10 Best Movie Sequels (Not Directed By The Original Filmmaker)

2. Aliens

The Color Of Money Tom Cruise
20th Century Studios

Ridley Scott's Alien is a slice of classic sci-fi horror gold. If you looking to mesh those two genres together, Alien is a prime example of what to do and how to do it well.

What follow-up offerings Aliens managed to do, though, is actually top the pulsating terror of that 1979 picture. Released seven years later in 1986, Aliens took what was so brilliant about its predecessor, then added a layer of action and brilliant supporting characters that took things to an entirely different level of special.

It wasn't a returning Ridley Scott directing Aliens, mind, for it was instead fellow legendary director James Cameron who was tasked with the job of bringing the Alien franchise back to life. Fresh off helming The Terminator two years prior, Cameron was viewed as the perfect choice for this sequel - and it's with Aliens that the property was given the scope and extra elements that would allow for this franchise to continue to expand in numerous ways.

Is Aliens better than Alien? That's down to individual preference. Regardless of which way you lean in that debate, there's no argument that both of these two movies are stunning pictures in their own right, and both are exemplary in how to tackle sci-fi horror.

Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.