Nobody puts Baby in the corner… but should they have left her in the 80s? With Jennifer Grey officially returning for Dirty Dancing 2, the internet has been left divided. As 2026 promises a whole lineup of reboots, with Anne Hathaway alone currently attached to both The Devil Wears Prada 2 and The Princess Diaries 3, the industry seems to be betting big on our collective nostalgia. But as audiences divide between excitement and sequel fatigue, we have to ask: at what point does a tribute become a cash grab, and are some classics simply too sacred to touch?

Do we have sequel fatigue?

The news of Dirty Dancing 2 dropped last week, only to leave fans conflicted. While some appear more than ready for the encore, others failed to share the same enthusiasm, writing online, “Oh no, just leave it.” Regardless of which side of the fence you sit on, the reality is that this is far from the first time a sequel has found itself embroiled in internet controversy. One needn’t look further than the recent release of Freakier Friday (2025), starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, to realise the risk that a reboot presents. Set 22 years on from the original body-swap incident, this film ups the stakes, seeing a four-way generational switch unravel. Despite Lohan and Curtis’s star power, the final verdict was largely mixed, with critics and audiences alike concluding that the body-swap trope felt strained in a 2020s setting.

Briefly segueing into TV, we are seeing a similar pattern of sequel fatigue unfold on the small screen. As a diehard Sex and the City fan, it pains me to admit that even Carrie Bradshaw couldn’t dodge the underwhelming reboot pipeline. Since 2021, And Just Like That has struggled to win over the hearts of the show’s original fans.

I’ll admit, I’ve personally boycotted the series to keep my love for the original untainted, and according to the court of public opinion, I made the right call. I believe this is largely due to the absence of the girl group’s iconic fourth member, Samantha Jones, due to an ongoing feud between Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker. Perhaps a reboot only truly has legs when the original chemistry is still intact, and it is backed fully by the original cast?

I’ll admit, I’ve personally boycotted the series to keep my love for the original untainted, and according to the court of public opnion, I made the right call.

Even recent hits aren’t safe from the encore trap, as proved by Another Simple Favour (2025). While it didn’t bank on Y2K nostalgia like And Just Like That and Freakier Friday, it did subscribe to the same formula of “if it worked once, do it again.” The 2018 thriller was a surprise success, reaching cult status for its original, sharp-witted screenplay and chemistry between Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick. However, set at a mob wedding in Capri seven years later, the consensus was that the sequel felt more like a convoluted re-read rather than a new story.

Times when Hollywood has got it right

Last year’s Valentine’s Day billing gave us the Bridget Jones finale we were all hoping for. While I admit I was a sceptic at first after not being enamoured by Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016), Mad About The Boy (2025) more than won me over. Picking up a decade later, it finds Bridget as a widow in her 50s trying to raise her children while simultaneously grappling with the throes of modern dating.

Rather than attempting to recapture Bridget’s “singleton” persona of the 2000s, the film dives headfirst into the messy, poignant reality of grief, solo parenting, and the absurdity of dating apps in your fifties. The result is a charming film that really wins you over in the first 20 minutes and refuses to let go throughout its runtime. Unlike the Sex and the City reboot, this film triumphed with its stellar cast all returning for one last hurrah. Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Jim Broadbent, Sally Phillips and Shirley Henderson all made an appearance, alongside some new faces including Leo Woodall and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Rather than attempting to recapture Bridget’s “singleton” persona of the 2000s, the film dives headfirst into the messy, poignant reality of midlife grief, solo parenting, and the absurdity of dating apps in your fifties.

Another example of a reboot done right is Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018). I would even go as far as to make a case for this outshining the original. Much like Bridget Jones, the film saw the entire original cast reunite, but its real genius lay in its narrative structure. By weaving together a prequel and a sequel, the film delivered a story that felt entirely fresh while still hitting a nostalgic note. Coupled with the iconic ABBA soundtrack, the film proved that some sequels even have the scope to surpass the original.

Coupled with the iconic ABBA soundtrack, this film proved that some sequels even have the scope to surpass the original.

Anticipated releases

Love it or loathe it, Hollywood’s sequel obsession isn’t going anywhere, with the 2026 lineup already being packed with “part twos.” The Devil Wears Prada 2 is set to hit cinemas in May, while rumours continue to circulate regarding Anne Hathaway’s return to Genovia for Princess Diaries 3. And let’s not forget the surprise comeback of Bend It Like Beckham. Whether they become the next Bridget Jones or another Sex and the City remains firmly in the balance. But with fans already dissecting every teaser trailer and “first look”, one thing is for certain: the stakes for these films couldn’t be higher.

Final thoughts

While I maintain that the prospect of a sequel should always be approached with caution, with there being significant scope for error, when done right, it’s nothing short of magic. I’ll admit, the thought of gathering up my girlfriends this May to watch Andy Sachs make her return to Runway magazine excites me beyond words. Sequel fatigue doesn’t stem from a lack of interest, but from watching beloved characters that we feel so attached to, fall victim to lazy writing and corporate cash grabs. However, films like Bridget Jones and Mamma Mia provide a welcome antidote. They prove that, when done right, a sequel can stand on its own two feet and be so much more than a reread.

I’ll admit, the thought of gathering up my girlfriends this May to watch Andy Sachs make her return to Runway magazine excites me beyond words.

If Hollywood can resist the urge to copy and paste and give audiences and characters alike the sequels they deserve, then we may just be in for a cinematic golden age of encores. Whether it’s Baby returning to the dance floor or Kiera Knighlty lacing up her football boots, these films can serve as a nostalgic celebration of the stories that helped shape us. After all, if it is truly a classic, its heart is big enough to survive a second dance.

Culture, Films & TV

Want to receive more great articles like this every day? Join our daily email now