People have often said that sequels are never as good as the originals and that is the case in a lot of scenarios, yet a few films manage to subvert that trope. That was especially true during the 2000s, when several movies managed to top what came before it, making for some of the best sequels in history.

These sequels from the 2000s are part of iconic superhero franchises, some follow memorable horror movies, and some were involved in the Academy Awards, which is high praise for a sequel. The one aspect they have in common is that they managed to outdo an earlier installment.

Saw II (2005)

For a lot of fans, the original Saw remains the best entry in the series, and, in a lot of ways, it is. The film focuses more on the characters in the harrowing situation than the gore that later Saw movies showcased. However, *Saw II *is kind of perfectly in the middle of those worlds.

Saw II is the best Saw sequel because it doesn’t overdo the gory aspects that turn some audiences away while expanding on the characters and scale. The film follows a group of people locked in a house, who must work together to survive their respective traps and some out alive.

Reviews for Saw II weren’t overwhelmingly strong but that’s the case for the entire franchise. So topping the original (and what came after) doesn’t take all that much. Still, Saw II works due to some creative traps and a large amount of screen time for Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw.

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

There’s no doubt that James Bond still holds the cinematic crown when it comes to movie spies but for a while in the 2000s, it seemed like Jason Bourne was going to dethrone it. The Bourne Identity proved to be a hit that helped launch Matt Damon to the next level of stardom.

The Bourne Supremacy followed up that film and was another hit, yet the third entry, The Bourne Ultimatum, proved to be the best of them all. While all three films received strong critical acclaim, The Bourne Ultimatum sits at 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is the highest in the franchise.

*The Bourne Ultimatum *takes the story that had been built up across two movies and brings it to an exciting conclusion. Damon is as good as ever, there’s more for Julia Stiles to do, and it’s Paul Greengrass at his finest. Had the franchise ended here, it’d be held in much higher regard.

Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith (2005)

When it comes to Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, this is a case where a movie is better than the original entry in its own trilogy, not the entire franchise. 1977’s Star Wars: A New Hope is an absolute classic that changed the cinematic landscape and remains held in high regard to this day.

The prequel trilogy of Star Wars that began in 1999 isn’t anywhere near the quality of the original trilogy. The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones are too bogged down in politics and feel like they could’ve been condensed into one film, making for some lackluster pacing.

However, that means Revenge of the Sith is able to go all in on the action and excitement. Anakin Skywalker turns to the dark side, Mace Windu is killed, Order 66 gets executed, and the Obi-Wan vs. Anakin lightsaber battle is incredible. It’s a vast improvement on the first two episodes of the saga.

X2 (2003)

When X-Men hit the scene in 2000, it became an early hit for Marvel that helped prove superhero characters could be successful at the box office. The film gave us the characters we’d grown to love from comic books and *X-Men: The Animated Series, *though not always faithfully.

X2 was the highly anticipated sequel that is still viewed as one of the best superhero movies ever made. It gives us more of the heroes we’d come to like while introducing new characters like Nightcrawler (with his awesome opening scene) and Deathstrike.

The plot centers on the X-Men stopping a madman from committing genocide against all mutants.* X2* is a clear upgrade over the first film in the and though it has been surpassed in the time since (X-Men: First Class and *Logan *come to mind), it remains a great Marvel movie.

Shrek 2 (2004)

The world of animation was dominated by the likes of Disney and Studio Ghibli for a long time when DreamWorks Animation joined the fray. The Best Animated Feature Oscar winner put the studio on the map and when the sequel arrived, it managed to best what came before.

Shrek 2 continues its twist on fairy tale tropes and introduces aspects that changed the franchise forever. For starters, the Fairy Godmother proved to be the series’ best villain, perfectly playing against type since that character is usually a symbol of good.

This installment also saw the main characters team up with Puss in Boots, who went on to have his own spin-off movies. Shrek 2 didn’t win the big Oscar like the original, but it’s a better overall film that ups the ante with great music, voice acting, and a fun story to tell.

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004)

The first two Harry Potter movies are faithful adaptations of the books and they hold up very well. Directed by Chris Columbus, the films are aimed at kids and hammer home the wonder of someone ordinary being thrust into a world of the extraordinary. It captures that magical feeling that comes with the series.

That was perfect for those installments, but by the third entry, the books got darker and the store was more mature. Enter Alfonso Cuarón as director. He made sure the darker elements were played up and brought an incredible style to the movie, featuring the best shots in any Harry Potter film.

Add in the intense story surrounding Sirius Black and major franchise elements debuting and Prisoner of Azkaban was clearly a step up from the first two movies. In fact, many fans still consider Prisoner of Azkaban to be the best movie in the entire Harry Potter franchise.

Mission: Impossible III (2006)

The original Mission: Impossible in 1996 was a breath of fresh air, giving us an intriguing spy film that helped set the course for Tom Cruise’s career. Unfortunately, Mission: Impossible II proved to be a disappointment that remains the worst installment in the action franchise.

Thankfully, Mission: Impossible III came around and righted the ship. JJ Abrams took over in the director’s chair but what really made this film work was Philip Seymour Hoffman. He portrayed Owen Davian, a chilling villain who is the best in the Mission: Impossible series.

Later Mission: Impossible movies upped the stakes and ante when it came to Tom Cruise’s ridiculous stunts and the action level, yet Mission: Impossible III keeps things just realistic enough to fully pull you in. It’s the underrated turning point in the franchise that turned it into something special.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

When Spider-Man arrived in 2002, it marked a new era for superhero movies. The film broke box office records, made Tobey Maguire a household name, and felt bigger than every Marvel movie that came before it. Spider-Man 2 had a lot to live up to and i did so handily.

Spider-Man 2 follows Peter Parker as he battles to stop Dr. Octopus from unleashing a dangerous experiment while also struggling to maintain his double life. It’s a tried and true Spider-Man story and it resonated with audiences who found it to be a significant improvement over the first film.

Spider-Man 2 features another strong villain, action sequences that are far superior, and a more emotionally gripping story. It could be argued that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and a couple of other Spider-Man films topped it but there’s no denying that *Spider-Man 2 *bested the 2002 movie.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Christopher Nolan taking over the Batman movie franchise changed the way a lot of people view the Caped Crusader. Gone were the campy aspects showcased in *Batman Forever *and Batman and Robin, replaced by a grittier, more grounded take on the character in Batman Begins.

While Batman Begins is a fantastic film in its own right, it’s clear that The Dark Knight is bigger and better. The Dark Knight gave us two of the best comic book movie villains ever in the Joker and Two-Face while delivering a great crime drama that doubled as a superhero film.

The Dark Knight grossed over $1 billion, was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and is still seen by many as the best comic book movie of all time. Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning performance alone is enough to put this over Batman Begins and every Batman film after.

The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)

Like The Dark Knight, this is a movie that had a lot to live up to. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers are two epic films in their own right, landing a bunch of Oscar wins and nominations while setting the stage for a massive finale.

Thankfully, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King managed to do the unthinkable and top everything that came before it. The sheer scale of this movie is nearly unmatched but the real treat is that it delivers the satisfying payoff for those who had enjoyed the ride from the first film.

*The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King *is also a film that made history. It completed the biggest sweep in Oscars history, winning all 11 Academy Awards for which it was nominated. It’s in the conversation for the greatest film ever made.