7 Horror Movie Sequels That Were a Total Flop

No matter all the hype around an anticipated movie release, if the history of film has taught viewers anything, it’s definitely the fact that we need to keep our expectations low. This will avoid total disappointment, which, let’s face it, happens more often than we’d like. Enter: horror movie sequels. 

Anyone who’s a fan of this genre knows all too well that if a horror film is great, sometimes it’s best to leave it at that and not ruin a good thing, because chances are, it’ll be a total let down. Perhaps it might serve movie goers better to hold on to their positive opinion of a film if they played a free no deposit slot game based on the originally well-executed storyline.

Unfortunately, well-executed storylines are not the subject matter of this article. We’re here to flag sequels that have done a disservice to the original movie, or at least the first few movies in the franchise. So, if there’s one lesson that we can learn from the following movie flops, it’s a very simple one that cannot be truer: many times, less is more. Cliché much? Trust us, you’ll be nodding your head in approval by the end of our rant!

#1. I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer

Following ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ and ‘I Still Know What You Did Last Summer’, this third sequel ended up being as predictable and uninteresting as it can get. While the first movie in the franchise hadn’t made such a great hit, it wasn’t the worst horror film we’d ever seen. Granted, it was never the best slasher horror film out there, but the concept was rather interesting, with a nice build-up and an element of suspense. However, its sequels added nothing new to the recipe; they just felt like poor imitations of the first, to put it mildly. To top it off, this third instalment has a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on five reviews – that’s a very rare rating that makes the cringe factor ever so real!

#2. Friday the 13th: Jason Takes Manhattan

The major issue with this film was its overly ambitious plotline. To try and reinvent a franchise by taking the protagonist to space might be, well, a bit too ambitious – especially when the budget could not meet the script’s requirements. As a science fiction film, certain areas looked cheap, mostly due to limited special effects, given the budget constraints. To enjoy this movie, it’s best to set your expectations extremely low and not resist the occasional grin or laugh, especially when you can tell a particular scene was intended to be scary!

#3. The Birds II: Land’s End

Those who’ve watched Alfred Hitchcock’s movie can vouch for its great handling of suspense which chills the blood in terror.  Although ‘The Birds’ wasn’t Hitchcock’s very best movie, we still knew it was a pretty ambitious move to recreate or build on this classic movie that powerfully executed such a creepy and bizarre concept. So, when we watched the sequel to Hitchcock’s original, it didn’t take us long to realize that its poorly-developed plot is nothing more than a failed attempt at recycling a concept that only worked in its original form. Bottom line? You won’t be missing out on much if you skip watching this one. 

#4. Exorcist II: The Heretic

While William Friedkin‘s 1973 film ‘The Exorcist’ had garnered universal acclaim and was the top-grossing R-rated horror film, its sequel, Exorcist II is nothing of the sort. Described by Rotten Tomato critics as “amateurish”, and nothing more than a “costly load of old nonsense”, this sequel bears testimony to the fact that when a movie is so perfect and game-changing, attempting to replicate its success is highly risky, with a high probability of doing a disservice to the magic of the original movie. 

#5. Paranormal Activity: Ghost Dimension

While the first few movies of Paranormal Activity offered audiences some scary found footage horror, Paranormal Activity: Ghost Dimension fails to deliver any fresh scares, rendering the plotline of this sixth sequel extremely predictable and unoriginal, to say the least. In fact, the movie received many negative reviews among critics who regarded this movie as a mediocre finale to a once-innovative franchise. In fact, those who watched the earlier movies in the series can tell that they were much more compelling, making this final installment pale in comparison. In other words, if you’re looking for the same thrilling experience as the first movies in the series, you won’t find it in this film.

#6. Jaws 3D

Another reminder that not every successful movie needs a follow-up. Well, to be fair, although the first sequel – Jaws 2 – doesn’t measure up to the same hair-raising experience of its classic predecessor, it was an acceptable addition to the franchise. But adding a further sequel to the saga was simply a stretched-out attempt that was doomed to fail. This film is anything but scary, offering neither the suspense nor the profound characterization of the first two movies. Plus, the effects leave so much to be desired, even by 1983 standards!

#7. Halloween: Resurrection

This eighth instalment in the Halloween franchise leaves so much to be desired in terms of the film’s plot, characterisation, and lack of scares. Similar to other movies in this list, Halloween: Resurrection ended up doing a disservice to the legacy of the original Halloween movies. In fact, almost every Halloween fan was disappointed with the entire premise of this sequel that lacked essence and offered nothing but a disjointed plot that’s so difficult to engage with. Nonetheless, it’s interesting to note that despite negative reviews, this movie was a financial success, grossing over $30 million worldwide on a budget of $15 million.