Five Fantastic Horror Movies That Need Sequels
Horror is notorious for having endless franchises, but there are a surprising number of acclaimed genre films that haven’t spawned sequels. Many horror films are self-contained and don’t need continuations, but that shouldn’t be the case for the entries in this list. Here are five fantastic horror movies that need sequels.
5. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Plot: Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, rules over a spooky realm where it’s Halloween all year long. He discovers a strange land called Christmas Town, where everything is warm and bright.
Skellington kidnaps Santa Claus and installs himself as the new ruler of Christmas Town. After a predictably disastrous attempt to deliver Christmas gifts to Earth’s children, the disgraced Pumpkin King is forced to ask Santa for help in order to save Christmas.
Why It Needs a Sequel: It is genuinely stupefying that The Nightmare Before Christmas hasn’t received a follow-up. Its enduring popularity and fame has made it well-known to virtually everyone.
The movie was produced by filmmaker Tim Burton, who rose to fame in the late ’80s and early ’90s for making a string of hits like Batman and Beetlejuice. Burton received acclaim for his films’ unique gothic flair and quirky characters, although he was sometimes criticized for having more style than substance.
Sequels could further explore the realms introduced in the film. How about Skellington visiting an Easter world or a Thanksgiving world? Who would be the ruler of a Thanksgiving realm, anyway? A pilgrim? A giant turkey? We’ll probably never know.
Along with capitalizing on A Nightmare Before Christmas‘s cult following, a sequel might also resurrect Burton’s career. His recent projects like Dumbo haven’t been well received. For the movie’s devoted fans, and especially for Burton, there’s no better time than now to make a follow-up.
Projected Worldwide Box Office Gross: 100 million
Where to stream The Nightmare Before Christmas: Hulu
4. Don’t Look Now
Plot: After the tragic death of their young daughter, a married couple travels to Venice to escape their grief. They encounter a mysterious woman who claims to have the ability to summon their daughter’s spirit.
The couple experiences recurring visions of their daughter in the city’s streets. Is their little girl’s ghost haunting them? Is she somehow still alive? Or is it all just a grotesque delusion?
Why It Needs a Sequel: Don’t Look Know is paradoxically the most well-made and least entertaining movie on this list. It is best known for its shocking and mean-spirited twist ending.
A direct sequel to Don’t Look Now, which was released in 1973, seems unlikely at this point. But the premise could easily be applied to a remake set in the present day. Considering its notoriety, it’s surprising that this movie hasn’t received any sort of follow-up.
Horror movies about grief and loss, such as Midsommar and A Quiet Place, have resonated with audiences in recent years. That makes this the right time for Don’t Look Now to get a fresh take.
Projected Worldwide Box Office Gross: 100 million
Where to stream Don’t Look Now: Paramount Plus
3. Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Plot: A trio of alien circus clowns arrive in a small town and wreak havoc on the townsfolk. They also deliver pizzas.
Why It Needs a Sequel: Killer Klowns from Outer Space received little fanfare when it was released in 1988. Decades later, it has become a cult classic with merchandise, costumes, and even a recent videogame. Why? Two main reasons: ’80s nostalgia and the recent popularity of evil clown characters (like the Joker and Pennywise).
So far, the road to a potential Killer Klowns sequel has been littered with false starts and broken promises. Plans have always fizzled out, but it’s easy to come up with potential storylines for more killer klown hijinks. Killer Klowns in outer space? Killer Klowns take Manhattan? Killer Klowns in the hood? The possibilities are endless.
Clown horror movies have had great success recently (even low budget unrated movies like Terrifier 2) which makes this the right time for the Killer Klowns to strike again. A release around Halloween would tip the box office odds in its favor.
Worldwide Box Office Gross: 75 million
Where to stream Killer Klowns from Outer Space: Amazon Video
2. It Follows
Plot: After sleeping with her boyfriend for the first time, Jay is stalked by a mysterious nameless shapeshifting entity. “It” is capable of looking like anyone and can appear anywhere at any time. The only known way for Jay to get rid of the terrifying specter is to have sex with someone else and pass the entity on to them.
Unlike her boyfriend, Jay has a conscience. She doesn’t want to be responsible for the entity victimizing someone else. Instead, Jay and her friends concoct a bizarre plot to defeat “it” once and for all.
Why It Needs a Sequel: It Follows, which has been interpreted as an allegory about STD’s, received critical acclaim and moderate financial success when it was released in 2014. The film features a unique villain whose origin and motivations are never explained. A prequel exploring the origin of “it” would be fascinating.
The current popularity of elevated horror films makes this the perfect time for an It Follows follow-up. Artsy horror flicks have gained mainstream popularity and a sequel could perform similarly to movies like Hereditary or The Witch.
Update – It Follows is getting a sequel! It will be called They Follow.
Projected Worldwide Box Office Gross: $50 million
Where to stream It Follows: Netflix
1. Trick ‘r Treat
Plot: Four tales of terror are featured in this anthology set in a small town on Halloween night: a couple’s argument about when to take down their Halloween decorations turns deadly, a nerdy school principal teaches a child an unforgettable lesson, a quartet of college girls plan a wild Halloween party in the woods, and a group of kids investigate a local legend about a Halloween school bus massacre.
All the stories are connected by “Sam”, a diminutive demon who wears a burlap sack over his head and brandishes a razor-sharp jack-o-lantern lollipop. Sam punishes anyone who defies Halloween traditions. No one, not even kids, is safe from his wrath.
Related: The Top Ten Best Halloween Movies (Without Michael Myers)
Why It Needs a Sequel: Like The Nightmare Before Christmas and Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Trick ‘r Treat merchandise is easy to find during the Halloween season. It has become a seasonal favorite, despite getting little attention when it came out in 2007.
A sequel would presumably feature a new set of stories set in another small town. An immortal supernatural character like Sam could easily become the focus of a franchise.
Trick r Treat made almost nothing when it was first released, but its ever-growing cult popularity makes this the ideal time for a sequel. Horror movies with tiny villains, like M3gan, have scored big at the box office recently. There’s no reason that Sam can’t do the same. An October release date would ensure a lucrative box office run.
Projected Worldwide Gross: 60 million
Where to stream Trick ‘r Treat: Apple TV+
