By their very nature, Horror movies Lend to sequels as killers, supernatural threats, and monstrous entities constantly return to seek vengeance and revenge. While this can sometimes feel unnecessary, as horror franchises continue to stretch the patience of their prime and test audiences, other series have remained engaging and have characters that I would watch indefinitely. As a horror movie lover, there are just a few franchises that, no matter how many installments they make, I’m always happy to hear about a new upcoming entry.
The best horror franchises have antagonists who have carved important roles in popular culture, as figures like Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger are sure to give viewers nightmares for decades to come. While I agree that some franchises should be put out of their misery, there are others that I still can’t get enough of. Although it may be true that Hollywood horrors could use more original ideas instead of endless sequelsReboots, and reimaginings, some franchises deserve to stick around and still have a lot to offer in new installments.
10
Scream (1996 – present)
Six movies
Wes Craven reignited the slasher genre with the release of the first scream In 1996, and ever since, I’ve been excited to see what kind of hilarious horror movie tropes this franchise would satirize. The first movie took the well-worn concept of a masked killer stalking teenagers and imbued it with a knowing tongue-in-cheek energy that helped it stand out among so many other slasher movies. The second and third scream Movies pay homage to the literal idea of ​​sequels and trilogies to produce a highly intelligent franchise that is not afraid to make fun of itself.
scream Was the first horror franchise I really got intoAnd to see how it has grown and developed over the past nearly three decades has been a joy. With later installments parodying ideas around legacy sequels and franchise fatigue, scream has developed over time to remain consistently relevant through meta-commentary and clever subversions of tropes. With this incredible story behind it, I’m happy to follow these scream Ghostface franchise and constant copycat killers for years to come.
9
Halloween (1978 – present)
13 movies with three timelines
The original Halloween The 1978 film was a definitive release in the history of horror but was not a film that I thought needed a sequel. However, director John Carptener soon followed it up with the lack Halloween IIA release that seemed to signal the series’ lack of franchise potential. However, the story does not end there, as over the past few decades, the franchise has continued with sequels, reboots and reimaginings that The story of babysitter killer Michael Myers.
With ridiculously confusing timelines that twist, ignore, and reconstitute themselves many times over, Halloween Proved that, much like Meyers himself, it cannot die. With that, I came to accept these Halloween franchise for what it was and embrace its never-ending exploration of Laurie Strode’s trauma. With the recent reboot trilogy showing new and interesting ways to explore the Myers and Strode legacies, I’m all for it continuing and seeing just how Halloween Find a way to reinvent yourself.
8
Child’s Play (1988 – present)
Eight movies with five theatrical releases, two VOD movies and one reboot
One of the best things about having a killer doll as the antagonist of a horror franchise was that it was easy to make sequels without losing any of its believability because it was already unbelievable in the first place. I feel the ridiculousness of Play child’s play has always been part of its charm, and over the years, it has continued to lean into its campy, over-the-top style. As the story of a serial killer whose soul was transferred into a “good guy” doll, Chucky became a true icon of horror and remained popular for nearly four decades.
While the former Play child’s play films will always be my favorites, I enjoy seeing it continue as a direct-to-video franchise with excellent releases like Seed of Chukki And Cult of Chucky. Although there was an attempt to reboot the series with a theatrical release starring Aubrey Plaza, I believe that the best way to continue the series. Play child’s play Franchise is like a VOD series. Without living up to the expectations of big-budget theatrical releases, Play child’s play Can continue doing what it does best as a campy and often ridiculous horror series.
7
The Conjuring Universe (2013 – present)
Eight movies in three series
Since the release of The Conjuring By 2013, the horror series had grown into a sprawling cinematic universe with numerous sequels, prequels, and spin-offs. While I initially associated with the supposed real-life adventures of Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine WarrenWatching like The Conjuring led to the development of both these Annabelle And The nun Series was exciting. I’m sure we viewers can look forward to more movies in the highest grossing horror franchise of all time. The Conjuring Universe for a long time.
As a franchise that consistently delivers when it comes to suspense and scares, The Conjuring Universe Has kept audiences coming back for deeply engaging and terrifying stories. While the original movie helped reignite haunted house stories, the way other entries have fleshed out the mythology of its world is deeply fascinating. There are so many directions The Conjuring Universe can go in, and I’m very excited to see how it continues to expand in the coming years.
6
Final Destination (2000 – present)
Five movies
final destination is a unique franchise in horror movies, because its antagonist is not a physical being but the manifestation of death itself. The concept really scared me as a kid, and while these movies never gained widespread critical acclaim, they have always been some of my favorite horror films. The idea that after escaping a near-death experience, those who were destined to die but survived would later be marked for a gruesome death was a chilling concept that kept the door open for sequels that didn’t require old cast members to return .
Part of the beauty of final destination As a franchise is that, by its nature, the series can continue indefinitely and reimagine itself for each new generation. Although I love to see the return of old cast members or the like Final destination 5 Is actually a secret prequel to the original as the survivors found themselves boarding the doomed flight 180, this is never a necessity. While so many other horror franchises have a finite number of entries before devolving into ridiculousness, final destination Can go on forever without surrender.
5
Alien (1979 – present)
Nine movies with spin-offs and an interquel
The iconic extraterrestrial xenomorph has terrified audiences since the original Ridley Scott Alien Movie in 1979 and has been the stuff of my nightmares since I witnessed its grotesque chestburster scene. Since that fateful day, I have continued to watch every installment in the Alien franchise, and though spin-offs like Alien vs. Predator Failing to live up to the original, the rich mythology of this franchise has kept me coming back for more. From Scott’s divisive prequel movies to the incredible interquel Alien: RomulusThis horror franchise has a lot of life left in it.
Although I used to believe that the Alien Franchise required Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley as its main protagonist, the success of later movies proved its ability to excel without her. The latest success of Alien: Romulus Has shown that the franchise can embrace the legacy of its predecessor and also perform something new. With that in mind, I’m excited to see where the franchise goes next and how it can add to the rich mythology of Xenomorph and, hopefully, one day give audiences a sequel to Alien: Covenant.
4
Evil Dead (1981 – present)
Five movies with an original trilogy, two standalone films
The first movie in Sam Raimi Evil Dead Franchise was a solid horror film, but it was met Evil Dead II That this franchise really connected with me. As the perfect blend of horror and comedy, Bruce Campbell made the perfect horror protagonist and helped turn Evil Dead In one of the most iconic franchises of all time. With the third movie, Army of DarknessThe Evil Dead The franchise embraced more fantastical elements and became one of the all-time great horror trilogies.
My appreciation of Raimi Evil Dead trilogy meant that I continued to check out the series for its standalone releases and felt that the 2013 reimagining of Evil Dead And Evil Dead Rises Helped showcase the franchise’s potential away from Ash Williams. With so many avenues to explore, from standalone sequels to Continue the adventures seen in the Ash vs Evil Dead TV seriesI would be happy to see ending Evil Dead Sequels, spin-offs and reimaginings well into the future.
3
Living Dead (1968 – present)
Six films in the original series by ​​George A. Romero
George A. Romero revolutionized the zombie genre with the release of Night of the Living Dead In 1968, a film that has influenced every subsequent zombie movie made since. This iconic movie was one of the all-time greats, and I never tire of watching the countless sequels, spin-offs, parodies and homages that have been released under the loosely connected blanket. Living Dead Franchise.
The reason Living Dead Franchise became so big and involves so many series because a copyright error meant Night of the Living Dead entered the public domain and allowed other filmmakers to make their own versions without fear of infringement. This led to iconic releases like Dan O’Bannon Return of the living dead series and the Italian classic Zombie 2. The total volume of Living Dead Cinematography makes this franchise unique, and I think it’s great that lesser-known filmmakers can become a part of horror history by making their own installments.
2
V/H/S (2012 – present)
Nine movies, including two spin-off films
The very nature of the V/H/S Franchise, an anthology series created by many filmmakers, lends itself to indefinite sequels. With a plot centering around VHS tapes discovered by innocent viewers, I always connected with the way the V/H/S movies embraced collaboration as they brought together various writers, directors and performers to create a sprawling horror franchise. Using found footage shorts, the original V/H/S movie fRome 2012 laid the groundwork for a streak that continues to this day with no end in sight.
while many V/H/S Movies have had their ups and downs when it comes to quality, the sheer variety in this franchise was a major part of its appeal. By inviting so many collaborators to contribute to the franchise and a willingness to explore diverse concepts and ideas, V/H/S managed to carve something new in the realm of horror movies. Bring together demonic cults and zombie attacks under one series of powers V/H/S A memorable franchise that can continue for years to come.
1
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984 – present)
Nine movies with six main installments and one non-canon, crossover and remake release
With a killer who pursues his victims in their dreams, A Nightmare on Elm Street Is literally the stuff nightmares are made of. This was a definitive release from Wes Craven and created one of the most iconic villains of horror with Freddy Krueger. As a series with a whopping nine releases, A Nightmare on Elm Street Has already proven its lasting power, and I’m keen to see how it develops in the future.
Although it’s easy to get franchise fatigue due to the huge number of sequels in the series, it was Wes Craven who showed me that there are new and exciting ways to continue the story of Freddy Krueger. The meta-narrative of The New Nightmare by Wes Craven From 1990 shown as A Nightmare on Elm Street Could go on indefinitely as this unique film was toyed with the series legacy by Krueger haunting the cast and crew who made movies about him. This kind of clever, tongue-in-cheek concept is one reason I never want these Horror franchise To end.