John Wick: Chapter 2 - Defying the Sequel Stereotype

The Unexpected Success of John Wick: Chapter 2

John Wick: Chapter 2 challenges an established notion about sequels, which can be seen through its massive success. There are many examples of sequels that audiences didn't ask for and that turned out to be awful and tarnished the original's legacy. This is not the case for John Wick, though, which ended up having a successful sequel, as well as two more successful films following it. The events within the entire John Wick timeline have proven to be incredibly interesting to audiences, which has allowed the franchise to continue in an authentic and natural way.

Though there were initial apprehensions about the need for a John Wick sequel, the film ended up serving as a lesson to Hollywood as a whole. Sequels are a hot topic in entertainment, as many overly rely on them to try to generate a profit, which ends up making a franchise feel incredibly stale. That's why sequels can be seen as a disappointing thing for viewers, but this in this case ended up being a very smart decision.

No One Asked For John Wick 2 (But It Was Still Great)

There wasn't a whole lot of demand for a John Wick 2, which led to anticipation that a sequel was unnecessary and would ultimately tarnish the legacy of the original. The first John Wick film tells a relatively self-contained story and it has a proper and clear beginning, middle, and end. This led to the narrative to feel satisfying on its own without the need for further exploration. The first film was also praised for its unique style and tone, and there was audience apprehension that the sequel wouldn't be able to live up to this.

These worries were valid, but John Wick 2 ended up proving them wrong. The movie ended up being able to build upon all of the positive aspects of the first one and expand the franchise in a strong way. Because the movie didn't end up feeling repetitive or formulaic, it opened the door to further films that audiences were able to get excited about due to the faith garnered after the sequel.

John Wick Proved Sequels To Self-Contained Movies Can Work

The John Wick franchise serves as proof that sequels to self-contained movies can ultimately work. A sequel is definitely not necessary for each and every self-contained movie, but if there is a strong enough idea to expand the franchise, it can end up being a good thing. The original, small-scale, John Wick film ended up creating a billion-dollar movie franchise that is beloved by millions and proves the idea that certain films shouldn't have sequels completely false.