As I was saying in another thread, I think the phenomenal success (both critically and financially) of Terminator: Judgement Day catapulted Terminator to what it is today. Not other way around. I think original did good and got great reviews, but don’t think it was as enjoyed or appreciated until after the huge success of T2. It was more cult fav until T2.

Are there others where the sequel catapulted original more than it would have ever been?

Austin Powers

The Road Warrior turned “Mad Max” into the post-apocalypse character people associate the character with.

Same could maybe be said for Rambo: First Blood part 2. That’s when we really got the character “Rambo” that everyone knows now.

Grease 2

Staying Alive

Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn

I had not even heard of the first one when this showed up on cable in the late '80s. Only then did I seek out the original and start following the careers of Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell

Friday the 13th seems like a give me.

I completely agree with you on Terminator. A funny example is Roger Ebert writing in his Terminator Salvation review that he never saw the original film... only he had and apparently forgotten he'd done so

Dawn of the Dead

Silence of the Lambs

John Wick 2

FAst and Furious sequels

The MISSING IN ACTION franchise apparently was helped by releasing the sequel as the first film, and then the original later as MISSING IN ACTION 2: THE BEGINNING. Apparently, the original was the worse of the two and Cannon wanted to make sure the the franchise wouldn't be killed off prematurely.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

I certainly loved the Terminator long before the sequel.

Evil Dead

Lethal Weapon 2 started the trend where it made more money than the first. That was not always the case as sequels almost never made more than the first. It is the better movie as well. Equally rare for a sequel.

Aliens... I feel it brought Alien to a broader audience that weren't into horror. And I also think the franchise wouldn't have had the number of sequels and prequels without Aliens.

The Mission Impossibles got exponentially better as they've gone along

Further proof of the superiority of the first film.

The Empire Strikes Back

Sure, the original wass a massive hit, but it probably woulldn't be held in as high regard today if Empire hadn't taken the story down a more dark and serious path.

Goldfinger

The original film was from one of those unnoticed/forgettable movies from the "10 films to die for" or "Afterdark fest" lines. This sequel, on the other hand, almost caused riots at Sundance.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Adams Family Values
Dawn of the Dead
Spider-Man 2

I have to agree. And while I absolutely, absolutely love the first film, this is the one I watch more often. Like, I probably watch this one at least 5-6 times a year (and always the extended cut; I love the additional scenes). Just so intense.

And I'll agree with Silence of the Lambs, even though I rarely consider that a sequel, as Manhunter was a whole different thing and studio, I believe.

And I've said it before but I'll say it again, I absolutely love Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan. I simply love that movie. I also love Friday the 13th Part IV. I actually love the Friday sequels way, way more than the Halloween or Nightmare on Elm Street sequels (those ones I particularly can't stand)...I'll say this, though, Halloween III: Season of the Witch is very, very good...I liked how they kind of abandoned the story of Michael and went in a different direction...And every time I hear the theme song it stays in my head for days...

Also agree with George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead. I recently rewatched Night of the Living Dead but that only made me realize how much better Dawn was. Hell, I even prefer Day of the Dead to Night...Day of the Dead is very underrated in my mind...Love the batshit crazy performance by Pilato...

great example. I don’t even think I knew 1st existed until many years later. I just remember my grandpa taking me to see this and scaring the living daylights out of me. I think I had nightmares for a year. True story. But didn’t see 1st till probably 15-20 years later, when I starting learning and knowing about cinema. And have since loved it and seen many times and think is a masterpiece by Scott. And I do like the extended cut of 1 better. But, great example.

yeah, but the 1st is still widely seen as the stepchild, well maybe 2, but while sequels have gotten exponentially bigger and better, I still think the first is viewed as flop (though not financially) and not well liked. I liked it, but certainly many didn’t take to De Palma’s take.