From 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' to 'Avatar: The Way of Water,' 2022 was packed with franchises.
While 2022 was a year packed with franchises, the effects of universe building began to tire audiences instead of thrilling them. The Marvel Cinematic Universe began to erode its audience with its complex multiverse storyline, and DC got a straight up revamp amidst the new leadership under David Zazlav and the underperformance of Black Adam. Audiences may have been less keen on supporting the independent box office, but this year had many success stories for sequels.
Minions: The Rise of Gru proved that animated sequels could still be box office titans, and the word-of-mouth horror hit Terrifier 2 somehow became the must-see slasher flick of the year. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was also a success, but this year had its fair share of misses too. Jurassic World Dominion and Thor: Love and Thunder stretch their respective franchises egregiously, and Halloween Ends became the biggest disaster in a franchise that has already had plenty.
There were some surprising gems where people may not have expected them; Death on the Nile was a major step up from its predecessor, sparking the development of a third adventure for Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh). While Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was a financial disappointment, it was the first time that the “magic” truly returned to the Harry Potter prequel. However, these stand as the nine best sequels of 2022, ranked from good to great.
9. Downton Abbey: A New Era
The first Downton Abbey film was a fun, fluffy treat for longtime fans of the series that didn’t really offer anything new; the characters were relatively static, and the storylines mostly revolved around hanging threads from the series. However, Downton Abbey: A New Era makes great use of the ensemble and gave interesting roles to some of the series’ standouts; Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) wrestles with his heritage, Lady Talbott (Michelle Dockery) considers a new romance, and the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) reaches the end of her tenure in a very moving way. The Singin’ In The Rain-style storyline featuring a film being shot at Downton that introduces the charming director Jack Barber (Hugh Dancy) and the closeted silent films star Guy Dexter (Dominic West) was the perfect was to make the famous castle fresh again.
8. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had an impossible task; not only did it have to live up to a cultural phenomenon that affected even non-Marvel fans, but it also had to wrestle with the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman. The film perfectly handles the passing of T’Challa that allows the heroes of Wakanda to grieve, and the respectful end to his character arc is handled delicately. Unfortunately, the MCU connections grew more obnoxious, the action sequences featured a lot of disorienting quickly edited movement, and the film failed to create a villain as memorable as Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger. It’s not the strongest MCU film, but the world of Wakanda is exciting once more thanks to the Oscar-worthy performance by Angela Bassett as its defiant leader.
7. Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America was a film that managed to contradict the “movie based on animated show” curse with its surprising satire, and nearly two decades later, Mike Judge returned to his favorite two idiots for an equally hilarious romp in the 21st century. Do Beavis and Butt-Head still work in the era of “cancel culture?” Surprisingly, the film deftly handles its social themes with great jokes about male feminists, activism, electioneering, and economic disenfranchisement. Judge knows how to give his characters a goofy quest that inevitably goes awry with misadventures.
6. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
While the MCU has opted for safer installments peppered with teases to the future, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness feels like a drastic departure thanks to the brilliance of horror maestro Sam Raimi. Rami acknowledges that no, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) isn’t that interesting of a guy, and simply puts him on a bonkers madcap adventure that showed that the universe could do body horror. Elizabeth Olsen managed to become one of the most terrifying and sympathetic villains in the series, and any film that has a Bruce Campbell post-credit scene deserves praise.
5. Scream
The possibility of a new Scream movie without Wes Craven seemed like a doomed prospect, but the fifth film serves as an appropriate thematic bridge to the future of the series. Although it tackles the idea of “legacy sequels” and “soft reboots,” the reason Scream works as well as it does are the new characters. Jenna Ortega gives an incredible performance that honors Neve Cambell’s legacy, and the reveal of the killer finds a fascinating way to explore the influence of the first film. It’s the most gruesome installment in the series, but it's the heartfelt performance by David Arquette that grounds it emotionally.
4. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Who would have guessed that the second installment in a Shrek spin-off series would be one of the best action movies of the year? Puss in Boots: The Last Wish ditches the obnoxious humor and stale animation of the Shrek series by introducing stylized action sequences not dissimilar to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Antonio Banderas proved that the titular feline swordsman could be a compelling lead of his own, and Puss’ contemplation of his own end is surprisingly complex for a family-friendly adventure. With relentless action and just enough heart, Puss in Boots proved it was a terrific standalone franchise with a bright future ahead of it.
3. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Knives Out was a wonderful subversion of mystery movie tropes, but Glass Onion proved that Rian Johnson had more up his sleeve with its fascinating satirical take on influencer culture and creative integrity. It’s the rapid-fire jokes that make the series work, but the mystery is surprisingly more involving, as is a more nuanced performance from Daniel Craig. There are plenty of contenders for “scene stealer,” and while Edward Norton’s eccentric Elon Musk parody deserves a lot of credit, it's Janelle Monae’s Oscar-worthy turn that gives Benoit Blanc a worthy ally. It’s a delightful romp, but considering the events of the last few months, it's surprisingly eerie.
2. Avatar: The Way of Water
The phrase “never bet against James Cameron” has been used to death, but the signature action filmmaker showed that he could improve, enhance, and complicate one of the biggest sensations in screen history. It goes without saying that Avatar: The Way of Water is one of the most visually stunning films ever made, but surprisingly, the character development is a significant improvement from the first installment. Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña stand out as older, matured versions of their characters, and the creative way of bringing back Stephen Lang and Sigourney Weaver is both surprising and nuanced. However, it’s the younger cast of Sully children that give the film its heart, giving more than enough time to each character that justifies the epic runtime.
1. Top Gun: Maverick
The first trailer for Top Gun: Maverick hit Comic Con in 2019, and the film’s release was delayed for two years amidst COVID-19 setbacks. It was clear that Paramount Pictures knew they had something special on their hands, but no one could have predicted what an astounding success the film would be. Top Gun: Maverick is why we go to the movies; it hits every note that a crowd pleaser should, introduces a fresh batch of likable characters, creates stunning airplane sequences, and isn’t afraid to play things straight in an era that's dominated by films that try too hard to be self-aware. The touching tribute to Val Kilmer and his personal life are tear-inducing, but it's Tom Cruise who proves once again that he’s the greatest (and maybe last) movie star on the planet.
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