Comedy sequels are notoriously difficult to pull off, but there are a few exceptions to this rule that have kept fans laughing. Comedy movies tend to derive a lot of their humor and conflict from a particular situation, and once the story is wrapped up, there is no logical reason to bring the characters back for more. This is why a lot of comedy sequels feel overly contrived, or unrelated to the first movie.
While unnecessary comedy sequels have sadly become the norm, this just makes it even more exciting when a sequel lives up to the standards of the original. Not all movies are set up for sequels, but comedy can often get more creative. Audiences will forgive comedies for coming up with silly premises as long as the movies are just as funny. If a comedy sequel gives beloved characters a fun new story that plays to their strengths, it can be a huge hit.
Related 10 Comedy Sequels That Didn’t Live Up To The Iconic Original Movies
Great comedy movies are hard to repeat, and this unfortunately means that some side-splitting comedy classics have been given limp sequels.
10 Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)
Sequel to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
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Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls Where to Watch
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Director Steve Oedekerk Release Date November 10, 1995 Cast Jim Carrey , Ian McNeice , Simon Callow , Maynard Eziashi , Bob Gunton , Sophie Okonedo
Jim Carrey’s performance in the first Ace Ventura movie helped establish him as one of the funniest actors of his generation. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective came out in 1994, the same year as The Mask and Dumb and Dumber. While these two movies have had middling success with their sequels, Ace Ventura got a worthy follow-up with When Nature Calls.
When Nature Calls
features some of
Ace Ventura
’s funniest scenes, including the horrific but hilarious sight of a naked Jim Carrey emerging from the rear end of a mechanical rhinoceros.
When Nature Calls sends the rubber-faced pet detective on safari, as he investigates the disappearance of a rare white bat which is sacred to an African tribe in the fictional country of Nibia. Carrey is just as bombastic and eccentric as before, and he has a new cast of straight-faced rubes to surround him. When Nature Calls features some of Ace Ventura’s funniest scenes, including the horrific but hilarious sight of a naked Jim Carrey emerging from the rear end of a mechanical rhinoceros.
9 A Shot In The Dark (1964)
Sequel to The Pink Panther (1963)
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Peter Sellers was never supposed to be the star of the Pink Panther franchise, but his scene-stealing performance in the first movie meant that he outshone David Niven. In The Pink Panther, Sellers’ Inspector Clouseau is a bumbling sideshow, designed as the foil to Niven’s debonair jewel thief. A Shot in the Dark puts him in the spotlight, as he is tasked with solving a murder at a luxurious country estate.
A Shot in the Dark
shows Peter Sellers at his best, as Inspector Clouseau fumbles his way through an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery.
A Shot in the Dark shows Peter Sellers at his best, as Inspector Clouseau fumbles his way through an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery with no shortage of suspects. It works as a great genre parody, which is one thing that helps set it apart from The Pink Panther. This makes the sequel feel like a fresh story that retains the essence of The Pink Panther’s sense of humor.
8 Jackass Number Two (2006)
Sequel to Jackass: The Movie (2002)
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Jackass Number Two Where to Watch
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Director Jeff Tremaine Release Date September 22, 2006 Cast Johnny Knoxville , Bam Margera , Steve-O , Chris Pontius , Ryan Dunn , Jason Acuña
Jackass isn’t a typical comedy movie, so it was never likely to suffer from the kinds of problems which plague other comedy sequels. As long as Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Wee Man and the rest of the cast can come up with creative ways to torture themselves, they can make a great Jackass movie. 2022’s Jackass Forever showed that this is still true after decades of punishment.
Jackass
isn’t a typical comedy movie, so it was never likely to suffer from the kinds of problems which plague other comedy sequels.
Jackass Number Two had a budget twice the size of the first movie, and this allowed the cast to engage in some more ambitious but equally misjudged stunts. The sequel opens with the cast being chased through a quaint suburban neighborhood by a herd of bulls. This roughly sums up the in-your-face chaos of the following 90 minutes. Arguably the most shocking stunt involves Steve-O piercing his cheek with a fishhook and diving into shark-infested waters as live bait.
7 Shrek 2 (2004)
Sequel to Shrek (2001)
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Shrek 2 Where to Watch
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Director Kelly Asbury , Andrew Adamson , Conrad Vernon Release Date May 19, 2004 Cast Eddie Murphy , Mike Myers , Rupert Everett , Antonio Banderas , Jennifer Saunders , Cameron Diaz , Julie Andrews , John Cleese
Shrek was an immediate hit, and it won the first ever Academy Award for Best Animated Film, so it was a tough act to follow. Shrek 2 also faced the problem of pushing ahead without Jon Lithgow’s hilarious Lord Farquaad as the villain. The one-two punch of Prince Charming and The Fairy Godmother proved to be a more than adequate replacement. Their dynamic is hilarious from the get-go, as a pampered prince and his constantly furious guardian.
Shrek 2 expands on the fairy tale world that Shrek starts to reveal by adding more characters and locations to suit the humor. The most important new character, along with the two villains, is Puss in Boots. The character is a blend of the cunning, servile cat from the fairy tale with a romantic Spanish vigilante archetype, much like Antonio Banderas’ Zorro. Shrek 2 remains the best Shrek movie so far, but Shrek 5 is on the way.
6 Deadpool 2 (2018)
Sequel to Deadpool (2016)
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Deadpool 2 Where to Watch
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Director David Leitch Release Date May 10, 2018 Cast Josh Brolin , Jack Kesy , Ryan Reynolds , Zazie Beetz , T.J. Miller , Shiori Kutsuna , Morena Baccarin , Karan Soni , Julian Dennison
With the positive reviews for Deadpool & Wolverine, the Deadpool series has now gone three-for-three with great action-comedy movies. Deadpool is unlike any other MCU character, and Ryan Reynolds gives him the perfect amount of fourth-wall breaking charm and meta humor. This self-aware style means that Deadpool 2 can comment on its own status as a superhero sequel, just like all three movies crack jokes about the MCU.
The X-Force’s calamitous first mission is a hilarious example of
Deadpool
’s R-rated comedy.
Deadpool 2 carries on the good work from the first movie, with enough funny quips and thrilling action scenes for casual fans, but plenty of subtle references for the diehards. Deadpool 2 will also be remembered as the movie that introduced the X-Force. Their first mission, parachuting down to ambush an armored convoy, is a hilarious example of Deadpool’s R-rated comedy. Deadpool 2 still manages to sideline its snark for long enough to provide a thrilling finale, however.
5 22 Jump Street (2014)
Sequel to 21 Jump Street (2012)
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22 Jump Street Where to Watch
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Director Phil Lord , Chris Miller Release Date June 5, 2014 Cast Jonah Hill , Channing Tatum , Peter Stormare , Wyatt Russell , Amber Stevens , Jillian Bell
Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill revitalized the buddy cop genre with 21 Jump Street. The typical pairing of buddy cops has one competent professional and one comedically inept rookie to get in his way. By contrast, Tatum and Hill’s characters are both useless in their own ways, and they are constantly egging each other on to develop hare-brained schemes and ideas that make no sense.
22 Jump Street
works so well because it manages to shift genres while retaining what makes the first movie so special.
22 Jump Street works so well because it manages to shift genres while retaining what makes the first movie so special. 21 Jump Street takes place in a high school, and it parodies raunchy teen comedies. The sequel is set in a college, so it pokes fun at college movies instead. The end credits show an endless stream of potential sequels with the characters in every kind of school imaginable, poking fun at franchises which outstay their welcome. Years later, 23 Jump Street could still be a possibility.
4 Back To The Future Part II (1989)
Sequel to Back to the Future (1985)
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Back to the Future Part II Where to Watch
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Director Robert Zemeckis Release Date November 22, 1989 Cast Lea Thompson , Elisabeth Shue , Christopher Lloyd , Michael J. Fox , Thomas F. Wilson
The entire Back to the Future trilogy is consistently enjoyable. Often, classic movies don’t get the sequels they deserve, but Back to the Future Part II builds on the success of the first entry. The first movie sends Marty McFly on a time-traveling journey to reckon with his own birth. Back to the Future Part II is just as ambitious, but completely original, as Marty travels forward in time to ensure the preservation of his legacy.
Often, classic movies don’t get the sequels they deserve, but
Back to the Future Part II
builds on the success of the first entry.
Back to the Future Part II takes Marty and Doc to 2015. There are a lot of jokes about the future, and it’s become even funnier in retrospect now that 2015 has come and gone without hoverboards and people wearing two ties at the same time. Back to the Future Part II also shows off Michael J. Fox’s comedy skills, as he plays even more characters than he does in the first movie, including Marty’s future children. Part II continues the franchise’s ability to inject sci-fi and action with humor.
3 The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell Of Fear (1991)
Sequel to The Naked Gun: From The Files Of Police Squad (1988)
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Leslie Nielsen delivers a masterclass in deadpan comedy in The Naked Gun movies. Lieutenant Frank Drebin may be ignorant, clumsy and lacking in basic social skills, but Nielsen plays his part with the utmost seriousness. Frank believes that he’s just another hard-nosed detective pounding the pavement in search of answers, like Sam Spade or Jake Gittes. The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear simply has to give Nielsen a script that capitalizes on his strengths.
Richard Griffiths makes a strong addition to the franchise, but the sequel is wise enough not to shake up the formula too much.
After foiling an assassination attempt against the Queen of England in the first movie, Frank is tasked with recovering a kidnapped scientist in The Naked Gun 2 ½. Richard Griffiths makes a strong addition to the franchise, but the sequel is wise enough not to shake up the formula too much. The detective genre allows for a fresh new story featuring most of the same parts, so Nielsen’s supporting cast is largely unchanged. The comedic superteam of Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker are masters at rapid-fire humor. It remains to be seen how the Naked Gun reboot will fare without them.
2 Paddington 2 (2017)
Sequel to Paddington (2014)
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Paddington 2 Where to Watch
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Director Paul King Release Date January 12, 2018 Cast Hugh Grant , Ben Whishaw , Hugh Bonneville , Jim Broadbent , Imelda Staunton , Julie Walters , Brendan Gleeson , Peter Capaldi , Sally Hawkins
The first Paddington movie is a charming adaptation of the popular children’s books of the same name, but the sequel takes things to a whole new level. Paddington 2 has been praised as an all-time classic, which is a remarkable feat for a comedy sequel. The second movie benefits from the introduction of Hugh Grant as Phoenix Buchanan, a self-obsessed actor-cum-thief.
Paddington 2
maintains the spirit of the beloved book character, but it sends him and the Brown family on an exciting original adventure.
Paddington 2 maintains the spirit of the beloved book character, but it sends him and the Brown family on an exciting original adventure. One of Paddington 2’s great strengths is the way that the layers upon layers of callbacks in the third act provide comedic payoff for seemingly inconsequential jokes much earlier. The thrilling railroad chase at the end combines genuinely breathtaking action with some brilliant gags, including Henry’s coconut shy skills and even his “chakrabatics”. Paddington in Peru will need to be just as ambitious and tightly-scripted to achieve the same success.
1 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
Sequel to Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery (1997)
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Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Where to Watch
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Director Jay Roach Release Date June 11, 1999 Cast Mike Myers , Heather Graham , Michael York , Robert Wagner , Rob Lowe , Seth Green , Mindy Sterling , Verne Troyer
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me starts off with a cheeky plot device to get Vanessa out of the way so that Austin can go on his next adventure as a single man once again. The reveal that Vanessa is a fembot makes no sense. Austin Powers uses this as a comment on the ludicrous nature of comedy sequels, as well as a satirical dig at the way the James Bond franchise treats women as interchangeable and disposable.
The comedy genre gives it license to come up with whatever cockamamie plot it wants, as long as it keeps things moving and has more of the humor that fans love.
The fembot reveal underlines the way that The Spy Who Shagged Me approaches the entire idea of a sequel. The comedy genre gives it license to come up with whatever cockamamie plot it wants, as long as it keeps things moving and has more of the humor that fans love. Mike Myers gets a chance to add another character to his roster, the vulgar Scottish assassin Fat Bastard, while Verne Troyer’s Mini-Me and Heather Graham’s Felicity Shagwell are also great additions.