# Naming movie sequels. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 24, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324 "2007-09-24T16:51:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/1 "2007-09-24T16:51:19Z")
Isn’t it usual, when the sequel name is the same as the first but with a number after it, it has a subtitle? Like the Die Hards. There’s Die Hard (it isn’t Die Hard I, either. Just Die Hard) and then Die Hard II: Die Harder. And then Die yet again but this time with a Vengeance. How about the Rocky Movies? Are they Rocky, Rocky I, Rocky II. . . and so on with no other descriptions in the title? The Star Wars movies: My husband _insists_ the name of the first movie was always Star Wars: Episode 4. Pshaw! says I. They didn’t know there were gonna make 6 movies when the first one was named. I’d like to point out that the Aliens movies don’t exactly follow the formula either. They are Alien, Aliens and Alien to the third Power. All right, all right-- Alien[sup]3[/sup] could be pronounced “Alien three” but we all know that isn’t what is written. Every sequel should use the Indiana Jones/Harry Potter “and the” solution. Are there any sequels that are actually titled ‘Name of first movie roman numeral number 2’ with no sub-title or other explanations? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/2 "2007-09-24T16:54:37Z")
Jurassic Park III? Or, Jurassic Park ///. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/3 "2007-09-24T16:56:06Z")
Off the top of my head, without bothering to check if they had more of a title (but I don’t think they did): Psycho II Jaws II Ghostbusters II Porky’s II Caddyshack II Grease II ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/4 "2007-09-24T16:57:50Z")
The Godfather II ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/5 "2007-09-24T17:07:00Z")
The sequel to an original movie should ALWAYS be “Original Title 2: Electric Boogaloo”. ---
**Author:** ![Ferd\_Burfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@Ferd\_Burfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferd_Burfel)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/6 "2007-09-24T17:32:44Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] The sequel to an original movie should ALWAYS be “Original Title 2: Electric Boogaloo”. [/QUOTE] No. “Original Title 2: The Wrath of Spock” ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/7 "2007-09-24T17:37:52Z")
The Madness of George III ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/8 "2007-09-24T17:52:49Z")
The very first movie to use the concention (if you don’t count those old silent 5 minute movies) was **Quatermass 2** , which was known in the US as **Enemy from Space**. It had no subtitle in Britain. (Note that the “2” was Indo-Arabic, not Roman) The next movie with that sort of title, several sources tell me, was **The Godfather II** (which was the first to use the Roman Numeral). Also no subtitle. I’m not sure which was the first numbered sequel with a subtitle. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/9 "2007-09-24T18:09:39Z")
So I’m looking and looking for this thread over at CS and wondering what happened to it, only to finally give up on it as hamster food. Lo and behold! It is in the wrong forum. I am smart-- m-o-o-n spells smart! ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/10 "2007-09-24T19:03:26Z")
Moved from IMHO to CS. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/11 "2007-09-24T19:29:38Z")
Saw II and Saw III. Evil Dead 2. American Pie 2. Bad Boys II. Toy Story 2. Shrek 2. A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2. The Friday the 13th series. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/12 "2007-09-24T19:37:38Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Are there any sequels that are actually titled ‘Name of first movie roman numeral number 2’ with no sub-title or other explanations? It’s a pity [_Seconds_](http://www.amazon.com/Seconds-Rock-Hudson/dp/B00005RDAJ) wasn’t called _Second_ in Roman numerals. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/13 "2007-09-24T19:41:27Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] The Godfather II [/QUOTE] Isn’t the official title “The Godfather Part II”? ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/14 "2007-09-24T19:44:10Z")
Not to nitpick, but the name of the movie isn’t **The Godfather II** , it’s **The Godfather: Part II**. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/15 "2007-09-24T19:48:10Z")
Though it’s one of the movies that don’t exist ( as per another current thread) Speed 2: Cruise Controll was kinda witty. But since it was the only witty thing about the project, it got canned. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/16 "2007-09-24T19:49:34Z")
[QUOTE=Biggirl] The Star Wars movies: My husband _insists_ the name of the first movie was always Star Wars: Episode 4. Pshaw! says I. They didn’t know there were gonna make 6 movies when the first one was named. [/QUOTE] I remember the first one being called Episode IV. I also remember it being said that Lucas planned 9 total episodes, not 6. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/17 "2007-09-24T19:53:07Z")
[QUOTE=Charlie Tan] Though it’s one of the movies that don’t exist ( as per another current thread) Speed 2: Cruise Controll was kinda witty. But since it was the only witty thing about the project, it got canned. [/QUOTE] Reminds me of one of the working titles to the sequel to (the perpetually upcoming) Boondock Saints: All Saints Day. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/18 "2007-09-24T19:55:11Z")
Star Wars was **not** titled “Episode IV” or anything similar when it was first released. We’ve been over that many times before in this forum (I just read it again a few days ago). “Episode IV: A New Hope” was added to the title when the movie was re-released a few years later. > [@](#): > > Every sequel should use the Indiana Jones/Harry Potter “and the” solution. You mean like the first one, _Raiders of the Lost Ark_? ---
**Author:** ![RedSwinglineOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a9adbd/32.png) [@RedSwinglineOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedSwinglineOne)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/19 "2007-09-24T19:57:41Z")
[QUOTE=Biggirl] How about the Rocky Movies? Are they Rocky, Rocky I, Rocky II. . . and so on with no other descriptions in the title? [/QUOTE] Rocky VII: Adrian’s Revenge ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2007, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324/20 "2007-09-24T20:14:26Z")
A lot of people forget that there never was a movie titled _Rambo II_. There was _First Blood_, then _Rambo: First Blood Part II_, then _Rambo III_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-movie-sequels/420324.md?page=2)