A sequel is a book, movie, or other story that continues where an earlier one left off. When readers loved The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis wrote Prince Caspian as a sequel, returning to Narnia with new adventures for the Pevensie children. When a movie does well at the box office, studios often make a sequel to continue the story with the same characters.

A good sequel builds on what came before: it assumes you know the earlier story and takes the characters somewhere new. The Empire Strikes Back is a sequel to Star Wars. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a sequel to Prince Caspian. Sometimes a story spawns many sequels, creating a series.

Not every story needs or gets a sequel. Some stories feel complete on their own. Others leave readers wondering what happens next, making a sequel feel natural and welcome. When people eagerly anticipate a sequel, it usually means the original story created characters and a world they don't want to leave behind.