Horror movies are closely associated with rapid succession sequels than they are legacy sequels. (How many years did we have a new “Saw” and/or “Paranormal Activity” sequel to look forward to?) But there are still a fair amount of legacy horror sequels – follow-ups that take much longer to marinate than the traditional sequel – and these are the ones that were definitely worth the wait.
“Psycho II” (1983)
The first true legacy horror sequel was a follow-up to perhaps the most celebrated horror movie ever, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 shocker “Psycho.” “Psycho II” was directed by Australian filmmaker Richard Franklin, whose previous movie “Road Games” is one of the greatest Australian thrillers ever, and was written by Tom Holland, who would go on to direct future classics “Fright Night” and “Child’s Play.”
The sequel sees Norman Bates (once again played by Anthony Perkins) finally released from prison and attempting to enjoy a normal life, working at a local diner and keeping an eye on the old mansion and motel. What’s fascinating about “Psycho II” is how it expands the playbook beyond Hitchcockian thrillers, incorporating elements of then-contemporary Brian De Palma thrillers and the kind of low-budget slashers that were popular at the time — and probably responsible for the franchise’s resurrection.
What’s even better about “Psycho II” is that it inspired two more, equally gripping sequels – 1986’s “Psycho III” (theatrically directed by Perkins) and 1990’s direct-to-Showtime “Psycho IV: The Beginning” (directed by Mick Garris and filmed largely at the then-recently-opened Universal Studios Orlando). You can’t keep a good murderer down!
“Phantasm II” (1988)
Nearly a decade after 1979’s low-budget “Phantasm” blew peoples’ minds, a hip young Universal Studios executive reached out to filmmaker Don Coscarelli about returning for a sequel. Coscarelli obliged, and the result is arguably the high point of the entire “Phantasm” franchise.
Coscarelli conceded to a re-casting of Mike Pearson (who is here essayed by the great James LeGros) and cut down slightly on the dream logic of the original movie. And while some objected to the lack of the first movie’s more obscure nightmarishness and the fresh casting rubbed some the wrong way, “Phantasm II” more than makes up for it with a larger scope, more bombastic set pieces and a generally more muscular storytelling sense. This time some of the weirdness of the first film has been given more explanation, like the balls allowing for access to the dark nether world where the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) and the dwarves come from, but it has just as much new strangeness, like a gold version of the ball which has the power to break down doors, one of the movie’s very best sequences. “Phantasm II” is one of the best horror sequels ever. It’s also a total blast.
“Halloween H20” (1998)
“Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers,” was released in 1995, just three years before “Halloween H20.” But what makes “H20” fall into the legacy sequel category is that it disregarded every sequel after 1981’s “Halloween II.”
Jamie Lee Curtis returned to the franchise as Laurie Strode, now working under an assumed identity at a posh prep school in California. She is still haunted by that fateful Halloween and the revelation (in the sequel) that Michael was her brother (a highly controversial acknowledgment, then and now). Her son (Josh Hartnett) skips a class trip to goof around with some of his buddies (including a young Michelle Williams) at the same time that Michael returns to stalk his sister once again.
The production was an unmitigated disaster, with lengthy reshoots and a screenplay that was heavily reworked by “Scream” wunderkind Kevin Williamson. (There were three different masks used, including a very bad CGI mask.) And the resulting film, which runs a svelte 86 minutes, does feel a little unfinished. But it was also fun to get back to basics, after the sequels took some very odd detours (including introducing a Michael-worshipping cult and giving the killer supernatural abilities). Who knew teenagers getting chased around an empty school campus could be so refreshing?
“Halloween” (2018)
Yes, there are two legacy sequels within the overall “Halloween” franchise. After “H20,” the second legacy sequel would come 20 years later with 2018’s “Halloween.” Directed and co-written by David Gordon Green, who at that point was known for his subtle indie dramas and broad comedies, the movie sought to wipe clean decades worth of mythology. (At this point, the latest films were a pair of uneven remakes by Rob Zombie.) This “Halloween” even wisely deleted the “Halloween II” reveal that Michael is Laurie’s brother.
Curtis returned, along with some secondary characters, in a streamlined, straightforward slasher that saw Michael escaping all these years later and attacking Laurie, who has become a survivalist shut-in in the years since that fateful night. Green recruited original filmmaker John Carpenter, who produced the movie and provided the muscular electronic score alongside his musical partners Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies.
The resulting film was an absolute slam dunk and led to one of the more fascinating trilogies in recent memories, with Green’s “Halloween Kills” and the even more aggressively idiosyncratic “Halloween Ends” following in 2021 and 2022. This new trilogy of “Halloween” films is, well, killer and the perfect way to welcome back (and say goodbye) to one of the more iconic big-screen slashers.
“Doctor Sleep” (2019)
“Doctor Sleep” attempted to do the impossible – reconcile the original Stephen King novel “The Shining” with Stanley Kubrick’s controversial adaptation and make those two halves feel like a cohesive whole while also adapting the sequel novel. And with an entirely new cast, as well. Somehow writer/director Mike Flanagan, one of the most accomplished and impressive genre filmmakers of the modern age, managed to pull it all off.
Adapting from King’s novel of the same name, this story follows an adult Danny (now played by Ewan McGregor), who connects with a young girl who also has the Shining — and who is being hunted by a group of bizarro energy vampires, led by Rose the Hat (a devilish Rebecca Ferguson). Of course, everything leads to a showdown at the Overlook Hotel, meticulously recreated from the original movie’s blueprints.
It’s a remarkable feat, even more so if you watch Flanagan’s more novelistic director’s cut (which damnably isn’t available in 4K). Embarking on a legacy sequel to one of the most beloved horror movies of all time seems more than foolhardy. It’s downright suicidal. Yet somehow, Flanagan made it happen. It’s a beautiful, brilliant horror epic. And rests alongside Stanley Kurbick’s adaptation admirably. Sadly its disappointing box office scuttled a host of fascinating, “Shining”-based material, like Mark Romanek’s “The Overlook Hotel.” Maybe in another 20 years.
“The Craft: Legacy” (2020)
“The Craft: Legacy” is one of those movies that was originally meant for theatrical release, a production of Blumhouse and Sony, but was eventually released directly to digital during the pandemic (Halloween 2020). And it’s a shame. Because “The Craft: Legacy” is really, really great.
Written and directed by Zoe Lister-Jones, who wisely updates the original film’s girl-power message for a new generation while also setting the new story within the world established by “The Craft.” (The connections to the original are a pretty good surprise, so we’re not ruining them here.) The new group of young witches, led by Cailee Spaeny, are really terrific and super engaging, with a nice supporting cast of adult actors, led by Michelle Moynahan and David Duchovny as Spaeny’s parents. It took a while for the 1996 original to gain the cult audience that it currently boasts, so maybe the same thing will happen for “The Craft: Legacy.” It could start with a nice 4K physical media release. Please?
“Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (2021)
After the, um, extreme response to 2016’s reboot “Ghostbusters: Answer the Call,” a legacy sequel was quietly developed by Jason Reitman, the son of original “Ghostbusters” director Ivan Reitman. Instead of New York, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” is set in middle America, where the daughter of Egon Spengler (Carrie Coon) moves after her father’s mysterious death. And wouldn’t you know it – her kids (Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard) and new crush (Paul Rudd) get roped into a supernatural mystery with deep connections to the original “Ghostbusters.” (Before the movie was released, it was described as the ultimate Easter egg hunt.)
This was clearly meant as a course correction of sorts, giving the fans exactly what they wanted – and plenty of it. And “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” just works. It trades the original movie’s snobs-versus-slobs comedy for something more akin to Spielbergian fantasy and goes for a more emotional payoff, with fun ghosts, beautiful visuals and great new characters. It inspired a sequel, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” which felt a little bit more traditional, as it was set in the New York firehouse where the original film took place. But even that is a good deal of fun.
“Candyman” (2021)
For a while, it wasn’t clear what this new “Candyman,” co-written and produced by Jordan Peele and directed by Nia DaCosta, was, exactly – remake? Sequel? Entirely new thing? As it turned out, it was a pretty direct sequel to the 1992 film of the same name, which wasn’t just one of the greatest horror movies of the 1990s but one of the best movies from that decade, period.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays a Chicago artist who begins to take inspiration from the Candyman story, eventually becoming fully possessed by the hook-handed killer. Eventually, the connection to the original film becomes clearer, which adds an entire other dimension to what is otherwise an excellent horror movie on its own. While the conclusion of the movie doesn’t totally work (the idea that the community needs Candyman is a bit odd), partially because the role of Virginia Madsen’s character was changed significantly, but it’s hard to knock a movie this satisfying for a few false notes. Otherwise, this “Candyman” is just as good a movie as the original, even better than the underrated direct sequel “Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh.” (Technically, this movie takes place in between “Farewell to the Flesh” and the mostly lousy “Candyman 3: Day of the Dead.”) Can we say his name one more time?
“Scream” (2022)
While it had been ten years since the previous “Scream,” 2011’s “Scream 4” (written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven), the franchise really never left the public consciousness like some of these legacy sequels. There was an MTV series that ran from 2015 to 2019, and the original films remain beloved favorites. But there was something fun about the franchise coming back in 2022.
Craven had sadly passed away in 2015, leaving the filmmaking team of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett to take over. These younger filmmakers, raised on the original “Scream” films, are clearly reverential to the franchise, with original stars like Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox and David Arquette gamely returning for another round. But they also acknowledge that the series needs reinvention, wisely casting Melissa Berrera, Jenna Ortega, Mikey Madison and Jack Quaid in key roles. (There are a ton of fun connections to the original movies, some quite surprising.)
While maintaining the key elements that made the franchise so fun and playing with the formula, “Scream” served as a wonderful return. And the sequel, 2023’s “Scream VI,” which sent the characters to New York, is even better.
