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The abundance of sequels, reboots, and remakes in Hollywood has sparked significant debate in recent years. Many viewers and critics express concern over what they see as a growing reliance on established franchises and a marked decline in original storytelling. Often, sequels have come to be viewed as lower-quality offerings in the cinematic landscape. While a sequel can guarantee substantial box office revenue, it rarely garners the kind of critical acclaim that leads to prestigious awards. Thus, when considering the Academy Awards, an event dedicated to honoring the finest achievements in film, the number of sequels vying for its most coveted honors is notably limited.
Statistically, while ten sequels have received nominations for the Best Picture Oscar, only two have secured a victory: The Godfather Part II in 1974 and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King in 2003. This raises the question: why are sequels often dismissed as Oscar contenders? Films like Dune: Part 2, despite their high quality, struggle to gain nominations. Is the public’s perception of sequels shaped by the Academy’s reluctance to recognize them, or is the Academy merely reflecting public sentiment? Regardless, there appears to be a trend of increasing nominations for sequels in recent years. Could this indicate a shift in the Academy’s view of sequels’ worthiness, hinting at a future where more sequels take center stage at the Oscars? Read on for an exploration of sequels within the framework of Hollywood’s most celebrated event.
A Breakdown of Sequels at the Oscars
The very first sequel to be nominated for an Academy Award was The Bells of St. Mary’s, recognized at the 18th Academy Awards in 1945. This film featured Bing Crosby reprising his Oscar-nominated role as Father O’Malley from Going My Way (1944). Ultimately, The Bells of St. Mary’s lost the Oscar to Billy Wilder’s addiction drama, The Lost Weekend. Following a long gap, the first sequel to win an Oscar came in 1974 with The Godfather Part II, marking a historic achievement. The third part of The Godfather series came into nomination in 1990, and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King remains the most recent winner, achieving this status over 20 years ago.
In the last decade, however, the Academy has seen a notable increase in sequels nominated for Best Picture. For instance, Toy Story 3 received a nomination in 2010 and distinguished itself as one of the few animated films in this category, also being the only sequel to win the award for Best Animated Feature thus far. Meanwhile, Mad Max: Fury Road garnered six Oscars, tying with The Godfather Part II, but ultimately lost Best Picture to Spotlight, a film that itself received only one Oscar.
Furthermore, the Academy Awards in 2022 witnessed a record by nominating two blockbuster sequels in one year: Avatar: Way of the Water and Top Gun: Maverick. Most recently, Dune: Part Two was nominated in 2025 at the 97th Academy Awards, though it lost the top honor to the independent film Anora. Dune: Part Two won two awards, in contrast to its predecessor’s six.
It is also worth noting that several past Oscar-winning films qualify as remakes. Martin Scorsese’s The Departed is an adaptation of Hong Kong’s Infernal Affairs, while the original Ben-Hur in 1959 was a remake of an earlier silent film. The remake of Mutiny on the Bounty received a nomination in 1962, although the original secured the Best Picture award in 1935. Additionally, a multitude of adaptations from stage musicals have been nominated for Best Picture, including remakes of previous Best Picture-winning musicals, such as Steven Spielberg’s recent rendition of West Side Story. This trend underscores the notion that the film industry often rehashes established narratives and ideas.
The Sequels Cycle
Numerous factors contribute to the perception of what constitutes an “Oscar-worthy” film. Contemporary Oscar winners tend to be smaller, more artistic projects, with a few exceptions, such as the recent Oppenheimer in 2023. The Academy often appears hesitant to recognize big-budget films, which can affect how sequels are viewed. Originality and creativity are often seen as implicit requirements for Oscars, and sequels are generally not regarded as embodying those traits.
Analyzing sequels nominated for Best Picture in recent years reveals a pattern: many are follow-ups to pioneering films, such as Avatar, which is heralded for its technological advancements in cinema. Often, a sequel’s nomination seems closely tied to the legacy of its predecessor rather than its own merits. A notable example is Top Gun: Maverick, which received a nomination despite the original film not being nominated. When a sequel earns a nomination, it frequently reflects lingering enthusiasm for the original film, intertwined with the complex dynamics of industry politics.
Oscar viewership has seen a decline in recent years, with traditional theaters struggling in the face of the rise of streaming platforms and the impact of the pandemic. Major blockbuster events, such as Barbenheimer, Wicked, and comic book adaptations, have served as lifelines for cinemas. When the Oscars spotlight films that many in the audience are unfamiliar with, it tends to diminish viewer engagement. However, including films from popular franchises in the nominations could rekindle interest and draw a broader audience to the ceremony. Given that blockbusters define much of the American cinematic landscape, it raises the question: should the Academy increase the number of nominations for sequels?
Is It All as Dire as It Seems?
Experts suggest that the dominance of sequels is not as unprecedented or unique to today’s cinema landscape as it might appear. Dr. Matthew Jones, a film studies professor, remarked to Cosmopolitan that Western cinema has a long history of remakes dating back to its inception. Hollywood studios, recognizing the financial stability that sequels and reboots can offer, often resort to these tried-and-true narratives, especially during times of economic uncertainty, such as the recent pandemic.
This trend of seeking safety in familiar stories can be understood as a pragmatic business decision, yet it raises concerns about its potential impact on cinematic innovation. Every time the Academy favors a sequel over an original screenplay, it perpetuates a cycle that could stifle new storytelling ideas. Genuine creativity thrives on time and resources, making it essential to foster an environment that encourages fresh concepts beyond the current genre trends.
Source
movieweb.com