While sequels are often seen as a continuation of a story from the previous films in the franchise, there are some sequels that can be appreciated as standalone films. In fact, viewers don't even need to have knowledge and context from previous films to understand what's going on.
From sequels like Mission: Impossible 2 and Avatar: The Way of the Water, these films offer a distinctive and satisfying viewing experience that exceeds their status as sequels. While still retaining elements from their predecessors, these films can still tell a completely self-contained story that can stand as their own individual film.
10 'Die Hard with a Vengeance' (1995)
Released in 1995, Die Hard with a Vengeance was the third film in the Die Hard franchise. Although this film is connected to the original Die Hard film in several ways, a few Redditors say that it makes a good standalone film.
Reddit user u/chicagoredditer1 said that while Die Hard with a Vengeance has references to the original, the film fills the audience in very quickly on what's going on. They even said that they saw this film before the original and it didn't hurt their enjoyment and understanding of the movie.
9 'Trolls World Tour' (2020)
Trolls World Tour was one of the most anticipated animated films in 2020. This movie picked up where it left off in the first film and continued the journey of Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) along with new characters.
Nevertheless, Trolls World Tour can be considered a great standalone movie because it does not require viewers to have prior knowledge of the first film to enjoy it. Its vibrant animation and catchy music make it an enjoyable film to watch regardless of if a viewer had watched the original or not. One Reddit user even said that Trolls World Tour has nothing to do with the first movie.
8 '22 Jump Street' (2014)
Just like its predecessor, 22 Jump Street follows the same formula with police officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) going undercover. In this film, they go undercover at a local college to bust a drug ring.
Ultimately, while 22 Jump Street has several connections to 21 Jump Street, it's still a good standalone movie. This is because the storyline doesn't rely heavily on the events of the first film to understand the plot. Viewers are also taken into a new and engaging storyline where they don't need to watch the first movie. On top of that, one Reddit user says that the movie recaps the first movie anyway before it starts.
7 'It Chapter 2' (2019)
There are so many horrifying Stephen King movie scenes that fans will never forget, especially in It: Chapter 2. The film takes place 27 years after the events of the first film, and viewers who have watched It may have picked up some easter eggs and connections. Nevertheless, there are many aspects of It: Chapter 2 that make it a good standalone film.
First, Reddit user u/abruno37 says that with all the flashbacks, a viewer could still understand what's going on without watching the first film. On top of that, It: Chapter 2 has its own unique storyline that introduces new concepts and characters. While it may be great to watch the first film for full context, it's not 100% necessary to watch it.
6 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle' (2017)
The sequel to Jumanji, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle introduces its own unique twist and concept to the original magical game that was played in the original film. Originally a board game in Jumanji, it evolved into a video game in the sequel.
Reddit user u/dccowen named Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle as a sequel that a person can watch without having to watch the first film. A few reasons why this is a great standalone film is mainly because it has a fresh and unique take on the Jumanji game. At the same time, fans of the original movie can pick up the easter eggs made.
5 'Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior' (1981)
The Mad Max film franchise was one of the action movies named after the main characters. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior followed Max (Mel Gibson), a former police officer turned lone wanderer who gets involved in a conflict. The events that happened in the first Mad Max film were only briefly referenced, but Max's story continued.
There were a few Reddit users like u/DrScientist812 who said that all the Mad Max films work as standalone movies. With Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, one Reddit user said that most people they've spoken to have watched the second film without ever seeing the first Mad Max movie.
4 'Mission: Impossible 2' (2000)
Mission: Impossible 2 follows Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) as he is tasked with retrieving a deadly virus. Unlike the first film, Mission: Impossible 2 focused more on a specific mission involving the virus and emphasized more action and spectacle.
One Reddit user u/Sparkski said that the second movie didn't reference the original movie once. u/Antman269 added that they also believed that all of the Mission Impossible films work as standalone movies. Some reasons for this may be that despite sharing common themes, the storylines are distinctive.
3 'Avatar: The Water of the Water' (2022)
Being one of the greatest action films of 2022, Avatar: The Way of the Water was well-loved by fans because of its compelling story and visually stunning special effects. While the setting and characters from Avatar and this sequel connected well with each other, a few Reddit users say that they can be standalone films.
Before Avatar: The Way of the Water was released, Reddit user u/TrueGrandPriest said that the titles of the sequel, including the second film have a standalone vibe to them. They added that people don't even need to see the first Avatar movie to understand Avatar: The Way of the Water.
2 'Army of Darkness' (1992)
The Army of Darkness was a sequel to the previous Evil Dead films and follows Ash (Bruce Campbell) as he battles the army of the undead to return to his own time. This film became well-loved by both horror and comedy fans and is a beloved entry in the Evil Dead franchise.
In fact, Reddit users including u/heretogif said that they had no idea that Army of Darkness was a sequel for years, pointing out that it did a good job of telling the viewer what they need to know. Another user u/enderandrew42 said that they saw Army of Darkness before the previous Evil Dead film and didn't know it was a sequel.
1 'The Dark Knight' (2008)
For any viewers who are new to superhero films, The Dark Knight is a great example of a movie to watch. It's the second film in The Dark Knight trilogy and although it's loosely connected to the previous films, it also stands on its own separate story.
Reddit user u/Antman says that The Dark Knight barely made any references to Batman Begins and is a separate story that works as long as the viewer knows the Batman character well. Ultimately, while The Dark Knight had continuity with its characters and themes, it had a complete and self-contained story that didn't require the viewer to watch the previous movies.