5 Sci-Fi Sequels That Were Better Than The Original Movie

Sci-fi movies with terrible sequels are often forgettable, but a sequel that's able to surpass the original in quality can truly be something special. A good, original movie can have a lasting impact on audiences, and sequels often carry the burden of needing to surpass them in order to satiate fans. Stray too far from the original, and the film can flop — but not giving audiences more of what they crave can be equally disastrous. A good sequel can be difficult to make, but some franchises manage to pull it off with gusto.

It can be a struggle looking for films that go beyond the first without traversing the "so bad they're actually good" territory like several other sci-fi films. You might have an easier time finding sci-fi movie remakes that are better than the original. Even though many sequels can be obnoxious cash grabs, those that succeeded in pulling in the audience did their best to cement a franchise as a part of cinematic history.

Be sure to grab your popcorn, as we'll also show you where these sequels are available online. From sequels 30 years in the making like "Blade Runner 2049" to movies that will have you hunting (or being hunted by) aliens, cyborgs, and doppelgangers — looking at you, "Aliens" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" — these choices are sure to get a conversation going amongst your friends.

For movie fans, 1982 was a tremendous year for sci-fi movies, and Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" certainly deserves some credit for that. Starring Harrison Ford, the film is loosely based on the Philip K. Dick novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" The original is iconic for its dystopian tale of Deckard hunting down six replicants, but director Denis Villeneuve pushed things further with his 2017 sequel "Blade Runner 2049."

Following Ryan Gosling as K, "Blade Runner 2049" amplifies the themes of the original while drowning the audience in stunning audio and visuals — all while keeping the story as chaotic and paranoid as the first. Filled with intrigue and suspense, "Blade Runner 2049" also stars Ana de Armas, Dave Bautista, and Mark Arnold, among others. Some may be turned off by its 160 minute runtime, but those who aren't should be ready to strap in.

While the original was nominated for two Oscars and holds 22 total award nominations among 16 wins, "Blade Runner 2049" was able to secure two Oscars among its 101 award wins and 164 nominations. The sequel holds an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, and critic Grant Watson's review for Fiction Machine said that "['Blade Runner 2049'] does the unthinkable: takes one of the most popular cult films of all time and actually makes a sequel worthy of its name." Find "Blade Runner 2049" streaming on Paramount+.

The original "Max Max" trilogy starring Mel Gibson is responsible for building one of the darkest sci-fi universes, and its two original sequels (1981's "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior," and 1985's "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome") likely would have helped keep the series on the radar of film buffs everywhere. However, when it comes to dystopian sci-fi films where society has fallen and giant, deadly vehicles traverse the wasteland, 2015's "Mad Max: Fury Road" takes the cake.

Directed by George Miller, the same person responsible for the original trilogy, and starring Tom Hardy as Rockatansky, the film is filled with graphic novel-inspired visuals that carry audiences through the apocalypse. You can even check out the "Black and Chrome" edition — a monochrome rendition of the film that Miller states he wanted to do since the original "Mad Max." The original trilogy makes for a great B-movie romp, but "Fury Road" brings an all-star cast (including Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult alongside Hardy) and an estimated $150,000,000 budget to the party.

Holding a 97% Tomatometer score and an 86% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes (the original holds an 89% and 70%, respectively), critic Alan French stated for Sunshine State Cineplex that "'Mad Max: Fury Road' changed the discourse [for] when directors returned to their landmark franchises." If the original "Mad Max" was the gasoline for an apocalyptic car chase, "Fury Road" is the nitro. Users can rent the film on Prime Video, Apple TV, or Fandango.

In 1979, Ridley Scott's "Alien" landed in theaters and completely shook audiences with its claustrophobic horror story of a space crew being awoken to a peculiar disturbance. When James Cameron got hold of the series and released "Aliens" in 1986, he amplified the thrills. The original can be a bit of a slow burn when it comes to terror, but "Aliens" cranks the action to 11, while maintaining aspects of horror, as well.

While the series deserves kudos in its own right for being Sigourney Weaver's breakout role (and for giving the world the stereotype-destroying heroine that is Lt. Ellen Ripley), "Aliens" makes this list for greatly expanding the horrifying universe present in the first film while continuously raising the stakes even higher. Though the original set a high bar, it's the action sequences in "Aliens" that truly shine.

Along with Weaver, "Aliens" stars Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, and Paul Reiser. It's also worth noting that the sequel managed to gross over $131 million worldwide on an $18.5 million budget. While many fans prefer this sequel, both "Alien" and "Aliens" hold a 93% Tomatometer score and a 94% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes. In a 1986 review from The Atlanta Journal, critic Scott Cain stated that "['Aliens'] is a rare instance in which a sequel is infinitely superior to the original." You can rent "Aliens" on Prime Video. You can also catch Sigourney Weaver fight aliens all over again the online sci-fi short "Rakka."

There's no mistaking that the first "Terminator" film is absolutely iconic for Arnold Schwarzenegger's performance as the T-800 cyborg sent to destroy Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and jeopardize humanity's only chance at survival, but "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" somehow manages to take everything to the next level.

With the T-800 once again traveling to the past, it's saving the humans this time around rather than seeking to destroy them. Teaming up with a young John Connor (Edward Furlong) who would eventually go on to lead the human resistance, the two must save Sarah and destroy the company responsible for the machines, all while being chased by a deadlier machine (Robert Patrick). While the original holds up for showing Sarah's transition into a hardened heroine, "Terminator 2" is great for redefining the summer action blockbuster.

Though "Terminator 2" is a sci-fi flick that almost had a completely different ending, its 90% Tomatometer score and 95% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes only help solidify its legacy as an action movie. In a 2020 review for Gone with the Twins, critic Mike Massie states that "While bigger isn't always better, writer/director James Cameron's follow-up is genuinely bigger and better in nearly every way." The film would eventually go on to spawn four more sequels, though you can stream this one for yourself on Paramount+.

Imagine a world where every "Star Wars" movie is on par with "The Empire Strikes Back." With even IMDb considering it one of the best sci-fi films ever made, it's legendary for its iconic plot twist (that coincides with perhaps one of the most popular, though often misremembered, movie lines of all time) and helping cement "Star Wars" as one of the largest franchises in cinema history. Even those who haven't seen it are likely capable of quoting something from the film.

"Empire" can be better than "A New Hope" for the simple reason that it tells such an engaging (albeit bleak) story. Han Solo (Harrison Ford) finds himself in a predicament with bounty hunter Boba Fett (Jeremy Bulloch and voiced by Jason Wingreen) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), whereas Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) learns some distressing information. Audiences are also introduced to Master Yoda (Frank Oz) for the first time. While "A New Hope" helped build the world these characters live in, "Empire" actually makes them live through it.

"Empire" holds a 93% Tomatometer score and 97% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes. In a 2025 review for InSession Film, critic Lane Mills states that "'A New Hope' was first but there wouldn't be a 'Star Wars' as it stands today without 'The Empire Strikes Back.'" And this is all without discussing the fact that the film didn't rely on CGI (originally). Stream "The Empire Strikes Back" on Disney+, YouTube TV, or Prime Video (to rent).