A lot of people talk aboutthe greatest movie trilogies, iconic long-running franchises, and individual classics. What often gets overlooked, though, are fantastic movie duologies.
There have been so many wonderful film series that consists of only two titles. Sometimes, that is all you need to properly tell a story without dragging it out. you may introduce the characters and world in the original title and dive deeper into those things in the sequel. Of course, not every duology follows this simple formula, as there are various types of duologies. The following ones stand out, though, because they’re the best.
To be included in this list, each entry had to be a pure movie duology, meaning no more than two films in the entire series, including those that have been announced but not yet released. However, additional TV shows or short films based on the series are fine.
821 Jump Street And 22 Jump Street
Comedy sequels don’t have the best track record. There have been many great comedies with disappointing follow-ups over the years. However, that is not the case with 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street. Both of these movies are hilarious, thanks to the great chemistry and comedic timing of Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill.
In both films, they’re Police Officers who go undercover to find drug suppliers. In the first, they’re pretending to be high-schoolers, while in the sequel, they’re posing as college kids. The premises are very similar, but that seems to be a joke in itself. After all, the second movie uses plenty of clever meta-humor.
7Hellboy And Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
There have been several Hellboy movies, but the third and fourth instalments are separate from the first two. Therefore, the first two, which Guillermo del Toro directed, count as their own duology. They’re easily the best Hellboy films, as they’re entertaining and well-made. They both revolve around the titular character, who is a demon that takes on paranormal threats.
As with most comic-book adaptations, the portrayal of the main hero is key to the movie’s critical success. Ron Perlman’s Hellboy is fantastic. He isn’t exactly like the character from the comics, but it’s a decent adaptation in terms of looks and personality. Plus, as a character in general, he is very engaging.
6The Shining And Doctor Sleep
Many people may not even realize that there was a sequel to The Shining. After all, it is far more famous than Doctor Sleep. In fact, The Shining is one of the most iconic films ever, partly due to its clever storytelling, brilliant cinematography, and the performance of Jack Nicholson in the lead role. The movie is about his descent into madness when his family goes to a creepy resort hotel.
His son is there for the traumatic adventure, and a grown-up version of the character stars in Doctor Sleep as he still attempts to deal with the events of the first movie. Doctor Sleep isn’t as good as The Shining, but it’s a solid film nonetheless. It provides plenty of creepiness and is more faithful to Stephen King’s original novel, which the first movie is meant to be based on.
5Blade Runner And Blade Runner 2049
There were 35 years between the release of the two Blade Runner movies. As a result, it isn’t a direct sequel, as most of the main cast is different. However, the timeless Harrison Ford features as Deckard in both films. In the second title, though, he shares the limelight with another protagonist, K, who Ryan Gosling plays.
Both movies feel different from one another, likely due to the first movie being directed by Ridley Scott, while Denis Villeneuve directed the second. That said, both films are brilliant in their own right. They each tell compelling tales and feature stunning visuals. There is arguably a little more depth in the original, but 2049 is a worthy follow-up to the iconic sci-fi flick.
4Wayne’s World And Wayne’s World 2
Great movies can spawn from anywhere, but you typically wouldn’t expect two ofthe most iconic comedy movies everto spawn from a recurring SNL sketch. Yet, that is the exact backstory of the two Wayne’s World films. Both movies are about the adventures of two big heavy metal fans, Wayne and Garth.
Neither movie has the deepest narrative, but both provide many laugh-out-loud moments. This comes from the witty writing of both films and the comedic timing of the two leads, Michael Myers and Dana Carvey.
3Trainspotting And T2 Trainspotting
The first Trainspotting movie is a British cinema classic that follows the exploits of a group of drug addicts. The second one takes place many years in the future when this group of people reunites.
Although there were 21 years between the releases of the films, Danny Boyle directed both, and much of the main cast remained the same. This helps the movie feel like a worthy sequel to the original. Yes, it isn’t quite as iconic as the original, nor does it offer as dark or compelling a narrative, but T2 is still a fascinating and emotionally charged film.
2Top Gun And Top Gun: Maverick
Top Gun: Maverick has to go down as one ofthe greatest movie sequels ever. After all, it’s rare to find a sequel that is perhaps better than the first, especially when the follow-up comes 36 years after the original. In fact, when Top Gun: Maverick was announced, you’d have been forgiven for thinking it would be a bit of a nostalgic cash grab.
Yet, it is a truly exceptional movie that sees Tom Cruise reprise his role from the first film. This time, his character Maverick trains a new crop of Top Gun pilots. In the first, he was a Top Gun student himself, so the sequel presents a logical progression for the character. More importantly, it delivers an action-packed and heart-pumping experience that serves as a true cinematic spectacle, even more so than the first did.
1Kill Bill: Vol 1 And Kill Bill: Vol 2
The two Kill Bill movies are basically two parts of the same movie. The first movie begins with the protagonist surviving an attack from the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad that she used to be a part of. They do put her in a coma, though. When she wakes up, she sets out on a revenge mission to eliminate them all. This mission takes place over the course of both movies.
During those films, you get to experience some brutal and well-crafted action scenes that have outstanding choreography and an abundance of style. The simplicity of the story allows you more time to appreciate the beautiful violence on show throughout. Both movies deserve to be considered amongQuentin Tarantino’s best efforts.
