The Opening Trope: 20 Sequels That Begin Just Where the Previous Movie Left Off

When it comes to franchises, sagas, and film series, surely you’ve noticed the ones that take place within a contained period of time. Take Back to the Future, just a random example we’ve just chosen and not the central singularity structuring our entire mental and emotional life. The Back to the Future trilogy takes place in, what? Like a few days? Three at least, if we just go by Marty waking up to weird mom-induced boners, but probably more. No, we’re not Googling it, come on. We love the series but it’s not like we’re obsessed with this mov– okay, whatever, three weeks, the entire trilogy happens during three weeks.

The point is: you get our point. Narrative continuity is a given, just as thematic continuity is too — if you’re not Halloween III, at least. But temporal continuity gets trickier, since for every sequel set months or years after their previous film, there is another taking place immediately after what came before. In this Pictofact, we discuss these flicks, the transition points they begin with, and localize the exact narrative hinges they revolve around. Except when we don’t. Sometimes we just riff on them. Anyway, thank you for ignoring the importance of Back to the Future for us being followed by that joke about mom-induced boners, we really appreciate it. Unless you never noticed it, in which case, erm, sequels!