15 Actors Who Played Their Most Iconic Parts Again (Some Didn’t Change at All)

In the particular world that Hollywood has become, some actors have managed to carve their own path to success by scoring a hit at the box office. Producers thought it’d be a great idea to release a sequel then, which may or may not be as successful as the original movie. But one thing is for sure: whenever the protagonists decided to play the same role again, they had to face the challenge of the passage of time. And some of them actually did quite well. Think about Anthony Hopkins, who played in Silence of the Lambs and then 10 years later, starred in Hannibal, looking a bit older, but always just as sophisticated as in the first movie.

Bright Side thought you’d find it interesting to take a look at these 15 actors who managed to pull off the sequel of their hit movies to either check how much they changed along the years, or how they managed to look just as young as the first time you saw them on camera.

1. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter: Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted Face the Music

These 2 teenage rock fans are now adults and face a new mission: creating a song that can save the universe. Bill and Ted’s newest movie was meant to be filmed in 2010. But a series of problems led the producers to postpone its release. It will now be screened in cinemas in August 2020.

2. Anthony Hopkins: Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal

The first film of the saga managed to give all of Hollywood (and the world) goosebumps. The role of Dr. Lecter suited Anthony Hopkins wonderfully, allowing him to consolidate his already successful career. The last part of the saga, Hannibal, was once again a blockbuster.

3. Anthony Perkins and Vera Miles: Psycho and Psycho II

The motel owner and the sister of the first victim are reunited in the second release of this iconic classic of the suspense genre. The first film was filmed in black and white, but 20 years later, when the sequel was shot, the era of color had already started.

4. Sylvester Stallone: Rocky V and Rocky Balboa

Rocky V was meant to be the last chapter in the famous boxer’s saga, since it was not very popular among the fans anymore and reviews were not necessarily very good either. However, in 2006, the last film truly directed by and starring Sylvester Stallone came out. And it was actually very well received by the public, contrary to what a lot of people expected.

5. Al Pacino: The Godfather II and The Godfather III

The Godfather II is hailed to be the best of the 3 films in the film series. In fact, it was nominated for 11 Oscars, of which it won 6. The third part closes the story of the Corleone family, and it actually includes several parts in the plot that were inspired by true events.

6. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones: Men in Black II and Men in Black III

The second part of the trilogy didn’t really please audiences, even though big names in the industry, like Michael Jackson, made brief appearances in it. The third and final part of the trilogy was a great success, bringing together not only the main characters, but also the original team in its entirety, including the producers, the director, and even the writers.

7. Courteney Cox: Scream 3 and Scream 4

The Scream saga was thought of as a trilogy, but 10 years after the last movie, the director wanted to shoot a new one. Courteney Cox was one of the first to confirm that she would take part in the project. Actually, she and 2 other actors were the only characters in the new one who had also appeared in the previous films.

8. Harrison Ford: Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker

Star Wars is one of the films that marked a milestone in the history of cinema, both for the use of special effects and for the enormous acceptance of the audience, which even transcended several generations. The ninth and final episode of the famous saga could not leave out Han Solo, played by the original and unforgettable actor, Harrison Ford.

9. Michael Douglas: Wall Street and Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps

On both occasions, but under different circumstances, Michael Douglas plays an investment mogul, a role that fits him like a glove and that helped him win several awards.

10. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson: Zoolander and Zoolander 2

This crazy satire of the fashion world was widely acclaimed by the public. So much so that Ben Stiller insisted on doing a second movie, which included a whole cast of musicians and celebrities that made special appearances playing themselves.

11. Jeff Goldblum: Jurassic Park and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

How could we forget the first film that introduced audiences to a Jurassic world that was both wonderful and dark? It even turned dinosaurs into a cool thing, so needless to say, it was a tremendous success. In the last part, released in 2018, the only actor from the original cast is Jeff Goldblum.

We’re pretty sure you’ve seen all the movies we mentioned on the list. Which actor or actress do you think looks as young as the very first time you saw them on camera? Which other films come to mind where the lead characters have reappeared after several years to shoot the sequel? Let us know in the comments, we’re thrilled to find out what your opinion is on this!