20 sequels that earned more money than the original at the box office

Since its original release in 2015, Inside Out has been a smash hit for Disney and Pixar. The first movie grossed over $850 million, which is certainly no easy feat. However, the sequel, Inside Out 2, has earned well over $1 billion worldwide. When pressed about whether fans could see the franchise get a third movie, Bob Iger said he'd "love" for that to happen. Could it earn more than the first two films? We'll have to wait and see.

The first Blade Runner, released in 1982, was certainly loved by fans and critics. It earned several awards and $41 million at the box office. But its sequel, Blade Runner 2049 , released in 2017, earned over $276 million worldwide. It looks like director Denis Villeneuve has Ryan Gosling to thank for that.

The first Incredibles movie was definitely a success, earning over $600 million at the box office following its release in 2004. However, the second movie, Incredibles 2, blew its predecessor out of the water. The sequel, released in 2018, earned over $1.2 billion worldwide.

2013's Frozen was a global sensation, so it makes sense why the Disney film earned $1.2 billion at the global box office. But the sequel, Frozen 2, was beloved even more, earning $1.4 billion following its release in 2019. The third movie, Frozen 3, is scheduled to be released in 2027, and at this rate, the film earning more than the first two seems possible.

22 Jump Street earned over $100 million more at the box office than its predecessor, 21 Jump Street . But when you remember it stars Channing Tatum, it all starts to make sense. A third movie has been in the works for some time, and in 2024, Tatum confirmed he'd be willing to return alongside his co-star Jonah Hill. Could it top the first two? It's certainly a possibility. 

Fans loved Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and Mike Myers in Shrek, but Shrek 2 was the real winner, bringing in $932 million worldwide following its release in 2004.

Toy Story is a classic film that has been a huge success for Pixar and Disney. Woody, Buzz, and Andy had movie-goers flying to the theatre, causing the first film to earn $394 million at the global box office. The second movie, released in 1995, earned an impressive $511 million.

Look, the first Jumanji was iconic, earning $262.8 million at the global box office. However, the sequel, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle , with Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Nick Jonas, is clearly the fan favorite, earning a whopping $962 million following its release in 2017. When you place a handful of big-name stars in the same cast like that, it's almost a given that it'll be a success.

Following its release in 2008, the Twilight movie had everybody in their feelings. The first film made over $408 million at the global box office, and its sequel, New Moon, earned $711 million.

Although the 2019 version of The Lion King isn't a sequel, it's a live version remake (featuring Beyoncé) that had fans running to the theatres in droves. The 1994 film earned over $981 million, while the remake earned over $1.6 billion.

Top Gun , a 1986 action film starring Tom Cruise, was a hit at the box office, earning over $357 million. So, when they announced the sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, fans knew it would be something special. However, people weren't expecting it to blow the first out of the water. According to Box Office Mojo, the sequel earned over $1.4 billion globally.

When you think about The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, both earning over $1 billion at the global box office, it's hard to believe, considering their predecessor, Batman Begins , only brought in $375 million. But hey, I guess we have Heath Ledger to thank for that.

If you know anything about the Harry Potter franchise, it only makes sense that the final film would be the one to outperform Sorceror's Stone at the box office.

The Indiana Jones franchise has a special place in the hearts of many, and when you've seen them all, it's understandable why. However, only the third movie, Last Crusade, was able to top the original film's box office earnings, bringing in $474 million globally.

The original Fast movie made over $207 million at the global box office. The following films ebbed and flowed, with some earning more and some earning less. However, the seventh film stands on its own, earning over $1.5 billion following its release in 2015.

People loved the first Pirates of the Caribbean, and they loved every sequel, too. The first film earned over $650 million at the box office, and the four that came after surpassed that with ease.

In 1982, Disney released the science fiction action adventure film TRON. The film followed a video game developer tasked with escaping a mainframe computer he'd been transported into. It earned $33 million at the box office, but its sequel, TRON: Legacy, released in 2010, earned $409.9 million worldwide.

We all know about Arnold Schwarzenegger and his role in the 1984 science fiction action film The Terminator. It was certainly a box office success, earning over $78 million globally; however, the sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, earned nearly $521 million.

It's not like Avengers: Infinity War wasn't a smash hit. The movie, which starred Robert Downey Jr., earned over $2 billion at the global box office, but the direct sequel, Endgame, earned a little more, finishing at the box office with a total of $2.79 billion.

The first Best Man movie, featuring Taye Diggs, Nia Long, and Regina Hall, was released in 1999 and earned nearly $35 million in total. Its sequel, Best Man Holiday, was released in 2013 and earned exponentially more, with a reported earning of $72.8 million globally.