sequels
Second chapters onward
Sequels are works that continue a previous story—films, novels, or games that follow an original.
The term implies the continuation wasn't part of the original plan: The sequel never matched the first movie.
Sequels often disappoint because they're driven by commercial success rather than artistic necessity.
The singular sequel also refers to any consequence or aftermath: Bankruptcy was the sequel to years of mismanagement.
Three linked creative works
- sagaExtended heroic narrative
- seriesOrdered set of related items
- installmentPeriodic partial payment
- spinoffDerived work from original
reboot · crossover · cinematic · blockbuster · adaptation · universe · canon · lore
Subsequent action on something
- successorOne who replaces another
- nextImmediately following in sequence
- subsequentOccurring after something else
- ensuingFollowing as consequence
consecutive · further · chapter · progression · continuation · serialization · numbered · recurring
Sequence of fictional events
- plotStoryline or land parcel
- charactersPersons in a narrative
- returningGoing back to origin
- repriseRecurrence of a theme
backstory · flashback · retcon · development · resolution · callback · foreshadowing · protagonist
Restate without freshness
- repetitiveMarked by recurrence
- derivativeFunction's rate of change
- uninspiredLacking creative spark
- fatigueWeariness from prolonged exertion
bloated · overdue · unnecessary · inferior · superior · improvement · fresh · stale
trilogy
Three linked creative works
- sagaExtended heroic narrative
- seriesOrdered set of related items
- installmentPeriodic partial payment
spinoff · reboot · crossover · cinematic · blockbuster · adaptation · universe · canon · lore · mythos
follow-up
Subsequent action on something
- successorOne who replaces another
- nextImmediately following in sequence
- subsequentOccurring after something else
ensuing · consecutive · further · chapter · progression · continuation · serialization · numbered · recurring · ongoing
storyline
Sequence of fictional events
- plotStoryline or land parcel
- charactersPersons in a narrative
- returningGoing back to origin
reprise · backstory · flashback · retcon · development · resolution · callback · foreshadowing · protagonist · antagonist
rehash
Restate without freshness
- repetitiveMarked by recurrence
- derivativeFunction's rate of change
- uninspiredLacking creative spark
fatigue · bloated · overdue · unnecessary · inferior · superior · improvement · fresh · stale · formulaic
- filmsfeature films, action films, horror films, comedies, dramas
- book sequelsseries, trilogies, book series, novel series, part two
- modern cinemasuperhero films, Marvel, reboots, 3D films, digital cinema
- serialized contentepisodes, chapters, installments, parts, volumes
- video contentepisode, YouTube, subtitles, web series, Vimeo
- big moviesmovies, films, blockbusters, epics, feature films
sequelsprequels
Works depicting earlier events
originals · predecessors · preludes · pilot episodes · origin stories
- dream sequenceFictional portrayal of slumber's imagery
- DNA sequenceOrdered nucleotide chain
- start up sequence
- launch sequencePre-liftoff procedural steps
- credit sequenceFilm's attribution roll
- title sequenceCredits shown at beginning