In cinema, great films have left audiences wanting to see more. Often there are no plans for a sequel. Then fan popularity and trends change so and studios can decide to release a sequel for these movies many years later with a big gap in between. These are some of the movies with the longest gap before a sequel that has reached the public.

10. Incredibles 2 (2018)

13 years, 184 days between theatrical releases

Movies like The Incredibles or Toy Story had the fans waiting for a sequel for many years.

If a Pixar movie deserved a sequel, it was The Incredibles, released in 2004. The animated movie about a family of superheroes was still a favourite, and fans were dying for a sequel. Nearly 14 years later, it was finally released.

Even though there was a huge gap between the films, the sequel picked up right where the last left off. With the Park family ending their battle with the Underminer and then on to a new adventure. This movie was as well-received as the first, so the wait was worth it.

9. Jurassic World (2015)

13 years, 326 days between theatrical releases

The Jurassic World movie had probably the best hook for any sequel on this list “What if they really did open Jurassic Park”? With that simple premise, Jurassic World was made. Everyone knew it was going to be a hit. But no one knew how monstrous it was going to be at the box office.

It broke all kinds of records in its opening weekend, becoming the first movie to gross $500 million in a single weekend. Then it became the third highest-grossing movie. This was impressive, especially since interest in the franchise seemed to have died out years ago, with the release of Jurassic Park 3. The latter, while was a commercial success, was not as well-received as the previous two films.

The long wait between the third and fourth instalments benefited the film as a whole. It allowed audiences to miss out on all the killing of the dinosaurs and let them make a more believable and intriguing sequel. If you’re a big fan, don’t worry, as Jurassic World: Dominion is scheduled for a 2022 release.

8. 2013: rescue in L.A. (1996)

15 Years, 78 days between theatrical releases

Fifteen years after 1997: Rescue in New York, Snake Plissken, played by Kurt Russell, returns to another island. This time Los Angeles, isolated by sea due to a gigantic earthquake, to free this time not the president of the United States, but his daughter.

John Carpenter has confessed, it was Russell who most insisted that the film go ahead since Plissken is one of his favourite characters. Despite everything, it was a total failure at the box office. This is no surprise since many critics have commented that this is one of the worst films for the director.

7. Dumb and Dumber To (2014)

20 years, 341 days between theatrical releases

Comedy sequels are one of the hardest to do. If you have a blockbuster comedy, there’s a need to do another, but it isn’t easy to come up with a fresh idea full of the same energy as the first.

You can give the public different versions of the same jokes that worked the first time, but you run the risk of failure as the original jokes were better. Or you can go in a different direction than the original. But, there is a chance that you will miss out on what made the first movie work, and this is how the fun is lost.

Sometimes comedy sequels work, but other times they get results like Dumb and Dumber To. This is the sequel to one of the most popular comedies of all time that came out 20 years after the original. This movie reunited Jim Carry and Jeff Daniels again, but critics weren’t impressed with it. It gets just 30% on Rotten Tomatoes and a less-than-stellar box office, so it’s clear this was a sequel that, for many, wasn’t necessary.

6. Psycho II (1983)

22 years, 352 days between theatrical releases

23 years separate Alfred Hitchcock’s film Psycho from its sequel, also starring Anthony Perkins. With a script by Tom Holland, the film recognized for the suspense films, Fright Night I and II and Fatal Beauty, was a success in the USA. It raised over $34 million, and a movie was made with just $5 million in budget.

This sequel does not have much relation to the novel Psycho 2, written by Robert Bloch, which inspired Hitchcock. In the book, Bloch made a satire of Hollywood slasher movies. Here Bates escaped from the mental hospital to go to L.A. to stop the production of a movie based on his life. So Universal decided to make his own version by hiring Holland as a screenwriter.

At first, Perkins refused to play Norman Bates again. But when he learned that the person who was going to take his place was Christopher Walken, he immediately agreed.

5. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

29 years, 309 days between theatrical releases

This movie is a sequel to the classic Mad Max franchise from the 70s and 80s, but was it worth the 35 years of waiting? Let’s look at it like this, watching this film is like walking through the gates of Valhalla, and many would say that this is just the standard concept.

Although the box office was not that big for the film, it was a critical favourite with just less than $400 million worldwide. On Rotten Tomatoes, it scored 97%. Besides, it received ten Oscar nominations, including the best film and best director categories.

Even though Mel Gibson didn’t appear in this instalment, Tom Hardy takes over, we get to still see George Miller at the steering wheel. The final product exudes creativity, style, and glamour. In this sequel, Miller turned Mad Max into a supporting character. The movie focuses on Charlize Theron. It has even been suggested that she may have her own spin-off. So, even though this film took 35 years to make, it’s very likely that you won’t have to wait another thirty years to see this character again.

4. Coming 2 America (2021)

33 years, 174 days between theatrical releases

After 33 years, a sequel to one of Eddie Murphy’s best-known comedies, Coming 2 America, was released. Here you can see an Akeem, now as a King with the love of his life and with three daughters. In this film, there are many flashbacks of situations from the original production that they have not mentioned before. For instance, one scene where they show how the now-King Akeem had ‘relations’ with a woman while he was under the influence.

Since people knew that there would be a continuation of this 80s film, everyone wanted to know what happens to the young prince who sought his own path. The first part of this story was directed by John Landis, with a story by Eddie Murphy and scripted by David Sheffield and Barry W. Blaustein. Sheffield and Blaustein repeated as screenwriters, with Kenya Barris. She is the creator of series such as Black-ish and Grown-ish.

The direction of this sequel is the responsibility of Craig Brewer, who directed Dolemite Is My Name. The latter is a film in which Eddie Murphy also participated recently.

Critical opinion was not very positive. Many felt that this sequel is nothing more than an attempt at a script written at the last minute to fulfil a commitment. Coming 2 America is a work that tries to recall past glory by rescuing characters that were once key to rhythm and humour. We see the famous barbers or the decadent preacher from the first part, but they are no longer funny. All the secondary ones are relegated to a nostalgic function, without the grace for which they are remembered. Unfortunately, it is a failed attempt.

3. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

35 years, 103 days between theatrical releases

Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner was released in 1982 and is considered one of the most influential science fiction films of all time. Although Scott did not return as a director for the sequel, the franchise was put in the hands of Denis Villeneuve. Villeneuve is proving to be one of the best directors today.

Harrison Ford returns as Rick Deckard, but this time, it is a supporting role. Ryan Gosling took on the role of K, a Blade Runner who questions everything around him. The 35-year wait was worth it, as the gap between the films helped to see how different the world had become since the first Blade Runner. While it didn’t answer the age-old question of whether Deckard was a replicant or not, it was still a beautiful drama to watch.

Although it lasted almost three hours and the box office was not that great considering its original budget, the film became a huge success. It had five Academy nominations and won two of them, Best Visual Effects and Best Cinematography.

2. The Jungle Book 2 (2003)

35 years, 110 days between theatrical releases

This animated film, aimed primarily at children, came 36 years after Mowgli and Baloo’s first adventure from 1967. Originally Disney had the idea to release this sequel only for home video. In the end was released in theatres, topping a staggering $135 million worldwide. Yet, the critics did not see the magic of the first instalment.

1. Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

54 years, 120 days between theatrical releases

The return of Mary Poppins holds the record for the longest sequel gap for live-action films. The sequel of this film released 54 years after the original. The first is a classic that garnered 13 Oscar nominations and 5 won, so it would be hard for any sequel to top that.

Despite Mary Poppins Returns being a moderate success. It garnered four Oscar nominations and a $350 million box office. The wait was worth it? Yes, and No. Although Julie Andrews did not take part in this film, we did get to see 91-year-old Dick Van Dyke dancing on a table. This lead many to think that it was worth the wait all this time.

Better late than never

Although sometimes decades have passed before we can enjoy the sequel to a movie that marked a part of our lives. On many occasions, the wait pays off but it can be a mixed bag. In any case, it is always an excellent detail to be able to enjoy a version current with the new adventures of our favourite characters.

That’s our list of 10 movies with the biggest gap before a sequel. Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below.

Check out our list of Disney movies scheduled for release this year HERE.