5 Horror Movie Franchises That Desperately Need Reboots

I Know What You Did Last Summer is getting a legacy sequel this year and both Final Destination and 28 Days also have new installments due in 2025. And even though it’s fresh off a trilogy, Halloween is gearing up for more via a cinematic universe much less. Not to mention, both Alien and Predator are coming off their best installments in years, arguably decades, and more has been promised for them both. In other words, it’s a good time to be a classic horror fan.

And, yet there are still some IPs that just seem to be sitting there. From genre-blenders to top-tier IPs, what follows are the horror franchises that have found success and are long overdue for more of the same. The reasons vary as to why they’ve lain dormant, and those will be covered just as much as the reasons why they deserve an adrenaline shot to the arm.

Critters

Of the many attempts to replicate Gremlins‘ success, Critters was by far the most successful. It really bore no similarity to Joe Dante’s film, outside of the antagonists being small and toothy. Now, none of the Critters movies held a candle to Gremlins (though Critters 2: The Main Course is a hoot), but the creature design was arguably just as good.

Given that legacy sequels often employ practical effects to retain the appeal of the IP they’re resurrecting, a new Critters could feel like a natural member of the pack. Furthermore, considering the sci-fi slant of the series, the advance in CGI could help a new installment when it comes to getting taken seriously. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a feature film, but the last fans saw of the Crites was in 2019 with the letdown of a one-two punch that was the direct-to-video Critters Attack! and the short-lived Shudder series Critters: A New Binge.

Friday the 13th

Admittedly, the Friday the 13th franchise is due for a reboot. In fact, it’s coming back in a big way with the multimedia “JASON UN1V3RSE.” But the way the past decade and a half has gone, die-hard fans are thinking “we’ll believe it when we see it” more than “I can’t wait.”

Even before the lengthy lawsuit between the original film’s screenwriter Victor Miller and director/producer Sean S. Cunningham put the franchise on ice, it had been years before there was any level of discussion regarding the IP’s continuation, be it a sequel to the 2009 reboot or otherwise. The lawsuit had massive ramifications, extending even to the well-received video game, which had its servers shut down on December 31, 2024. As mentioned, now that the suit has concluded the franchise finally has some momentum, but without a doubt it is a slasher saga in desperate need of a reboot if it wants to have any chance of generating audience interest.

Gremlins

Gremlins is an IP that seems like a no-brainer for a theatrical reboot. But there are some people (not to mention practical effects) who need to be involved if it’s truly going to work. For one, it requires the sensibilities provided by producer Steven Spielberg. Two, director Joe Dante has yet to retire, and his last time behind the camera was for 2014’s Burying the Ex.

It could also do with a cameo from the original films’ leads: Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates. Cates has retired, but Hayden Panettiere re-entered the game for Scream VI so never say never. Furthermore, the Gremlins star did vocally reprise her role for 2015’s LEGO Dimensions, which was her first project in nearly a decade and a half and indicates she’s still fond of the 1984 classic.

[RELATED: Gremlins Writer Confirms Gizmo Originally Turned Into a Monster (And Had a Higher Body Count)]

A Nightmare on Elm Street

If any entry here is somewhat debatable, it’s A Nightmare on Elm Street. Why? Because there truly is no Freddy Krueger without Robert Englund and, by his own admission, Englund is now a bit long in the tooth for the part.

But, if the character could be successfully recast with an actor who can make the character their own (say, by Kevin Bacon), there’s a better-than-good chance it would be a stacked cast. While the logistics of it would be tricky, Heather Langenkamp has expressed interest in returning as Nancy Thompson. Furthermore, Longlegs and It Follows star Maika Monroe has called the franchise her dream project, so that could be a recipe for success.

Tremors

At the time of Tremors‘ release, Kevin Bacon’s career was in dire need of a hit. And, as legend goes, he once broke down on the sidewalk and yelled, “I can’t believe I am going to be in a movie about giant f-cking worms!” But as the film became a success on home video, he’s come around to it. And rightly so, as the original Tremors is an outright great film, managing to successfully blend horror, sci-fi, comedy, and the Western all in one rewatchable package.

The point of bringing up Bacon is to say that, while Tremors has remained active thanks to direct-to-video and streaming sequels, they lacked the gravitas he brought to it. Sadly, his partner in the original film, Fred Ward, has passed away, but Bacon has made it clear he’s up for reprising the role of Valentine McKee, as evidenced by the fact he already did so in a 2018 SYFY Channel pilot that was not picked up.