I watched Hannibal again last night. It was released in 2001. Silence of the Lambs was released in 1991. So there was 10 years between the two.
10 years is a long time. But I’m sure there are longer lapses. Does anyone know the longest?
I don’t know what the record is, but my first thought is The Odd Couple, 1968 and The Odd Couple II, 1998.
The Hustler was made in was made in 1961 andThe Color of Money was made in 1986, a span of 25 years.
Here you go:
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/index.asp?id=50608
I immediately thought of the Hustler/Color of Money too but I knew that was probably the wrong answer. Great movies though.
Don’t know if this counts, but the mini-series Scarlett (1994) was a sequel to the 1939 film Gone with the Wind. That’s 55 years…
I suspect this is cheating, but see Dracula (1931) and Dracula II (2003) giving 72 years. However, Dracula II is really a sequal to another Dracula film a few years before which is sort of a sequel to the normal story to start with. Though if you allowed THAT one, it would still be nearly 70 years.
The Maltese Falcon (1941) was followed by The Black Bird (1975), 34 years later. George Segal appears in the latter film as Sam Spade jr. Elisha Cook jr. played Wilmer in both films, and Lee Patrick reprised her role as Effie Perine, secretary.
I assume we’re discounting the rumors that COLD MOUNTAIN (2004) was a prequel to BIRTH OF A NATION (1916)… < evil grin >
Well, you’ve got your sequels, and then you’ve got your sequels. It seems to me there is a very substantial difference between movies like “The Wizard of Oz” and “Return to Oz” which have nominally sequential stories, but really aren’t connected in any other way, and movies where you actualkly have some continuity in the people making or starring in the movie.
If we identify a true sequel as being a movie where at least one lead character reappears and is played by the same actor, plus there is some continuity in the direction, writing or production of the film, “The Odd Couple II” is clearly the longest-awaited true sequel; it had the same two leads (Jack Lemmon and Watler Matthau) and were written by the same man (Neil Simon) so it’s clearly a true, according-to-Hoyle sequel.
Chinatown (1974) and The Two Jakes (1990). Supposedly, there is a third installment, which will probly never be made.
I’m still waiting for the sequel to Easy Rider. It would be nice to see while all the
main people are still alive…
It’s not the leader, but consider The Guns of Navarone and Force 10 from Navarone. Both were based on Alistair McClean novels that were, in fact, original and sequel, so I think they’re in the running much more than “manufactured” sequels, like The Black Bird is to The Maltese Falcon.
How about 2001 (1968), and 2010 (1984)?
Fantasia (1940) and Fantasia 2000 (2000). 60 years.
If that rumored Snow White II project ever gets going, that’ll probably break the record…and I’m sure we all hope it won’t.
Disney’s crappy direct-to-video Peter Pan 2: Return To Neverland (2002) followed their version of Peter Pan (1953) by 49 years.
Here’s another, more obscure pairing: The Freshmen (1925) and The Sin of Harold Diddlebock (1947), both starring Harold Lloyd.
Counting The Black Bird as a sequel to The Maltese Falcon is a bit wonky, as The Black Bird is an all-out spoof. It’s a little like counting Young Frankenstein (1974) as a sequel to Frankenstein (1931).
I agree with RickJay: for it to really count as a sequel there has to be some continuity among the stars and/or creators. So Chinatown/Two Jakes, Hustler/Color of Money, Silence of the Lambs/Hannibal and Odd Couple/Odd Couple II would all count, but (say) Gone With The Wind and Scarlett wouldn’t.
Not a record breaker, but in the same league: Psycho (1961) and Psycho II (1983).
Reverting to a very loose definition of sequel, I present Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari (1920) and Dr. Caligari (1989).
Not a record breaker, but if we consider prequels as a subset of sequels, “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” deserves an honorable mention. Well, a mention, anyway.
How about all those crappy recently released Disney sequels?
Cinderella 1950
Cinderella 2: 2002
Also not a record-breaker, but the discussion isn’t complete without a mention of Carrie 2: The Rage.
(Where’s the “yuck” smiley?)
It would have to be a prequel, seeing as how Capt. America, Billy and George Hanson were all killed.
Actually, Dooku, the story line I heard bantered about, had to do with Capt. America and Billy in Heaven(?)