10 Comedy Sequels That Were Better Than The Original Movies

There are several movies that prove comedy sequels can not only be successful but sometimes eclipse the movies that preceded them. When a comedy sequel takes what made the original movies so funny and then delivers something even better, with bigger jokes and a superior storyline, movie magic can happen. It's not easy, but a perfect comedy sequel should always build on the original movie and create something completely different.

There are comedy sequels that just rely on regurgitating the same jokes, beats, and moments that audiences loved from the first movie, and some of those remain successful as follow-ups. When sequels take the chance to create something new, though, they can end up becoming bigger and better than the original movies and stand on their own in history.

Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (2008)

The original Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle is a stoner comedy starring John Cho and Kal Penn as two friends who head off for White Castle hamburgers, only to end up in a night of terrifying encounters, all while mostly under the influence​​​​​. The movie is a nice callback, a Cheech and Chong-style movie for a new generation. The sequel takes everything and makes it bigger.

The story sees Harold and Kumar arrested and sent to Guantanamo Bay when their bong is confused for a bomb. They then escape and head to Texas, where they receive a political favor from a certain United States president. The movie brings back some of the first movie's best moments, including Neil Patrick Harris playing a fictional version of himself, and it has a lot more action and some post-9/11 social commentary.

22 Jump Street (2014)

21 Jump Street was a surprising success because it was based on a television show from the 1980s, but it turned out to be a funny film that was a box office and critical success. However, the second movie improves its quality thanks to the two male leads (Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill) already being established and not needing to undergo the same character development as in the first movie.

In the first movie, the two cops went undercover at a high school, which played on the same beats as the TV series, but with more comedy moments. The second movie takes them to college, which somewhat reverses their roles thanks to how stereotypes change after high school. At the same time, directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller spend some time making fun of sequels, which makes it a hilarious meta-commentary as well.

Wayne's World 2 (1993)

Wayne's World, a comedy movie based on a Saturday Night Live sketch starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as Wayne and Garth, was a success when released in 1992. That first movie takes the idea from the sketch and stretches it to feature length, with the two friends still running their cable-access show and then selling it to a producer who tries to water it down and change everything about them.

However, Wayne's World 2 takes a gamble by bringing things out of Wayne's basement and having the two friends go on a grand adventure. There is no "Bohemian Rhapsody" moment, but there is a lot to love about the comedy sequel, as Wayne and Garth stage their own Waynestock concert after the late Jim Morrison visits them in a dream. The concert, guest appearances by Christopher Walken, and more make this a huge fan favorite.

Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

The first Gremlins movie is a beloved horror-comedy, and it is one of the best in the genre. However, it is a horror movie first and foremost, with the comedy coming in the story's more absurdist moments. That changes in the sequel, which is a broad comedy that doesn't care as much about the horror as it does about delivering the sight gags, meta-commentary jokes, and rapid-fire slapstick.

Directed by Joe Dante, the main cast returns for Gremlins 2: The New Batch, while John Glover signs on as an eccentric billionaire in the movie. In this movie, a corporate lab genetically mutates new gremlins, but when they escape, they run rampant in New York. There are countless funny moments, including a meta-gag where Hulk Hogan is in the audience watching the movie and breaks the fourth wall. It isn't as good a movie as the original, but it is a superior comedy.

Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993)

Hot Shots! Part Deux is one of the best comedy sequels ever made because it follows a decent comedy movie and delivers a masterpiece of humor that surpasses the first movie in every single way. Both Hot Shots! and Hot Shots! Part Deux are spoofs of the 1980s action genre, but this sequel has better jokes, more creative gags based on other movies, and it stands alongside movies like Naked Gun and Top Secret as the best of the genre in that era.

Charlie Sheen returns as Topper Harley in a story that spoofs Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rambo III, two ultra-patriotic movies that are ripe for spoofing. There is even a brilliant moment where Charlie Sheen sees his father, Martin Sheen, and nods to him, playing off the fact that his father starred in Apocalypse Now. Everything in the comedy sequel beats out the first movie.

Shrek 2 (2004)

The first Shrek movie was a massive success, and it was the first film to ever win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film. With a huge box office, high critical acclaim, and an Oscar, it was clear a sequel would arrive. What was surprising was that the sequel takes what the original movie did and improves on it in every way. In this sequel, Shrek and Fiona go to meet her parents in Far Far Away.

The sequel has a slightly better Rotten Tomatoes score, and it almost doubled the box office take. This movie showed that the Shrek franchise had legs, which led to more sequels and even a spinoff movie. Shrek 2 is also the film that introduced Puss in Boots, a character who went on to headline his own series of movies.

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was a hugely popular movie that spoofed the spy genre, in which a secret agent from the 1960s was thawed from a cryogenic freeze to stop his arch-nemesis, who had also returned. The movie was notable for Mike Myers playing both Austin Powers and his antagonist, Dr. Evil. While critics were more favorable to the first movie, the sequel is better in most ways.

In this second movie, Myers adds a third role, playing Fat Bastard, while Heather Graham joins as the new love interest. The plot has Dr. Evil trying to steal Austin's mojo. This movie succeeds by giving more screen time to Dr. Evil, who remains the most interesting character, as well as to Scott Evil (Seth Green) and Mini-Me (Verne Troyer).

Addams Family Values (1993)

The first Addams Family movie was a nice reintroduction to the family from the classic TV show, and it was a decent comedy movie as Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd) came back into his family's lives. However, the comedy sequel, Addams Family Values, takes what was great about the first movie and delivers a perfect comedy that hits all the right notes in ways the first movie didn't.

The best moments from this movie revolve around Wednesday Addams (Christina Ricci), as she and her brother Pugsley end up at a summer camp where they torment the other campers and turn the entire summer upside down. It was not a box office success, but it received higher critical praise, which the film deserved as a comedy sequel that was better than its original.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

Before National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, there were two movies in the series. In the first, Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) drags his family to an amusement park, and the second, European Vacation, sees him drag them across the ocean. However, Christmas Vacation takes the story of the try-hard Griswold patriarch and delivers the best story in the entire franchise as he attempts a perfect Christmas celebration.

There is a subplot in which Griswold's boss takes away the holiday bonus without warning. Between the estranged family visiting and Clark's Cousin Eddie abducting Griswold's boss for revenge, there is a lot to love about this movie. On top of being a comedy sequel that surpasses the original, Christmas Vacation is also a holiday staple and one of the best Christmas comedies of all time.

Toy Story 2 (1999)

Toy Story is a masterpiece, and it set the bar that every Pixar movie released after that had to live up to. With a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, it seemed impossible to beat. While it is impossible to beat a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, Toy Story 2 matched that score, and it is the better movie in retrospect.

The plot follows the group of toys setting out to rescue Woody when a toy collector steals him, revealing that he is a valuable toy in the Woody's Roundup collection. The Jessie "When She Loved Me" sequence is one of the most emotional moments in the entire Toy Story franchise, and Toy Story 2 remains the gold standard for comedy sequels.