Hollywood is no stranger to sequels and for good reason. Seven of the top ten highest-grossing films are sequels, prequels or reboots. And with winter approaching, Tinsel Town has a new slate of highly anticipated movie sequels for film fans to enjoy.
From long-awaited legacy sequels to franchise blockbuster follow-ups, this season’s lineup is packed with nostalgia, adventure and epic cinematic stories. And best of all, the predecessors and earlier installments are available on DIRECTV. So fire up your home theater system and get reacquainted with some stellar source material because sequel season is in full effect.
‘Gladiator II’
After nearly 25 years, Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning epic Gladiator is getting its follow-up with November’s Gladiator II. In recent years, Scott has had something of a career revival producing and directing stellar sequels to his long list of hits, including Alien: Romulus and Blade Runner 2049.
Gladiator II stars Paul Mescal as Lucius — a character who briefly appeared as a child in the original film — who becomes a gladiator after the Roman army invades his home. The cast features Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington, and with a third installment already in the works, it’s the perfect time to revisit the original historical action epic Gladiator.
‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’
Fans of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy can return to Middle Earth this December. The upcoming anime fantasy film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim releases theatrically on December 13. Unlike Amazon’s new show The Rings of Power, The War of the Rohirrim is a direct prequel to the beloved trilogy and features Jackson as Executive Producer.
The film takes place 183 years before the events of Jackson’s trilogy and tells the story of Helm Hammerhand (voiced by Brian Cox), the king of Rohan, who must defend his kingdom against an army of Dunlendings.
‘Moana 2’
Disney created an instant animated classic with 2016’s Moana, about a daring teenager who sails out on a dangerous mission to save her people. The film grossed nearly $700 million worldwide, becoming an international hit.
This November, the film’s original stars Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson return for the long-awaited sequel. Taking place three years after the original film, the sequel finds Moana called to adventure by her wayfinding ancestors to journey across Oceania and break the curse of the god Nalo. With Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear providing new, original songs, and a live-action remake of Moana on the way, now is your chance to get in the island spirit and rewatch the original.
‘Karate Kid: Legends’
The humble beginnings of The Karate Kid — one of Hollywood’s biggest sleeper hits of the ’80s — has since spawned a franchise of sequels, reboots and television series. In 2025, a sixth film starring Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, reprising their original roles from previous installments, hits theaters.
Karate Kid: Legends finds the franchise’s two senseis, Chan’s Mr. Han and Macchio’s La Russo, meeting to lead a new generation of young martial artists. The film brings together all corners of the Karate Kid franchise, including the 2010 remake starring Chan and Jaden Smith, as well as the hit TV series Cobra Kai. Take a look back to where the legend began by revisiting the 1984 classic, The Karate Kid.
‘Mufasa: The Lion King’
Mufasa, one of the most beloved Disney characters of all time, gets an origin story all his own this December with Mufasa: The Lion King. A prequel to 2019’s live-action remake starring Donald Glover and Beyoncé, Mufasa follows its titular hero as he befriends the young prince, Taka, and is adopted into his family.
Both Glover and Beyoncé are set to reprise their roles for the new installment, under Oscar-winner Barry Jenkins’ lead in the director’s chair. The film will also reportedly serve as the motion picture debut of Beyoncé’s daughter, Blue Ivy Carter. The prequel is due out just in time for the holidays on December 20.
‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’
Keanu Reeves joins the speedy, video game hedgehog ranks as Shadow the Hedgehog in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Adapted from Sega’s flagship video game series of the ’90s, the Sonic franchise has been a surprise hit. The first film made $320 million amid the pandemic, and the sequel bested its predecessor making over $400 million worldwide.
The newest film finds Sonic, Tails and Knuckles facing off against Reeves’ powerful new adversary, Shadow. Jim Carrey reprises his role as the evil Dr. Robotnik, as well as James Marsden, playing Sonic’s adoptive father, Tom.
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