5 More Horror Franchises That Need A New Sequel (& 5 That Need Reboots)
There are a ton of horror movies that haven't gotten sequels, but which need them, and which need to be rebooted? Let's take a look.
A few months back, Screen Rant put out a list detailing which horror franchises needed a new entry and which needed a fresh start. Given the fact that the spooky season of October is merely a month away, it felt right to resurrect this topic, if you will.
Probably the biggest issue with doing a list such as that is that human nature dictates that certain omissions would be made. That is an eventuality that is frankly unavoidable, but will hopefully be corrected now. Here are five more horror films that need new sequels and five that need to be rebooted.
10 NEEDS A SEQUEL: Army Of Darkness (1992)
Even if Bruce Campbell does not return to The Evil Dead franchise, people want to see more Evil Dead. While a younger actor could certainly be cast in the iconic role of Ash Williams, it would be nice if Campbell got one more film to properly say goodbye to the character and franchise that made him a cult icon. This is especially needed after the abrupt cancellation of Ash vs. Evil Dead, which ended on yet another cliffhanger.
The idea of Logan only with boomsticks and deadites is certainly a tantalizing prospect, even though it may be seen as derivative of Hugh Jackman's farewell to Wolverine. Regardless, a follow up to Army of Darkness -- or even just one more Evil Dead film with Bruce Campbell in the lead -- would certainly be groovy.
9 NEEDS A REBOOT: Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)
Tetsuo: The Iron Man, a Japanese horror film by Shinya Tsukamoto, has a unique vibe to it. A film that was made on a minuscule budget with a production so stressful that Tsukamoto almost burned the negatives, Tetuso: The Iron Man created a punk-rock fanbase due to it's raging against the corporate machine that was 1980's Japan.
So if this film is so revered by its fans, why does it need a reboot? Well, how can it not be remade?! In the hands of the right director, a remake, especially an American one, could analyze the fallacies of modern culture's reliance on technology and similar societal norms in an entertaining, modernized way.
8 NEEDS A SEQUEL: Chopping Mall (1986)
Chopping Mall is... certainly something. It's not a cinematic masterpiece; it's a very corny and smutty horror flick, but it is 80's schlock perfection. Focusing on a group of youthful mall employees trying to avoid a group of malfunctioning security robots, Chopping Mall is about as cheesy and fun as the premise promises.
Though the shopping mall is kind of going the way of the dodo at the moment, a potential sequel could address this in an interesting fashion. Also, akin to Killer Klowns From Outer Space and Army Of Darkness, a hypothetical Chopping Mall 2 could prove that horror doesn't always have to be serious nowadays.
7 NEEDS A REBOOT: The Fly (1986)
Put your pitchforks down, we've only gotten started. David Cronengerg's The Fly is a masterpiece, but that doesn't mean a reboot of the story isn't a valid option. Given that The Fly itself already a reboot of a 1950's B-movie based on a short story, there is something there to justify retelling the tale of a scientist becoming a fly.
Though if The Fly were to be rebooted, it would either need to go in a different direction to differentiate itself from it's predecessors or it would need to be a hopefully clever merging of the two. That said, a reboot would be at a bit of a disadvantage, as it would have significantly less Jeff Goldblum.
6 NEEDS A SEQUEL: Predators (2010)
The last good Predator film, Predators ended on a cliffhanger, perhaps in anticipation for of a follow-up. Sadly, a sequel to the film where a group of killers are hunted on the planet of the classic alien hunters was left on the back burner, as Fox allowed Shane Black to all but ruin and bury the franchise with 2018's borderline self-parody The Predator.
While a new Predator could get away with being simply a new story, following up on the ending of Predators might be the way to go; especially if they brought Arnold Schwarzenegger back to reprise his role as Dutch from the first film. Also yes, Predator is a horror franchise.
5 NEEDS A REBOOT: An American Werewolf In London (1981)
Now you can ready your pitchforks. Unlike The Fly, a reboot/remake of An American Werewolf In London is a much harder sell just because of how phenomenal the original movie is. An American Werewolf In London is the best werewolf movie of all time and its sequel (An American Werewolf in Paris) is... well... not.
The thing is, the werewolf is a universal concept and the film deals with concepts that could easily be adapted into a modern reboot. As long as An American Werewolf in London's reboot maintains the blend of hilarity and horror that made the original a classic, everything should work out.
4 NEEDS A SEQUEL: Dog Soldiers (2002)
Speaking of werewolves, if you pardon the pun, Dog Soldiers is a rare beast. Essentially, the movie is Predator only it substitutes a rescue team in Central America avoiding The Predator with an SAS unit avoiding a pack of werewolves. That may sound dismissive, but it is quite the opposite.
A sequel to Dog Soldiers had been tossed around, but ultimately went nowhere. We don't get a ton of really good werewolf movies these days, so a follow up to the little horror-action film that could might resurrect the threat of the cursed carnivorous canines.
3 NEEDS A REBOOT: Phantasm (1979)
Thanks to its shocking amount of reckless abandon that ultimately spawned a fanbase so passionate that it inspired four sequels, Phantasm is a film that feels a tad ahead of its time. While the acting isn't great and some of the concepts aren't fully explained, the film's themes of death and loss feel exceedingly modern.
Those are the themes that would need to be prioritized in a Phantasm reboot as opposed to the goofiness of the sequels. However, with the death of Angus Scrimm (who played the villain The Tall Man) still in memory, it would be best if they waited to restart this one.
2 NEEDS A SEQUEL: Re-Animator (1985)
If you want a film series that knows exactly what it is, look no further than Re-Animator. Based on "Herbert West-Reanimator" by H.P. Lovecraft, the three Re-Animator films have fun with their schlocky elements, and it is all backed up by the performance by Herbert West actor Jeffery Combs.
Combs is still spry enough for at least one more entry and attempts have been made, so why has it still not been made? Unlike many of these franchises, there is not real reason that a new entry cannot progress. Just bring Herbert West back already!
1 NEEDS A REBOOT: The Thing (1982)
Despite the fact that The Thing had little cultural impact in 1982, it took very little time for the exact opposite to be the case. Following a group of researchers in Antarctica who slowly succumb to paranoia and distrust as an alien parasite infects them all one-by-one, The Thing become an icon of horror cinema and easily one of the genre's best examples.
Out of all of the movies listed here, The Thing is weirdly the only one that has a reboot in development, with original director John Carpenter involved. Given that the 1982 classic is based on a novel that had already been adapted a few times, another reboot isn't the craziest thing in the world. That, and it would be a great way to redeem The Thing's name following the better forgotten 2011 prequel.