CZECHS ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT FILM SEQUELS. YOUNGER AUDIENCES, HOWEVER, ARE MORE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THEM THAN THE OLDER GENERATION

The year 2026 is all about the return of legendary film hits. Whilst cinemas are filling up with sequels to well-known films, Czechs would prefer to see new stories. Research by the ResSOLUTION Group has shown that, according to 8 out of 10 Czechs, film sequels rarely match the quality of the original film. Nevertheless, they are popular with some viewers, particularly younger ones.

Czechs are rather sceptical about film sequels

The Czech audience tends to be rather cautious about film sequels. Only a third view them positively: 17 per cent look forward to them, whilst 18 per cent are generally attracted to them. Half (52 per cent) are more reserved and base their assessment on the specific film. Eight per cent express a distinctly negative attitude.

More than three-quarters of Czechs have doubts about the quality of film sequels: according to 77 per cent, they rarely measure up to the original. A similar proportion (74 per cent) regard such films more as a marketing product than as a creative endeavour. The view that the film industry should invest more in new stories rather than sequels to successful films is shared by over two-thirds of Czechs (68 per cent).

The younger generation is more open to these films

Among young viewers aged 15 to 34, there is a higher proportion of those who view film sequels favourably compared with the general population: 46 per cent in total – by comparison, among people over 55, the figure is only 23 per cent in total. Just under a quarter of young people (24 per cent) actively look forward to film sequels, and 22 per cent admit that they are usually drawn to them. Conversely, the strongest criticism comes from the middle-aged group (35–54 years), who most frequently claim that sequels rarely match the quality of the original and that the film industry should invest more in new stories.

It’s not the same without the original actors

The return of famous film franchises is usually accompanied by one question: will the original cast be back? More than a third (36 per cent) of Czechs are not at all tempted by a new sequel without the original lead actors, and this proportion is even higher amongst young viewers (43 per cent). Half of Czechs say that familiar faces in the lead roles are essential, but they can also accept a new cast. Only a small proportion of the audience do not care about the cast (4 per cent) or are happy with a change of actors (3 per cent).

But what if the original actor cannot or does not wish to return for the sequel? The most preferred option is to incorporate the character’s departure into the story and provide a plot-based explanation for their absence (34 per cent). One in five Czechs (20 per cent) consider recasting the role with a new actor to be the best course of action. However, 14 per cent believe that a sequel should not be made at all without the original cast. Modern technology has not yet won over Czech audiences. A mere 5 per cent of respondents would welcome the use of digital technologies or AI to recreate an actor’s appearance.

The survey was carried out by the ResSOLUTION Group agency on a sample of 1,011 respondents from the Czech internet population aged 15 and over, drawn from the National Sample CZ.

Are you interested in the broader attitudes of Czechs towards films and culture? The comprehensive report *Cultural Czechia*, published by the ResSOLUTION Group in 2025, summarises Czechs’ attitudes towards five main areas of art and culture: reading and books, museums, music, theatre and film. The full results of the survey are available here.

Source: ressolution.cz