I heard people say that this movie would get a sequel, but I never believed it myself.

In March of 2013, Dreamworks Animation came out with a movie no one anticipated: “The Croods.” A couple weeks ago, almost seven years later, Dreamworks announced the movie’s sequel.

Many families are familiar with the original. The movie surrounded a tribe of prehistoric cave-people, travelling on a journey to survive the destruction of their world. Along the way, this unique cast of characters learned to change in order to adapt to their new environment.

Personally, I found the movie fantastic. With its unique setting and charming characters, The Croods told a story of learning to change. Although I’m content with the movie itself, I, and many other people, am skeptical of its upcoming sequel.

The Croods, as said before, is a movie about learning to change. This message, however brilliant in a standalone film, is difficult to convey twice. I’ve seen several movies attempt this, and it almost always ends with a cluster of bad reviews and a disappointed audience. I’ve found that repeating a message often seems cheap to viewers, and can discourage the inclusion of a sequel at all.

Instead of reusing a message, some sequels decide to create a new one entirely. The only problem with this, though, is that a sequel might portray its characters differently than the original. I find this is a common complaint among audiences, and especially fans, who are likely to notice the differences between the current and original characters.

For creators, it can seem almost impossible to create a well-received sequel. The odds of it feeling “off” in comparison to its original is extremely common. Despite this, I’ve seen sequels that have worked, many of which having been planned out before the first release. When this is not an option, however, sequels can build onto the plot and characters of the original movie, taking the flaws ignored in the original and incorporating them into the plot of the sequel. I’ve even seen sequels that, according to fans, are widely regarded as better than their original film because of this aspect.

Dreamworks’s sequels are often regarded with mixed opinions among viewers, as each of their films are interpreted differently. Depending on the setting, storyline and characters, I generally consider sequels unnecessary additions to a concept. An open ending can sometimes be tarnished by the inclusion of a sequel, and so I, and other viewers, are hesitant to see how Dreamworks will include the sequel to The Croods.

For me, a good sequel builds onto the original film, rather than adding unnecessary information. The Croods was a uniquely fantastical film, and I believe its sequel should focus on piecing together a plotline that completes the story told by the original. With this in mind, the addition of a sequel should be utilized to expand the world of The Croods, and to explore beyond the original film, rather than add to it.