums, especially those exclusive to streaming services in most areas of the world. It's just... where are all these sequel ideas coming from all at once?

I don't really have a definitive answer for that question because, at the end of the day, content creators are going to release stuff whenever they feel like it. All I know for certain is that if there's one word that's been etched into my mind as of late, that word would be "sequel". (And I guess "prequel", by extension.) It was around sometime this morning when I realized that the idea of sequels (and prequels) could make for a fun discussion thread that I'm honestly surprised to see doesn't have one yet. Or at least, not an active thread that I could find. We all have things we like and series we're interested in, and no matter what those are, the one thing that unites pretty much every fandom in existence is that we all get excited for new installments within our respective favorites.

In regards to what kinds of things we could talk about here, I don't see a need for being strict with what questions and answers are brought up here further down the line. I know that for me personally, whenever I imagine something having a sequel made for it, I end up asking myself a number of questions:

• How recently was the sequel announced and/or released compared to its predecessor?
• In what ways does the sequel improve upon the original?
• In what ways does the original hold up better than the sequel?
• How excited is/was the general public for this new sequel?
• How necessary is a sequel for this specific I.P. at the current moment?
• Will longtime fans of the original enjoy the sequel more, less, or about the same?
• Similarly, how will newly introduced fans react to the sequel?
• Have any, quote, "good sequels" released lately that set a good example for this medium?
• Is there really a set list of criteria to warrant something as a "good" sequel?

As someone who played a lot of sequels to pre-existing video games growing up, I'm interested in your opinions and how your answers to these questions may compare or contrast to how I would answer them. Sequels (and prequels) are a great way to introduce new people to a series or franchise, but it's important they be produced effectively and efficiently so as to not damage brand awareness. And who knows? Maybe one of these days, we can finally have some actually good sequel games again that managed to outsell the predecessors, Nintendo Switch sequels and ports of original Nintendo Wii U games not withstanding.

 

[faint]

Thank you for making this thread. This trend has also been something I have been pondering over for just about a decade now. My belief is that this trend can be attributed to several factors that have contributed to the popularity and profitability of sequels.

For starters, sequels offer a sense of familiarity and built-in audience recognition. Audiences are often drawn to stories and characters they already know and love. Sequels capitalize on this pre-existing connection and provide viewers with a continuation of the narratives and characters they have already invested in. By expanding upon established storylines, sequels offer a sense of anticipation and a desire to see what happens next, which can generate significant buzz and excitement.

Furthermore, the rise of sequels can be attributed to the success of shared cinematic universes. Franchises such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) have demonstrated how interconnected storytelling across multiple films can captivate audiences and create a sense of a larger, cohesive world. This approach allows studios to cross-pollinate characters, storylines, and themes, resulting in a richer and more immersive experience for viewers. Audiences become invested in the overarching narrative and eagerly anticipate each new installment.

Additionally, sequels provide a reliable business model for studios. In an industry where success is never guaranteed, sequels offer a safer bet compared to original ideas. Studios often view sequels as a way to mitigate financial risk by leveraging the built-in audience from the previous installments. The familiarity and brand recognition associated with sequels can lead to higher ticket sales, increased merchandise revenue, and other ancillary benefits. This financial stability allows studios to invest in bigger budgets and more ambitious projects.

Advancements in technology have also played a role in the rise of sequels. The development of visual effects and CGI has made it easier and more cost-effective to create visually stunning and immersive worlds. This has opened up new possibilities for expanding existing storylines and characters in sequels, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved on the big screen. As a result, audiences are often enticed by the promise of grander spectacles and enhanced cinematic experiences that sequels can deliver.

Lastly, the rise of sequels can be attributed to changing audience preferences and consumption habits. With the proliferation of streaming platforms and on-demand content, audiences have become accustomed to binge-watching entire seasons of TV shows or watching multiple movies within a franchise in quick succession. This increased appetite for serialized storytelling has created a demand for sequels that can offer ongoing narratives and characters that viewers can engage with over an extended period.

In conclusion, the rise of sequels over the past decade can be attributed to a combination of factors, including audience familiarity, shared cinematic universes, reliable business models, technological advancements, and changing consumption habits. While some may argue that this trend limits originality and creativity in the industry, it is evident that sequels have become a dominant force in the entertainment landscape, capturing the attention and enthusiasm of audiences worldwide.

 

[bdt2002]

Thank you for making this thread. This trend has also been something I have been pondering over for just about a decade now. My belief is that this trend can be attributed to several factors that have contributed to the popularity and profitability of sequels.

For starters, sequels offer a sense of familiarity and built-in audience recognition. Audiences are often drawn to stories and characters they already know and love. Sequels capitalize on this pre-existing connection and provide viewers with a continuation of the narratives and characters they have already invested in. By expanding upon established storylines, sequels offer a sense of anticipation and a desire to see what happens next, which can generate significant buzz and excitement.

Furthermore, the rise of sequels can be attributed to the success of shared cinematic universes. Franchises such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) have demonstrated how interconnected storytelling across multiple films can captivate audiences and create a sense of a larger, cohesive world. This approach allows studios to cross-pollinate characters, storylines, and themes, resulting in a richer and more immersive experience for viewers. Audiences become invested in the overarching narrative and eagerly anticipate each new installment.

Additionally, sequels provide a reliable business model for studios. In an industry where success is never guaranteed, sequels offer a safer bet compared to original ideas. Studios often view sequels as a way to mitigate financial risk by leveraging the built-in audience from the previous installments. The familiarity and brand recognition associated with sequels can lead to higher ticket sales, increased merchandise revenue, and other ancillary benefits. This financial stability allows studios to invest in bigger budgets and more ambitious projects.

Advancements in technology have also played a role in the rise of sequels. The development of visual effects and CGI has made it easier and more cost-effective to create visually stunning and immersive worlds. This has opened up new possibilities for expanding existing storylines and characters in sequels, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved on the big screen. As a result, audiences are often enticed by the promise of grander spectacles and enhanced cinematic experiences that sequels can deliver.

Lastly, the rise of sequels can be attributed to changing audience preferences and consumption habits. With the proliferation of streaming platforms and on-demand content, audiences have become accustomed to binge-watching entire seasons of TV shows or watching multiple movies within a franchise in quick succession. This increased appetite for serialized storytelling has created a demand for sequels that can offer ongoing narratives and characters that viewers can engage with over an extended period.

In conclusion, the rise of sequels over the past decade can be attributed to a combination of factors, including audience familiarity, shared cinematic universes, reliable business models, technological advancements, and changing consumption habits. While some may argue that this trend limits originality and creativity in the industry, it is evident that sequels have become a dominant force in the entertainment landscape, capturing the attention and enthusiasm of audiences worldwide.

I don’t possibly see how I could address anything that you haven’t already mentioned in this one post. You really did cover pretty much anything I could think of and then some, and for that I have to be nothing short of impressed.

One thing with sequels that has always intrigued me as a video game (primarily Nintendo) fan of why it’s seemingly so hard for even the best-received sequels to sell better than their predecessors. New entries to franchises that aren’t sequels do this all the time (shoutouts to New Horizons outselling the entire rest of the Animal Crossing franchise combined), but as far as actually dedicated sequels go that are advertised as such… when’s the last time we’ve had a game like this? GTA 5 is the only real example I can think off of the top of my head, but even that’s largely in part because of how long the game has been the “newest” GTA installment. Maybe various yearly releases in other genres (FPS and sports both come to mind) have technically done it, but who’s going to look me straight in the eyes and tell me that each new Madden game deserves to be called a sequel? At least the yearly Call of Duty cycle tries to have actual series in its I.P..

I think the reason this is so hard is because not only do you (content creators) have to create a product that’s just as popular as the original was with returning fans, but you have to do that while also adding in enough enticing new content to give people a reason to prefer the sequel over the original. When Super Mario Bros. 3 released all the way back in 1988, much of its appeal came from the fact that it was a direct improvement over both iterations of SMB2 while fundamentally shaping what a 2D platformer can be when pushed to its absolute limit. As a result, the game was popular enough to outsell both versions of SMB2 combined while simultaneously giving the 1985 game a run for its money, to say nothing of the rest of the console’s lineup. And then two years later, Super Mario World comes out of nowhere and eventually repeats the 20 million sales accomplishment while being the best selling game on the Super Famicom/SNES. Those are the kinds of games I want to see more of, where the higher sales counts are actually justified because of the quality of the product being released. Excluding the GTA 5 example from earlier, I can’t think of any other game that would even warrant a place in that kind of discussion.