10 Most Shockingly Improved Movie Sequels

Now, it would be totally disingenuous to suggest that the first Paddington was anything but a solidly crowd-pleasing family comedy, but Paddington 2's uptick in quality is genuinely stunning.

Again, the first Paddington was a familiar yet charming adventure film, while the sequel is legitimately in the conversation for one of the greatest family movies of all time - and certainly where sequels are concerned.

Packed with insanely clever and well-crafted visual gags, eye-popping production design that'd make even Wes Anderson blush, and touting a villainous Hugh Grant performance so delightful it earned him a surprise BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor, this is the gold standard for good, clean fun.

The entire movie has a strong "Where the hell did that come from?" energy, with director Paul King seriously upping every aspect of his game for a film that received near-universal critical acclaim. Needless to say, the fact that King isn't directing the upcoming Paddington in Peru has immediately left expectations quite sensibly lowered.