Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Film Sequels, Series and Remakes

Book excerpt: Science fiction, fantasy and horror movies have spawned more sequels and remakes than any other film genre. Following Volume I, which covered 400 films made 1931-1995, Volume II analyzes 334 releases from 1996 through 2016. The traditional cinematic monsters are represented--Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, a new Mummy. A new wave of popular series inspired by comics and video games, as well as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, could never have been credibly produced without the advances in special effects technology. Audiences follow the exploits of superheroes like Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man and Thor, and such heroines as the vampire Selene, zombie killer Alice, dystopian rebels Katniss Everdeen and Imperator Furiosa, and Soviet spy turned American agent Black Widow. The continuing depredations of Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers are described. Pre-1996 movies that have since been remade are included. Entries features cast and credits, detailed synopsis, critics' reviews, and original analysis.