In 2011, Hollywood will rely on former glories to a greater degree than ever before. Sequels (including prequels and spin-offs) comprise over a fifth of the currently scheduled nationwide releases, tallying 26. Last year, there were 19, and the previous high was 24 in 2003. Of the 26 sequels, eight are second movies (Cars 2, Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules, The Hangover Part II, Happy Feet 2, Johnny English Reborn, Kung Fu Panda 2, Piranha 3DD, Sherlock Holmes 2), which is the same amount as 2010. Five are third movies (Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son, Madea's Big Happy Family, Paranormal Activity 3, Transformers: Dark of the Moon), down from seven in 2010.
Deeper cut sequels will be well represented all the way up to No. 8. There'll be the highest number of fourth movies ever, tallying five (Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Scream 4, Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn (Part One)). Fifth movies will also have their largest showing yet, numbering five (Fast Five, Final Destination 5, Puss in Boots, X-Men: First Class, Winnie the Pooh). There will also technically be two seventh movies (The Muppets, Rise of the Apes) and one mighty eighth entry (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two). (None of this is counting New Year's Eve, which may or may not be a sequel to Valentine's Day, or The Thing, which may be a prequel.)
The majority of sequels are repeats of the last two years: Eight movies follow 2009 movies, while six follow 2010 movies. Sequels to 2006 movies are the next best represented at four. The longest time between sequels will be The Muppets' 12 years, followed by Scream 4's 11 years, Rise of the Apes's ten years and around eight years each for Spy Kids 4 and Johnny English Reborn. None of those are a match for the waits for last year's Tron Legacy (over 28 years) and Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (nearly 23 years).
