7 Movie Franchises That Changed Genres in a Sequel (& 3 Of Them Actually Got Better)

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Many successful franchises find a formula that works well in their first installment and then build upon it. Take Star Wars, for example – each movie stays true to the spirit of the original, *A New Hope*, remaining a straightforward sci-fi action film. However, as franchises continue, they often try something different to avoid becoming repetitive and losing audience interest (and money). This tendency applies to genres like horror, action, and adventure. Comedy is the main exception; if audiences enjoy a funny movie, they generally want the sequel to be funny too, not a dramatic or sad one.

As a film buff, I’ve been thinking about franchises that really took risks with their tone or genre – you know, movies that felt *different* from what started it all. There have been at least seven where one installment went in a completely new direction. Did those experiments always succeed? Honestly, no. But surprisingly often, these departures were exactly what the franchise needed to stay fresh and relevant. They kept things interesting and, crucially, kept the whole IP alive.

1) M3GAN

The new sci-fi action movie *M3GAN 2.0* didn’t perform well, marking a significant disappointment for Blumhouse. Of all the films mentioned, changing the genre proved to be the biggest misstep for the *M3GAN* franchise.

In the United States, *M3GAN 2.0* earned roughly the same amount in total as the original *M3GAN* did in just two days. However, internationally, it made only about a sixth of what the first film earned. While it may gain a following as a cult film, it seems audiences who wanted a sequel hoped for more horror elements.

2) Alien

Earlier, we mentioned that changing genres actually improved three famous movie series. One of those series is *Alien*, particularly the second film, *Aliens*.

James Cameron’s *Aliens* is a rare sequel that’s highly praised. It successfully shifted from the pure horror of the first film to a more action-packed horror style, keeping existing fans happy while attracting a new audience. Many consider it one of the greatest action movies ever made, and even those who prefer Ridley Scott’s original usually place *Aliens* as a very close second.

3) Texas Chainsaw Massacre

The original *Texas Chain Saw Massacre* isn’t simply a horror movie; it’s widely considered one of the scariest ever created. Even now, it remains incredibly powerful and feels disturbingly realistic.

Director Tobe Hooper actually intended the original film to have a humorous side, but it wasn’t noticed by audiences or critics. Because of this, he returned 12 years later to make a sequel with much more black comedy. While it doesn’t have the same impact as the first film, *The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2* was always meant to be controversial. Over time, it’s gained recognition as a creative mix of genres, and it remains the best sequel to the original *The Texas Chain Saw Massacre* – even after seven more films were made.

4) Riddick

Vin Diesel appears on this list more than once, but the shift in style and type of story worked far better in another one of his film series than it did in the Riddick movies.

The original Riddick film, *Pitch Black*, was a scary, dark movie centered on the characters surrounding Riddick himself. However, Vin Diesel’s performance as Riddick was so compelling that it led to *The Chronicles of Riddick* a few years later. That sequel abandoned the horror elements of the first film (though they briefly reappeared in the later *Riddick* movie). Unfortunately, *The Chronicles of Riddick* was an expensive failure, lacking a unique identity and feeling like a pale imitation of more successful science fiction adventures.

5) Evil Dead

Sam Raimi’s *The Evil Dead* is a true horror classic and the quintessential scary movie about a group of people trapped in a cabin in the woods.

However, *Evil Dead II* is definitely the stronger film. While it keeps some of the scary possession elements from the first movie, it amps up the humor and goes completely over-the-top. It also allowed Bruce Campbell to fully embrace his comedic timing, creating the version of Ash Williams that fans would see in *Army of Darkness* and *Ash vs. Evil Dead* – a far cry from the more serious Ash in the original film.

6) Fast & Furious

The Fast & Furious movies still feature cars and the occasional race, but they haven’t truly centered around street racing since the first four films. Starting with *Fast Five*, the series shifted its focus, building on the original movie’s plot about theft and becoming more about elaborate heists.

The fifth *Fast & Furious* movie, *Fast Five*, was a turning point for the series. After a somewhat lackluster fourth film that simply reunited the team without giving them a compelling story, *Fast Five* revitalized the franchise. It was a critical and commercial success with audiences, and as recent events in *Fast X* demonstrated, remains a key part of the *Fast & Furious* saga.

7) Jurassic Park

The *Jurassic Park* films have consistently succeeded by blending adventure, science fiction, and elements of horror, generally in that order. The first *Jurassic Park* is a classic adventure film, delivering a thrilling, fast-paced experience. *The Lost World: Jurassic Park* largely followed this formula, but with a bit more emphasis on horror. Later installments, including *Jurassic Park III*, *Jurassic World*, *Jurassic World Dominion*, and *Jurassic World Rebirth*, all returned to the core adventure-with-horror approach.

The biggest weakness of *Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom* is its second half, which feels disjointed from the rest of the movie and doesn’t follow a typical story structure. The shift from the action on the island to the events within the manor creates a completely different feel – it’s almost like a horror movie, but with dinosaurs instead of a masked killer. While the ending was exciting, it wasn’t enough to make *Fallen Kingdom* as memorable as the original *Jurassic Park* or the first *Jurassic World*.

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2025-09-19 02:16