Hollywood has always been in the business of making reboots and sequels. More often than not, if something worked and was profitable once, it can do so again. And when it comes to the horror genre, we are currently in the true reboot and sequel era. In Scream terminology, the requel era, when formerly popular and profitable IPs are resurrected for another few trips around the block. Friday the 13th is back with the Jason Universe, Halloween just got a full trilogy, another Texas Chainsaw movie is en route, Alien is thriving on both the big and small screen, we’re about to get another Predator installment, and so on.
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But the following franchises, they appear to still be idling in a dormant state. It’s time for that to change.
5) Tremors
The original Tremors, released in 1990, is perhaps the definitive example of a cult film. It didn’t do particularly well in theaters (which is putting it nicely) but absolutely excelled on VHS. In fact, it did so well on VHS that we got not one but six DTV sequels. So, to that degree, Tremors is a franchise that is still alive in well, as Tremors: Shrieker Island was released in 2020, not long ago in the grand scheme of things.
However, we need a true Tremors legacy sequel, one with a budget (even just a modest budget would do it). And, equally importantly, one with Kevin Bacon in the lead. He has said multiple times he’s not just willing to return but eager, and the rightsholders should take him up on that. It’s very sad we won’t see Bacon’s Val side by side with his buddy Earl (The late Fred Ward), but it’s still a project worth pursuing.
4) George A. Romero’s Living Dead Saga
The true originator of the zombie film, George A. Romero, passed away back in 2017. However, his Living Dead franchise could quite easily keep living, breathing, stumbling around, and biting.
In fact, the series pretty much needs a continuation so it can end on stronger footing. Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead are phenomenal, but the three installments that followed the trilogy did not have nearly the same impact. It does seem as though we’re going to get the chapter Romero considered the finale, Twilight of the Dead, but we’ll believe it when we see it. It was supposed to begin filming in March this year, but six months later and cameras still haven’t started rolling.
Stream Night of the Living Dead and Day of the Dead on Peacock.
3) The Thing
For the longest time, The Thing wasn’t a franchise so much as it was a single horror masterpiece that wasn’t appreciated in its time. However, that cult fanbase was enough to get it a prequel in 2011.
Unfortunately, in spite of Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s compelling lead performance, it was a huge swing and a miss. The key issue was the special effects. Any follow-up to a movie featuring the best practical effects in horror should also display practical effects, and the 2011 version instead went for CGI. Very, very unconvincing CGI. Any continuation of the IP needs to avoid repeating that mistake at all costs.
Stream The Thing (1982) and The Thing (2011) on Peacock.
2) Gremlins
1984’s Gremlins was a box office smash, but the failure of 1990’s Gremlins 2: The New Batch put the franchise on ice, and that ice hasn’t melted in 35 years. But in this requel era nothing is riper for a revival than an ’80s favorite, e.g. Beverly Hills Cop and Beetlejuice.
Gremlins fans did get an animated television series on HBO Max, but that’s it. As for a live-action follow-up, there was some word on forward momentum earlier this year (with Zach Galligan even confirming the script was waiting on Steven Spielberg’s desk), but there has been no official announcement from Warner Bros.
Stream Gremlins 2: The New Batch on HBO Max.
1) A Nightmare on Elm Street
Robert Englund has stated that he’s done with Freddy Krueger and, at 78 years of age, it’s hard to blame him. But, since Heather Langenkamp has said she would be willing to return to the role of Nancy Thompson one last time, why not bring both her and Krueger back then have both of them pass the torch.
That direction could help the franchise move beyond one legacy sequel, too. Die-hard fans of the IP would certainly love to see Englund’s Krueger again (it would be the first time on the big screen in over 20 years) and they would be more likely to accept a new dream demon, be he named Krueger or not, if it was Englund’s take on the character passing the torch. Or, rather, the glove. A Nightmare on Elm Street is just too big a property to remain dormant in this rebootquel era.
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image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
