As 2023 is set to bestow upon us a sixth Scream, fifth Evil Dead, second Nun (which is like the ninth movie in the Conjuring universe I think...), tenth Saw, and fifth Exorcist movie - I figured now was a good time to revisit our list of the Top 10 Horror Sequels of All Time. And I gotta mention also, I was incredibly close to bumping out 28 Weeks Later for Terrifier 2 but I'm gonna let it sit for a while and see if I can avoid any recency bias I may be experiencing. But it's right up there. Oh and so is Halloween Kills. And Friday the 13th Part VI. Shit, maybe I oughta expand this into a top 20...
#10. 28 Weeks Later
I know everyone loves the Danny Boyle original but to me, the sequel is head and shoulders above it. Weeks takes the hopeless atmosphere that Days established so perfectly and injects a much more fascinating story. And anyone clamoring for a The Last Of Us film adaptation clearly hasn't seen this movie because it's essentially the exact same plot with scarier villains. Oh and the score is absolutely mesmerizing. One of the most memorable horror soundtracks of the 2000's.
#9. Child's Play 2
With the mystery surrounding whether or not Andy himself or his creepy cabbage patch doll was responsible for the suspicious murders completely laid to rest in the finale of the original film, Child's Play 2 elevates Chucky to the status of a slasher icon. Brad Douriff is at his absolute best here in one of the most menacing vocal performances you'll find anywhere and Graeme Revell's score gives the film an unrelenting undercurrent of malaise and terror. It may have it's cheesy moments of eye roll inducing logistical leaps, but as far as Chucky goes, this is as good as it gets.
Check out our full Child's Play Series Recap here
#8. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
I know most people would have this entry a lot higher but while Dream Warriors may have saved the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise financially, it set a poor precedent for the sequels to come with it's wise cracking Freddy and one note personality attack dream sequences. Don't get me wrong, I still love it, it's just not quite the franchise savior it's made out to be. But bringing John Saxon and Heather Langenkamp back into the fold definitely helps put this film over.
#7. Army of Darkness
While most horror fans gush over Evil Dead 2, in my opinion Army of Darkness is just such a superior film. Bruce Campbell is at his all time best, chewing through every frame of this bizarre period piece that takes the battle against the Deadites out of the cabin in the woods and into the unexpected backdrop of medieval times. Dead by Dawn is essentially just a (slightly) bigger budget remake of the original with way more over the top comedy infused - Army of Darkness takes the series into a fascinating new direction with Ash fully embracing his role as a reluctant anti-hero and Sam Raimi flexing his capabilities for tent-pole action spectacles.
See where Army of Darkness ranks among the Top 10 Threequels of All Time here
#6. Halloween II
Picking up literally where the original left off, Halloween II may be my favorite sequel to continue on from the exact moment it's predecessor ended. With an increased budget and major studio backing, the jump in quality for the film's photography and production value makes this a much more timeless film than the original (as blasphemous as that may sound). Granted, it's a little slow keeping Laurie confined to a hospital bed, but seeing Michael continue through the streets of Haddonfield on Halloween night makes for a great continuation of the night he came home.
View our Ranking of the Entire Halloween Series Here
#5. Day of the Dead
I know that technically Land, Diary and Survival are meant to continue Romero's Living Dead saga but it'll always be a trilogy to me. And Day of the Dead is a nearly flawless finale to that trilogy, with this entry's group of survivors living underground in a militarized rescue camp who then finally decide to give up the fight and live out their days on a desert island. It's got some incredibly gruesome zombie effects and just as much social-political commentary as Dawn, with a slightly smaller scale of carnage due to the restricted setting. But make no mistake, it's still one of the best zombie films ever made.
See where Day of the Dead ranks in the Top 10 Zombie Movies of All Time here
#4. A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge
This might be where I lose you but hear me out - Nightmare 2 is unjustly regarded as one of the most hated sequels of all time but Freddy's Revenge not only touts the highest body count of the Nightmare series, it also features the most menacing incarnation of Krueger as well. From the opening school bus ride to hell to the pool party massacre, Nightmare 2 features some of the most memorable set pieces not only for the Elm Street franchise, but 1980's horror as a whole. And the music from Christopher Young is my all time favorite horror film score, it's fucking chilling. Regardless of the obvious gay subtext this film carries, I'll always love it. And if you can't look past hating a film for including homosexual themes, maybe the issue is with you - not the movie.
#3. Aliens
Before he took us to Pandora or showed us our impending Judgement Day, James Cameron was tasked with the tall order of following in the footsteps of Ridley Scott with a sequel to the sci-fi masterpiece Alien. And not only did Cameron meet expectations of continuing the series with the same level of quality as it's predecessor but he also carved a new path for the franchise by making it a more action packed endeavor rather than a claustrophobic monster movie set in space. Aliens also develops Ripley into even more of a badass heroin, created more threatening xenomorphs and dropped us into the literal nest of the Alien universe incarnate. A+ world building on the grandest stage.
#2. Wes Craven's New Nightmare
Again, I know everybody loves Dream Warriors, but in my opinion Wes Craven's New Nightmare is the most ingenious and inventive way I've ever seen a sequel bring back the original cast and crew for a franchise send off that celebrates the original film while developing something entirely new at the same time. It's such a perfect ending for the series that as much as I want to see the Nightmare franchise continue on with a modern day entry, I really don't know if there's a concept out there that would be worth spoiling the way the late Wes Craven got to wrap up the franchise he created on his own terms. Just ignore the weird lizard face remake, that shit never happened.
See our Ranking of the Entire Nightmare on Elm Street Franchise Here
#1. Dawn of the Dead
I could rave about this film for days (and probably have) but all you need to know about Dawn of the Dead is that it's one of the smartest, goriest, most enduring sequels ever made (horror or otherwise). The best zombie film ever made and the most epic survival horror, social commentary piece you'll ever see. Tom Savini's gruesome effects are absolutely legendary, Goblin's phenomenal 70's soundtrack is undeniably iconic and George Romero's direction makes this feel like every bit of the apocalyptic end of days event film that a sequel following in the groundbreaking footsteps of Night of the Living Dead should be. A true cinematic masterpiece.
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