10 Comedy Sequels That Didn't Live Up To The Iconic Original Movies

Great comedy movies can feel like catching lightning in a bottle, and this often means that sequels fail to live up to the originals. Comedy is notoriously difficult to replicate. A brilliant comedy movie requires the perfect combination of writers and actors working together with an interesting premise and plenty of room to explore. Changing any of the many parts involved in making a movie can lead to a complete collapse, and a disappointing sequel.

Because comedy is so hard to replicate, there aren’t very many successful comedy franchises. However, some crowdpleasing comedy movies are so popular that they demand sequels, even if the premise can’t support another story. Comedy requires the element of surprise, and making unnecessary sequels is the same as telling the same joke over and over again, and characters can wear out their welcome quite quickly.

10 Zoolander 2 (2016)

Sequel to Zoolander (2001)

Zoolander isn’t just a parody of shallow, image-obsessed celebrities. It also takes aim at a very specific moment in America’s cultural history. The first movie was perfectly timed to capitalize on this trend, but since the sequel came a full 15 years later, the culture had shifted so much that Zoolander 2 no longer felt as relevant or interesting. A star-studded cast was not enough to save the sequel from poor reviews.

Zoolander 2 dealt a blow to Ben Stiller, but he wasn’t the only star whose reputation took a hit. Despite also bringing back Will Ferrell and Owen Wilson, who contributed so much to the original, Zoolander 2 failed to meet expectations. The sequel traded in much of its comedic punch for a string of meaningless celebrity cameos. Katy Perry, ASAP Rocky, Katie Couric, Stephen Hawking and many more famous faces played themselves, but they didn’t add much to the movie.

9 The Hangover Part II (2011)

Sequel to The Hangover (2009)

The Hangover has a dynamite premise. It’s a comedy movie, but there are elements of mystery as the members of the “Wolf Pack” wake up struggling to piece together the events of the previous night and find their missing friend. A sequel wasn’t necessary, but the playful dynamic between Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis was too entertaining to use just once.

Rather than finding a fresh new approach with the same characters, The Hangover Part II tries to repeat the same plot, substituting Las Vegas for Bangkok. The sequel, therefore, can’t escape comparisons to the original movie, and since the surprise and the mystery elements are much diminished the second time round, these aren’t favorable comparisons. The Hangover Part II‘s saving grace is that it isn’t The Hangover Part III. Despite the franchise’s diminishing returns, Bradley Cooper appears open to The Hangover 4, over a decade later.

8 Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

Sequel to Airplane! (1980)

Airplane is one of the most quotable comedy movies of all time, delivering genuine laughs at breakneck speed. The disaster parody movie uses slapstick humor, puns, sight gags, satire, and anything else that will get a laugh. Thanks to some great performances, including a brilliant deadpan turn from Leslie Nielsen, Airplane manages to control all of these disparate elements into a cohesive and compelling movie.

The sequel attempts to transplant the plot of the original movie into a sci-fi setting, with Ted and Elaine on board a space shuttle headed toward the Moon. The creative team of Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker didn’t return for the sequel, and the result lacks their inimitable style. The project was handed to Ken Finkleman instead, who wrote another critically panned sequel, Grease 2.

7 Coming 2 America (2021)

Sequel to Coming to America (1988)

Legacy sequels are notoriously hit-and-miss, and they are even less likely to succeed in the comedy genre. Coming to America is one of Eddie Murphy’s best movies. It allows him to play multiple characters, and Prince Akeem Joffer, the Crown Prince of Zamunda, is one of his most enduring creations. The sequel, Coming 2 America, lets Murphy reprise his role(s), but it’s much shorter on laughs.

The sequel lacks a lot of the culture shock humor of the original. While there are still a few solid gags, the initial joy of watching the man from Zamunda try to navigate New York City is lost. The mediocre reception of Coming 2 America is a bad omen for Eddie Murphy’s upcoming Beverly Hills Cop sequel, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Two sequels have so far failed to recapture the magic of the first Beverly Hills Cop.

6 Ghostbusters II (1989)

Sequel to Ghostbusters (1984)

The Ghostbusters franchise has had plenty of ups and downs. The advances in visual effects have allowed the recent sequels to focus more on blockbuster spectacle, but they are still comedy movies at heart. Despite some similarities, and appearances by the original cast, the recent Ghostbusters movies are a far cry from the 1984 original. As the first sequel proves, repeating the same trick of the original is no easy task.

There’s a lot to like about Ghostbusters II, from the charming practical effects to the villain, Vigo the Carpathian, but overall, the sequel is merely a shadow of the original. Bill Murray’s criticism of Ghostbusters II has been widely publicized. Dr. Peter Venkman is key to so many of the best jokes in Ghostbusters, so a sequel without Murray fully on board was always going to come across poorly.

5 Evan Almighty (2007)

Sequel to Bruce Almighty (2003)

Bruce Almighty stars Jim Carrey as Bruce, a reporter who is offered the chance to take over God’s duties for a week. Morgan Freeman is perfectly cast as God. He has the required gravitas and composure for the part, but he also strikes up a delightful chemistry with Carrey, and this helps to humanize his character. He returns for the spinoff sequel, Evan Almighty, but Carrey does not.

Evan Almighty instead focuses on Evan Baxter, a minor character from Bruce Almighty who must re-enact the biblical story of Noah’s ark. The story of Noah is a much less compelling hook than the story of a man who is bestowed with the powers and responsibilities of God. Bruce Almighty works just as well for people who have no real interest in religion, but Evan Almighty is much less universal, and the comedy suffers as a result.

4 Son Of The Mask (2005)

Sequel to The Mask (1994)

Like Bruce Almighty, The Mask stars Jim Carrey. Another similarity that the two movies share is that they both have sequels which unsuccessfully tried to replace Carrey as the star. Son of the Mask features Jamie Kennedy in the leading role instead. It’s no slight against him to say that he cannot replicate the zany charm of Carrey’s performance in the original, but there are many other problems with Son of the Mask.

The Mask is a perfect playground for Jim Carrey as a comedic actor. It indulges his love of impressions, pop culture references, and big, loud humor. Not all actors can pull this off without simply coming across as obnoxious. Son of the Mask may have just as many reality-bending special effects as its predecessor, but it lacks the intriguing plot and the comedic chops to make any of it worthwhile.

3 Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003)

Sequel to Legally Blonde (2001)

Legally Blonde is a wonderful feel-good movie. It wears the often derided tag of “chick flick” with pride, delivering a message of female empowerment with a lovable character who refuses to conform to other people’s expectations of her. The sequel tries to keep the good feelings flowing, but Elle Woods’ crusade against animal testing is a less convincing arc than her journey through law school.

After over 20 years without any news, a Legally Blonde TV show is in development, as well as Legally Blonde 3. This is a lot of sudden movement for a franchise which has stayed dormant for so long. Reese Witherspoon may have finally found the right direction for Elle Woods, after Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde set her off in the wrong one. The upcoming projects will have to find a compelling narrative before worrying about the jokes.

2 Dumb & Dumber To (2014)

Sequel to Dumb and Dumber (1994)

Dumb and Dumber already had a sequel of sorts long before Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels returned to the franchise. 2003’s prequel, Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, is a strange imitation of the original, with two performances that look like impressions of Carrey and Daniels. Dumb and Dumber To is an improvement, but it’s still a major disappointment compared to Dumb and Dumber.

While Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are a joy to watch in full flow, Dumb and Dumber To doesn’t construct a narrative that gives them enough license to have fun. The original focuses on a screwball plot involving a briefcase full of cash and a cross-country chase. Dumb and Dumber To tries to squeeze one too many jokes out of the central premise that both of the main characters are irredeemably stupid, but this gets tired fairly quickly.

1 Home Alone 3 (1997)

Sequel to Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

The quality of the Home Alone franchise dropped off a cliff after the first two movies. Without Macaulay Culkin or director Chris Columbus, none of the sequels so far have managed to gain any traction. Home Alone 3 isn’t the worst of these sequels, but there is a stark contrast between the quality of Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and this standalone sequel featuring an entirely new cast.

Home Alone 3 still features plenty of booby traps, but it forgets what makes the first two movies so special. Kevin has to endure a few days by himself in each movie, and he rushes past the initial excitement until responsibility and sadness ultimately set in. Home Alone 3 only leaves Alex, Kevin’s replacement, alone for a single day. The emotional arc of the story is completely gutted, and each booby trap amounts to little more than hollow slapstick. Neither Joe Pesci or Daniel Stern are there to sell the gags, as they do so well in the first two movies.