Sequels can be hit and miss – esp horror follow-up. It seems that for every brilliantly conceived and perfectly executed follow-up is fun Aliensthere are a dozen or more misfires, such as Exorcist II: The Heretic or Jaws: the revenge. That doesn’t stop studios from making them, though, and it certainly doesn’t stop movie buffs from checking them all out in search of diamonds in the rough.
Many of the best horror sequels ever came about in the 1980s; it was the decade of the slasher, and studios pumped out low-budget moneymakers like crazy. While things initially went well, by the early ’90s, audiences began to experience franchise fatigue and look for something new. Outdated franchises that were immensely popular in the ’80s, such as Friday the 13th And Halloween – started showing their gray hairs when stacked against innovative new bloody ones scream. For the operators of the slasher-making formula machine, the message was clear: either get with the times or get out. Fortunately for horror fans, the filmmakers of the time took heed and offered up some of the biggest and most revolutionary sequels the genre has ever seen. Here are the 13 best horror sequels of the 90s.
13 Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later is the first soft reboot in the Halloween franchise, and the first to star Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode since 1981 Halloween II. Completely ignoring the events of Halloween 3 through 6, Halloween H20, as the title makes clear, picks up 20 years later and finds Strode living a new life with an assumed identity and a teenage son. Soon her insane killer brother Michael Myers finds her and wreaks havoc in Laurie’s town on Halloween night.
Directed by slasher veteran Steve Miner (director of Friday the 13th part 2 and 3), Halloween H20 has its flaws, but it’s overall a slick and classy little killer caper, and a fitting homage to the slasher genre’s granddaddy. It would have been a nice note for the franchise to continue, but unfortunately they couldn’t leave it alone well enough.
12 Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994)
After six entries of varying quality released in the 1980s and early 1990s, the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise had all but fallen out of favor with the general public by this time Wes Craven’s new nightmare came to be. Thankfully, series creator Craven was well aware of that fact and went to great lengths to innovate the tired concept and create something new and exciting for fans.
Acting as a kind of test drive for Craven’s later meta-slasher scream, New nightmare tackles a meta-fictional story about the real-life stars of the franchise, Heather Langenkamp and Robert Englund, battling a dangerous demon who assumes the identity of series villain Freddy Krueger. With its fun storyline, plethora of cameos from famous cast and crew members, intense fears and complex themes about the consequences of creating horror, New nightmare is undeniably one of the most ambitious horror sequels of all time.
11 Bride of Re-Animator (1990)
Bride of Re-Animator is the over-the-top sequel to Re-animator that, unlike the aforementioned New nightmare, chooses to raise the bar on every element that made the original great rather than reinventing the wheel. While this may not always be the right route, it’s hard to deny that it works well here.
The movie manages to be a fun direct sequel to the first, a standalone gorefest in director Brian Yuzna’s signature disgusting style, and a brilliant 1980s update and homage to James Whale’s seminal film. Bride of Frankenstein. If you loved Re-animatoryou will love it Bride of Re-Animator – no ifs, ones or buts.
10 Stranger 3 (1992)
Although it is not often listed as one of David Fincher’s best films, Stranger 3 is a highly underrated entry in the Alien franchise. While killing off fan favorites Hicks and Newt before the opening credits roll is admittedly hard to forgive, the unique setting, terrifying atmosphere, and cool update of the titular creature make the movie worth it in our book.
Sigourney Weaver gives a typically gritty performance, the supporting cast is rock solid, and Fincher’s stylish direction and singular visual flair make it a standout ’90s horror sequel.
9 Tetsuo II: Body Hammer (1992)
Tetsuo II: body hammer is Shinya Tsukamoto’s bigger budget sequel to his cult classic debut Tetsuo: The iron man. A defining film in Japan’s “cyberpunk” movement, Tetsuo II follows an average salaryman whose body mutates into a weapon when his son is kidnapped by psychotic bandits. The film deftly builds on the imagery and themes of the original, reflecting Tsukamoto’s love-hate relationship with Tokyo’s industrialization.
8 Scream 2 (1997)
Scream 2 is the clever sequel to the meta-horror classic scream, and continues two years after the original. Sidney Prescott’s encounter with the Ghostface killer has now been turned into a movie, inspiring copycat murders. Of Scream 2director Craven has both respect and jokes about lousy sequels, crafting yet another thoughtful slasher sendoff that’s just as beloved as the first.
As Collider explains, Scream 2 writes a love letter to horror and defends the genre’s right to exist. At the same time, it pokes holes in horror clichés while also exposing the rotten side of fandom.”
7 Return of the Walking Dead 3 (1993)
The second sequel to one of the greatest zombie movies ever made, Return of the Living Dead 3 is an underappreciated horror gem that tones down the comedic elements of the first two films and replaces them with a macabre romance. It’s about a teenager who brings his girlfriend back to life after she dies in a horrible motorcycle accident. The film works surprisingly well as both a body-horror-tinged zombie flick and a tragic romance, and while it may not surpass the original, it improves greatly. Return of the Walking Dead Part II.
6 Bride of Chucky (1998)
Bride of Chucky is the fourth film in the Child’s play series, and the first to fully embrace the inherited weirdness of the killer pop concept. Busy with meta-horror comedy, Bride of Chucky is a clever sequel in which, in the words of the film’s catchphrase, “Chucky gets lucky,” and embarks on a cross-country killing spree with his new bride. While the franchise is full of entertaining entries, Bride of Chucky is undeniably one of the best.
As Den of Geek puts it“There have been plenty Chuckie continued since then Bride of Chuckybut none of them have had the success of this groundbreaking entry.”
5 Night of the Demons 2 (1994)
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Night of the Demons 2 is the sequel to the 1988 classic about demonic possession and doubles down on the rousing action for a memorable manic sequel. From cult director Brian Trenchard-Smith (director of B-movie greats The man from Hong Kong And shooting turkey), this sequel features tons of gore, guts, rock ‘n’ roll, cheese, sleaze, intoxicating ’90s vibes and ninja nuns. What’s not to love?
4 Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995)
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Originally released as The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation is the fourth film in the classic hillbilly horror franchise and one of the most underrated horror films of all time. Bringing back the chainsaw-loving maniac Leatherface, the film piles on camp, self-referential humor and unnecessary violence.
Essentially an elevated and unabashedly over-the-top iteration of the original, the movie is packed with outlandish performances and an eerie vibe. Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation is perhaps best known for launching the careers of superstars Matthew McConaughey and Renée Zellweger.
3 Gremlins 2: The New Party (1990)
Gremlins 2: The New Party is Joe Dante’s unhinged sequel to his hit movie Gremlins. While the first film was a horror comedy that occasionally delved into a dark subject, the second is a straight parody of the first, packed with gags, slapstick, and satire. The movie moves the creature attack action to a high-tech skyscraper in New York City and features scene after scene of Looney Tunes-like hilarity.
The Dante sequel is both a great sequel to a classic and a brilliant critique of American consumerism and unnecessary sequels.
2 Army of Darkness (1992)
Army of Darkness is the third film in the Evil death franchise, and the sequel that some fans are condemning as the one that “jumped the shark.” Sure, transferring the demonic action to 1300 AD and stuffing the runtime with slapstick and fish-out-of-water jokes might seem like a strange route for a horror franchise to take, but it was a bold move by Sam Raimi commanding respect.
The comedic elements of Evil Dead II are ramped up beyond 11 here, while the horror takes a backseat – and that is really hilarious comedy. Plus, the budget is massively increased, giving Raimi the resources to play with intricate sets, jaw-dropping battle sequences, and an army of incredible-looking stop-motion skeletons. While this polarizing entry may not be the best of the franchise, it’s hands down the most creative and fun movie of the bunch.
1 The Exorcist III (1990)
The Exorcist III is a fantastic sequel that more than lives up to the original, terrifying classic. After Exorcist II: The Heretic turned out to be a colossal box office and critical failure, it seemed that the best course of action for the series would be to just leave it alone lest another lackluster sequel come out and further damage the good name of the original.
It seemed that way, until 1990, then The exorcist novelist William Peter Blatty ventured into a sequel and hit a home run; with its eerie narrative mix of demonic possession story and serial killer caper, plus a stellar cast of some of the best talent firing on all cylinders at the time, Exorcist III is a brilliant horror movie. Even without being exorcist connection, it could very well stand alone as one of the largest (if not the best) horror movies of the nineties.