My Theory on Sequels and Franchises in General

Sequels are commonly made in hollywood now a days, mainly because they are quick cash cows. Personally I believe sequels are fine when done appropriately and not effecting the film prior to it. Lets take for example The Godfather. The Godfather, in my opinion, is a perfect film, and its sequel The Godfather Part II is near perfect. Too many times in films that are parts of franchises, such as Iron Man 2, much of the plot line is directed towards what will happen in later films, versus the current film. I hate this method, because it ruins multiple films in a series. The whole reason why The Godfather and The Godfather Part II succeed is because each film stands on its own, not dependent on the whole scope of the story to engage the viewer. There is a place for such story telling, its known as television. In television it is perfectly appropriate to leave clues for what will happen later on in the series, but that's because the season is a complete story. The thing with films is that, even if they are a member of a franchise, they should be able to exist on their own, as separate entities. There is a place for such story telling, its known as television. In television it is perfectly appropriate to leave clues for what will happen later on in the series, but that's because the season is a complete story. The thing with films is that, even if they are a member of a franchise, they should be able to exist on their own, as separate entities. This is the sign of a truly good franchise and sequel.