Why Only Two Sequels Have Ever Won Best Picture at the Oscars!

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Over the last few years, the frequent appearance of sequels, reboots, and remakes in Hollywood has sparked a great deal of conversation. Many viewers and critics argue that there seems to be an uptick in the production of follow-ups to existing intellectual properties, at the expense of original ideas. Sequels have gained a reputation for being lower quality films. While they can generate a lot of popcorn money, they don’t tend to attract prestige. Consequently, when it comes to the Oscars, which are known for honoring the best in cinema, there aren’t many sequels that have competed for the top award.

At the Oscars, only two movies have been awarded Best Picture: The Godfather Part II in 1974 and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King in 2003. It’s puzzling why sequels, even critically acclaimed ones like Dune: Part 2, are often overlooked for nominations despite their quality. Is this a cycle where public opinion about sequels is influenced by the Academy’s reluctance to recognize them, or is the Academy simply reflecting a larger public attitude? Regardless, there has been a noticeable increase in sequel nominations recently. Could we be witnessing a shift in the Academy’s perspective, leading to more sequels being nominated at the Oscars in the future? This article delves into the intricacies of this phenomenon, focusing particularly on the Oscars’ biggest night.

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A Breakdown of Sequels at the Oscars

For the first time in Oscar history, the sequel “The Bells of St. Mary’s” was nominated at the 18th Academy Awards in 1945. In this film, Bing Crosby reprised his previously Oscar-nominated character, Father O’Malley from Going My Way (1944). However, Billy Wilder’s addiction drama, “The Lost Weekend,” took home the award that year. Interestingly, it wasn’t until 1974 that another sequel was nominated, when The Godfather Part II made history as the first sequel to win an Oscar. The next sequel nominee was the third installment of The Godfather series in 1990. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King was the next nominee and the last winner in this category, over 20 years ago.

Over the past decade, there has been a surge in sequels being nominated for the Best Picture award, with Toy Story 3 being one of them in 2010. Interestingly, it was also among the rare animated films to be nominated for Best Picture, making it unique as the only sequel to win Best Animated Feature so far. Later on, Mad Max: Fury Road matched The Godfather Part II with six Oscar wins but ultimately lost the top honor to Spotlight, a film that won just one other Oscar.

2022 marked an unprecedented milestone with the simultaneous nomination of two highly anticipated sequels – Avatar: The Water Way and Top Gun: Maverick Released. Interestingly, Dune: Part Two was nominated at the 97th awards ceremony in 2025 but fell short of winning the top accolade to Sean Baker’s independent film Anora. However, Dune: Part Two managed to secure two awards, fewer than the original film which garnered six.

Many movies that have won Oscars are actually remakes in disguise. For example, Martin Scorsese’s Best Picture winner, “The Departed,” is a modern take on Hong Kong’s “Infernal Affairs.” The film “Ben-Hur” from 1959 was a remake of an earlier silent movie. The remake of “Mutiny on the Bounty” was up for awards in 1962, despite the original winning Best Picture back in 1935. There are also numerous adaptations of stage musicals and plays that have been nominated for Best Picture. Interestingly, some Best Picture-winning musicals have even been remade, such as Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” It is said that there are only a few basic stories, and looking at the list of Oscar-nominated films certainly brings this to light!

The Sequels Cycle

In a nutshell, contemporary Oscar-winning films often lean towards indie, artistic productions, while blockbuster, mainstream movies are yet to gain widespread recognition from the Academy. Moreover, originality and freshness appear to be implicit requirements for nominees, with sequels generally not seen as embodying these traits.

In recent years, some sequels that have been nominated appear to ride on the acclaim of their predecessors rather than standalone merits. For instance, films like Avatar, known for its groundbreaking technology, often see their follow-ups garner nominations. Conversely, the original Top Gun wasn’t nominated, but its sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, was. Essentially, when a sequel is recognized with an Oscar nod, it seems to be a combination of residual excitement from the first film and political factors – elements often criticized in discussions about the Oscars.

It’s no surprise that Oscar viewership has been dwindling over time. Traditional cinemas have faced challenges since the arrival of streaming services and the pandemic. However, the only movies that have kept movie theaters afloat lately have been blockbusters like “Wicked,” superhero films, and a few others. When the Oscars nominate a multitude of films that most people haven’t seen, it can further reduce viewership. On the contrary, when the Oscars include a few popular franchise films in their nominations, it might pique the average person’s interest in the event. After all, blockbusters often mirror the current American cinema scene, making them strong contenders for “Best Picture of the year.” If Hollywood is increasingly producing sequels, shouldn’t the Academy consider nominating more as well?

Is It All as Dire as It Seems?

Scholars suggest that we may overestimate the prevalence and uniqueness of sequel-focused culture in our current era. Film expert Dr. Matthew Jones explained to Cosmopolitan, “In truth, there’s a longstanding tradition of remakes in Western film history that dates back to the very beginnings of cinema.” Dr. Jones notes that the financial sense behind sequels and reboots has been understood by studios for many years, and the popularity of these trends can ebb and flow over time, with periods like the pandemic seeing a higher emphasis on sequels.

Because audiences have less money to spend on entertainment, studios tend to favor producing films based on previously successful stories as a risk-management strategy. While this approach is logical for business purposes, it’s hard not to question whether it contributes to a stagnant film culture. For instance, when the Academy chooses to nominate sequels instead of original scripts, it perpetuates an environment that discourages novel ideas. Creativity often demands financial resources and time to thrive, so one can only hope for a shift in this cycle at some point.

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2025-03-13 03:02