10 Best Movie Sequels (Not Directed By The Original Filmmaker)
9. Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes
When the Planet of the Apes franchise was rebooted in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, many a naysayer shook their head in disbelief, slapped themselves in the forehead and tried to quell the cold sweats conjured up by the last outing for the property - Tim Burton's 2001 Planet of the Apes remake.
Those fearing the worst we're all left to eat humble pie, as Rupert Wyatt's Rise was a phenomenal return to form for a franchise long since bastardised. Delivering a fresh new start to the lore of the greater Apes property, Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a triumph in every conceivable way.
After the news that Wyatt wouldn't be returning to direct follow-up picture Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, again the doubt crept in as to whether this sequel would be able to match what had come before it. Once Matt Reeves was brought in to helm Dawn, there was mild optimism, as the filmmaker had shown plenty of potential with his previous two directing efforts, Cloverfield and the Let the Right One In remake, Let Me In.
Reeves would take what Wyatt had done with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and completely run with the ball for Dawn. The end result was remarkably even better than the previous picture - and even more impressive, Matt Reeves topped both Dawn and Rise when he rounded out this trilogy with the phenomenal War for the Planet of the Apes in 2017.