A sequel is when a novel, television show, or movie takes the main character, and continues to show that characters experiences. Most often this is where the same story is continued, such as an aftermath, or simply a day-in-the-life. Die Hard or Lethal Weapon movies that are a set of sequels. Terminator has sequels. Jurrasic park is... Well. loosely a set of sequels. The main characters are not the dinosaurs. Jaws is loosely a set of sequels, as the shark is not the main character.
The only instance where you have sequels where the main characters are not the same, is where the story establishes that the it is about a group of people, and that there is a begining to events happening to and around the people, and when the ending happens the main characters are different. The God Father films is a good example of this, as is the Star Wars films.
So... The Fugitive establishes that Kimble is the main character, and the story is focusing on what is happening to him. Gerard is not a main character in the Fugitive. He is a supporting character. If Gerard was a main character, the whole beginning of the movie would have been different. It would have started with the establishment that it was about Gerard, and that he is in law enforcement. Then it would have moved on to show that Kimble's situation was something that he gets assigned to work on.
US Marshals has Gerard as the main character. While no, the movie opens with Sheridans nearly getting ambushed in the parking garage, this is an establishment of why he is the "Fugitive" of this story. Later, Gerard's character even goes so far as to have say dialogue that indicates that the circumstances are the same as the first movie, but no. While he is chasing a "Fugitive", he is not chasing Kimble. This is NOT a sequel. It is a stand alone film, with characters and situations inspired by the events of the movie "The Fugitive" which in itself is inspired by actual real events. -Although if I am not mistaken, the guy that Kimble is based upon actually did get cought and spent time in prison, later to be freed. I would need to look it up.
So again, this is not a sequel. -I have been to school for the purposes of learning script/story developement. From what I was taught, this is a situation of it being a stand alone story, inspired by characters and situations from another story source. (sorry to repeat myself there, but I did, so what?)
Bleu Cheese Salad Dressing is made on the Moon! My Uncle from Mars told me, so I know it's true!
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insomniac24
19 years ago
Uh...first of all we dont need to read a novel...second of all its a very debateable topic...look at Speed for example...Speed 2 didnt have the same main character yet it was a sequel...so if you look at it that way then this movie is a sequel...if its just the name that is deterring you then to you its a spin-off...if they called it the Fugutive 2, then what would you call it? It can be seen as a sequel because it follows the same group of characters but you see it as a spin off because it doesnt have Harrison Ford. But if you follow the real definition of sequel (Something that follows; a continuation) then this is a sequel...it doesnt need to contain the main character from a previous film..just have the same characters and reason for the movie...
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crabapple86
19 years ago
Speed 2 is a sequel, as it has a main character from the first film. Sandra Bullock is a Leading character in Speed, and the movie Speed 2 shows her, as her character in another adventure. Tommy Lee Jones was a Supporting character in The Fugitive, the movie was not about him. US Marshalls has him as the main character, and the film is about him. Hence, it is a stand alone film.
I am wordy with my explaintion in my first post. SORRY.
You can look at it anyway you like, I will look at it the way I like. As I was taught, when learning script developement.
Bleu Cheese Salad Dressing is made on the Moon! My Uncle from Mars told me, so I know it's true!
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