14 of the best legacy sequels — and 7 of the worst

We love Nicole and Sandy, but "Practical Magic 2" is not it.

Chloe Kern/FilmMagic/Getty Images The highly anticipated "Practical Magic 2" was released this month.

It came nearly 30 years after the first film, but was it necessary? A legacy sequel takes many years to be made and often stars beloved original characters.

As you might've heard, nostalgia is a powerful thing.

In Hollywood, legacy sequels are on the rise, especially after the successes of films like "Twisters," "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," and " Top Gun: Maverick ." However, not all legacy sequels are created equal — for every boundary-pushing film like "The Matrix Resurrections," there are abysmal films such as "Independence Day: Resurgence." But what Hollywood is learning from these films is that sequels sell , sometimes regardless of quality.

" Spider-Man: Brand New Day " has made nearly $2.5 billion and is now the highest-grossing film in the US ever, while "Top Gun: Maverick" became the highest-grossing film of Tom Cruise's career, earning $1.5 billion, per Box Office Mojo data.

It could be argued that almost no one liked any of the "Jurassic World" films, yet they each made over $1 billion.

This year's legacy sequels include "The Devil Wears Prada 2," a movie that picks up 20 years after Miranda Priestly memorably schooled Andy Sachs (and us) on cerulean belts and florals for spring, and "Practical Magic 2," which follows Sally and Gillian Owens and a next generation of Owens witches, cursed by love.

Here are some of the best and worst legacy sequels in recent history.

Watching "The Devil Wears Prada 2" felt like coming home — if home was a toxic workplace we just can't seem to get enough of.

Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in "The Devil Wears Prada 2." Macall Polay/20th Century Studios "The Devil Wears Prada" is one of the most quotable movies of the last 20 years and has become a cultural touchstone since its 2006 release.

It earned Meryl Streep her 14th Oscar nomination, cemented Anne Hathaway as a movie star, and introduced us to the icon that is Emily Blunt.

Need we say more? So when news of a sequel that would pick up 20 years after Andy left Runway and Miranda Priestly behind, fans were understandably nervous.

However, those fears are unfounded.