20 Greatest Direct Sequels Ever Made

2. The Empire Strikes Back

There is a reason why the middle chapter in any big-budget franchise these days is regularly labelled during production by those involved as 'The Empire Strikes Back' of their series; 37 years later and it still remains the benchmark by which all blockbuster sequels are measured.

Whereas A New Hope was more of an upbeat family film, Empire established the tone for darker, more mature sequels that remains an industry trope to this day. Such a departure from the original that it was greeted with a much more muted critical response than its predecessor, Irvin Kershner's movie manages to combine so many elements into an exhilarating feat of sci-fi cinema.

The battle on Hoth, the introduction of fan-favorites Yoda, Boba Fett and Lando, the burgeoning romance between Leia and Han that culminates in the iconic 'I know' as the latter is frozen in Carbonite, and the almost-Shakespearean dynamic between Luke and Darth Vader that culminates in one of cinema's all-time great reveals are all definitive moments in Star Wars lore, all contained within the saga's best movie.