When a horror movie becomes a hit, it’s bound to receive at least one sequel. Probably lots of sequels. This is the standard for horror, even more than any other genre. They can often be made on lower budgets and experience high returns, why not capitalize on that return when it’s even more of a given thanks to the first film’s success? However, sometimes, a horror movie with a great villain stays as a one-off. Usually, it’s the movie itself that stays a one-off, though sometimes the movie gets a sequel devoid of its fantastic villain and, as one might expect, the sequel doesn’t measure up.
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What follows are seven horror movie villains who stood out in their project, arguably to the point of being flat-out iconic, yet they’ve only been seen that one and only time. Fans deserve a round two.
7) David from The Lost Boys
David, the leader of the vampire motorcycle gang in The Lost Boys, did indeed die in the movie. However, in the comic book sequel Lost Boys: Reign of Frogs, it’s revealed that the antlers he’s impaled on missed his heart, so he did come back.
The Lost Boys is an ’80s classic that would benefit from a legacy sequel (probably ignoring the direct-to-DVD sequels Lost Boys: The Tribe and Lost Boys: The Thirst). If that dream movie were to become a reality, it would be silly not to bring back Kiefer Sutherland, who made David slick, charming, and terrifying.
6) Mister Babadook from The Babadook
The Babadook absolutely works as a single story of a mother and her child, terrorized by a malicious supernatural creature that is essentially a representation of the grief they feel after losing the family’s patriarch. However, the third act also has the son say “you can’t get rid of the Babadook” after the mother spews out a black goo once she’s possessed by the monster.
The movie outright tells us that the villain can come back. And, considering the mother only locks it in their home’s basement, we know exactly what the sequel could be about. A new family moves into the house, experiences some sort of trauma, and out comes the Babadook.
Stream The Babadook on Hulu.
5) The Headless Horseman from Sleepy Hollow
Sleepy Hollow‘s The Headless Horseman, or Hessian Horseman, is a supernatural being from Hell. And, by the end of the movie, he returns to Hell with Lady Mary Van Tassel, the woman who has been controlling him throughout the narrative.
The point being, he made a choice there at the end. He took his controller instead of the one the controller has told him to kill. It would be a stretch to have him return to Earth now that he’s been reunited with his head (the means by which Mary was controlling him), but maybe as time has gone on people have moved into Sleepy Hollow and ruined it, which rubs him the wrong way, hence him wanting to return for revenge. Whatever the means of his revival, the Headless Horseman deserves another movie, ideally one with Christopher Walken scowling and showing his sharp teeth all the way through.
Stream Sleepy Hollow on MGM+.
4) Leslie Vernon from Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
The end of Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon reveals that his preparations for his whole slasher-movie-in-“real”-life night of terror included his learning to fake death. He also doused himself in a flame-retardant gel.
Then, to further prove that he survived being in a burning barn in the climax of the film, we see him sitting up on an autopsy table as the final credits play out. Leslie Vernon’s still out there, and it’s surprising he hasn’t written himself a sequel to star in, yet.
Stream Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon on AMC+.
3) Cropsy from The Burning
The time for a sequel to The Burning has likely passed. That really would have only happened if the movie had been a hit. But never say never. After all, it flopped at the time but has accrued a cult following.
And, if it ever does get a low-budget legacy sequel, it would be worth bringing the ultra-creepy Cropsy back. He sure did lose a lot of blood when that axe went in his head, but this is slasherville…rules don’t matter here.
Stream The Burning for free with ads on The Roku Channel.
2) Black Phillip from The Witch
Black Phillip is the goat possessed by either a demon or Satan himself (likely the latter). Whether it’s the same goat, a different goat, or a different animal altogether, we deserve to see another family being terrorized by a farm animal who should be a friend. It’s a great concept.
Furthermore, it’s not as if Black Phillip’s possessor dies at the end of The Witch. If anything, he (or it) wins.
Stream The Witch on HBO Max.
1) Sam from Trick ‘r Treat
One of the most beloved anthology horror films of all time, Michael Dougherty’s Trick ‘r Treat is a bloody black comedy delight. And, at the center of it all, there’s little Sam.
One of the most well-designed horror icons of the 2000s, Sam is an almost cute little demon in his coverall pajamas and chewed on, sharpened popsicle. There have been rumors of a sequel for a while now. If that happens, and Sam’s not in it, that would be a very bizarre choice.
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