What’s your advice on writing a sequel to a story you wrote? Do you find that your characters, particularly your main character…do you find that your characters can make or break a sequel? And by that I mean the evolution of the story. Do you think your characters, particularly the main character can make or break the sequel in which the sequel doesn’t match the success of the original story?
Screenwriting : Screenwriting, Networking, Learning by Josiah Bhola Hillaire
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First of all it depends on the success of the first story. Not all sequels fly. The storyline has to be just as well written and engaging at the original storyline. Most sequels try to use the original main character....but yes...the main character has to be able to carry the sequel. Using the same characters present a smaller risk of losing the audience when there is success in the original movie. But yes...the main character can make or brake the sequel.
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I think I've only written part of a sequel, so I don't know much about writing them, Josiah Bhola Hillaire. Thanks for the advice, Robert Cole!
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I think, personally, that there are two things to think about with a sequel: what made the first one so popular and how to continue your protagonist's arc so that it feels familiar without rehashing the emotional journey. Especially with comedies, it feels like they lean too hard into the things that were "fun" and let everything else slip. Personally, the greatest sequel of all time is D2: The Mighty Ducks lol What do you all think?
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As long as it's not "fan service" and that the characters still need fleshing out, I don't see the problem. However, I think most sequels lack that characterization unless they bring out something new from the characters' POV.
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Emily J I'm gonna have to go with Saw II. Talk about a sequel that held nothing back. It had interesting characters. Jigsaw felt more fleshed out and you felt sorry for the protagonist, even though he was a piece of s***.
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I think the best sequels are those that take the main characters and story and turn them upside down. Introduce some new characters and ideas but keep the focus on what the audience knows and cares for. Best example: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.