--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You might have been able to fool people…" description: "\"You might have been able to fool people the first time, or something, but you really can't make a successful sequel today unless people really, really ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/neal-h-moritz-29200_able_you-might-have-been-able-to-fool-people_725708.jpg" --- # You might have been able to fool people the first time, or… ![“You might have been able to fool people the first time, or something, but you really can't make a successful sequel today unless people really, really liked the predecessor.” quote by Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/neal-h-moritz-29200_able_you-might-have-been-able-to-fool-people_725708.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/neal-h-moritz-29200_able_you-might-have-been-able-to-fool-people_725708.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/neal-h-moritz-29200_able_you-might-have-been-able-to-fool-people_725708.jpg) > “You might have been able to fool people the first time, or something, but you really can't make a successful sequel today unless people really, really liked the predecessor.” [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote states that modern sequels succeed only if the original was genuinely popular; initial deception cannot sustain audience interest over time. **In simple terms:** Successful sequels need a truly liked original. Key Takeaway Focus on creating quality first works. Themes creativity audience sequels quality authenticity Mood analytical critical Type cinematic industry When to use this quote - movie production - franchise planning - audience research Key Concepts film studies marketing consumer behavior Questions to Reflect On - What makes a sequel feel necessary rather than forced? - How can creators honor the original while innovating? A Different Perspective Relying on nostalgia alone may fail; audience tastes evolve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fool People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool-people/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Liked Predecessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liked-predecessor-5694537/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Might have been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might-have-been/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Predecessors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predecessors/) [Sequel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sequel/) [Sequel Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sequel-today-5694536/) [Sequels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sequels/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful Sequel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-sequel-5694538/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [It's rare that the sequel to a good movie lives up to expectations. Such is the case with Die Hard 2, the somewhat-muddled but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/it-s-rare-that-the-sequel-to-a-good-movie-lives-up-to-expectations/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [Most liars can fool most people most of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ekman/most-liars-can-fool-most-people-most-of-the-time/) [Paul Ekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ekman/) > [Though the Americans can be fooled, as they have been, and they can be propagandized, as they have been... But, as Lincoln said, "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/though-the-americans-can-be-fooled-as-they-have-been-and-they-can-be/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“You can fool some of the people all the time, and all the people some of the time . . . and those are very good odds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-thompson/you-can-fool-some-of-the-people-all-the-time-and-all-the-people-some/) [Keith Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-thompson/) > [For when I fool the people I fear, I fool myself as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-hammerstein-ii/for-when-i-fool-the-people-i-fear-i-fool-myself-as-well/) [Oscar Hammerstein II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-hammerstein-ii/) > [Halloween is a day when we all get to fool people into thinking we're someone else. Or as Mitt Romney calls it, campaigning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/halloween-is-a-day-when-we-all-get-to-fool-people-into-thinking-we-re/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [You can't fool all of the people all of the time. But it isn't necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/you-can-t-fool-all-of-the-people-all-of-the-time-but-it-isn-t/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Drama is easy to fool people with, but you can't trick people into laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ransone/drama-is-easy-to-fool-people-with-but-you-can-t-trick-people-into/) [James Ransone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ransone/) > [“You see, that is why it is so easy to fool people with our illusions, Yue. In this world, illusions are usually much kinder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zo-marriott/you-see-that-is-why-it-is-so-easy-to-fool-people-with-our-illusions/) [Zoë Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zo-marriott/) > [If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. It is true that you may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-once-forfeit-the-confidence-of-your-fellow-citizens-you-can/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I think you can fool people once but you can't fool the people all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/i-think-you-can-fool-people-once-but-you-can-t-fool-the-people-all/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [It is easy to fool yourself. It is possible to fool the people you work for. It is more difficult to fool the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-bates-thayer/it-is-easy-to-fool-yourself-it-is-possible-to-fool-the-people-you/) [Harry Bates Thayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-bates-thayer/) > [Hoaxes are nothing new. News media isn't hard to fool. It's fun to fool and people like to mess with people. It all goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/hoaxes-are-nothing-new-news-media-isn-t-hard-to-fool-it-s-fun-to-fool/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) > [You can fool most of the people most of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-barnum/you-can-fool-most-of-the-people-most-of-the-time/) [P. T. Barnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-barnum/) > [You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/you-can-fool-some-of-the-people-all-the-time-and-those-are-the-ones/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## More by Neal H. Moritz > [I think the combination of action and the combination of comedy are two really, really good genres to meld together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/i-think-the-combination-of-action-and-the-combination-of-comedy-are/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [ What I think is so special about "Goosebumps" \[movie\] is it kind of a badge of courage for kids. They're scared and then they… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/what-i-think-is-so-special-about-goosebumps-movie-is-it-kind-of-a/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [I think there was always something that everybody wishes they could relive in high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/i-think-there-was-always-something-that-everybody-wishes-they-could/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [There's pressure to deliver as good of a movie with a little bit more of a budget, and that to me ... to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/there-s-pressure-to-deliver-as-good-of-a-movie-with-a-little-bit-more/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [I have a ton of fun, I mean luckily I've been balancing a ton of projects for a lot of years now, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/i-have-a-ton-of-fun-i-mean-luckily-i-ve-been-balancing-a-ton-of/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [I think certain movies are right for 3D. I think certain movies are not right for 3D. And I think the specialness of 3D…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/i-think-certain-movies-are-right-for-3d-i-think-certain-movies-are/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [If I was one of the leaders...if I was just a leader of one of these studios what I would do is I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/if-i-was-one-of-the-leaders-if-i-was-just-a-leader-of-one-of-these/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [I think a lot of people end up making sequels to movies just because the first one did a lot of business, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/i-think-a-lot-of-people-end-up-making-sequels-to-movies-just-because/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [I think that everybody, even if they had the best high school experience, there was something about high school. Whether you dropped a pass,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/i-think-that-everybody-even-if-they-had-the-best-high-school/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [I hate high expectations because they're hard to beat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/i-hate-high-expectations-because-they-re-hard-to-beat/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [So what'll happen is there'll be some very good cinema experiences are going to see 3D where you have to pay more. And there'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/so-what-ll-happen-is-there-ll-be-some-very-good-cinema-experiences/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [I think 3D is a great innovation for the film business. But I hope it's not the thing that kills the golden egg because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/i-think-3d-is-a-great-innovation-for-the-film-business-but-i-hope-it/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [I think that when audiences find a movie that they don't expect to like, it adds great word of mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/i-think-that-when-audiences-find-a-movie-that-they-don-t-expect-to/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [I've done so many movies with first-time directors, and honestly I just go with gut instinct. People that usually can tell me a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/i-ve-done-so-many-movies-with-first-time-directors-and-honestly-i/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) > [I think that if you're creating an environment completely or...in my research, what I've learned is that if it's a CG world or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-h-moritz/i-think-that-if-you-re-creating-an-environment-completely-or-in-my/) [Neal H. Moritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) [Explore all 18 Neal H. Moritz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-h-moritz/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. 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This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You might have been able to fool people the first time, or something, but you really can't make a successful sequel today unless people really, really liked the predecessor.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neal H. 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