Spider-Man 2 faces a lofty hurdle when it comes to out-doing its predecessor. The first Spider-Man collected $806 million worldwide, putting it at No. 11 on the list of all-time moneymakers. It also scored nearly unanimous high marks from critics in both the mainstream press and online sci-fi world.

Of the swarms of sequels released every year, very few are artistically and financially more successful than the originals. Sometimes, though, the magic works and the cinematic child outshines its parent. A few of the best include:

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - Between the thrilling but primitive original Star Wars of 1974 and the awkward kiddie-pic The Return of the Jedi in 1983 came the most satisfying film in the venerable series. Directed by Irvin Kershner, it is dark, imaginative and laced with provocative psychological flash points. Next year's release of the sixth (and allegedly final) Star Wars movie is a long shot to steal the best-of-series crown from No. 2.

The Godfather II (1974) - The depth and beauty of Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 masterpiece The Godfather seemed unbeatable - until he came back with this stunning second chapter. The movie travels both back and forth in time and expands the Corleone family saga into a blood-soaked tragedy of chilling power.

Toy Story 2 (1999) - Advances in computer-generated animation, as well as the apparently inexhaustible imagination of the Pixar team, made the continued adventures of Sheriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear a rousing leap forward over the 1995 original.

— Margaret A. McGurk