Horror films seem to stick to a one-off formula or stretch into a franchise such as Scream and Saw. Most of the time, the stand-alone films wrap up all plotlines within their hour or two run which leaves us with nothing to want for. Yet, there are some spooky films that left viewers are yearning for more content, even years later.
From comical children’s films to eerie horrors, Brig presents this list of Halloween-y movies we would love to see a sequel from.
Monster House
Starting off strong, Monster House has shaped many Gen Z childhoods. The movie was terrifying as a child, which either traumatised you for life or nurtured that horror-loving seed blooming within.
I recently rewatched this as an adult and let me tell you – this movie is comedy gold. I never understood how funny it was when I was growing up but boy, it gave me a good laugh. And not many films can do that, even comedies! I’m not a laugh-out-loud watcher, but for Monster House my stomach hurt by the end. So, if you haven’t watched it since you’ve grown up (or if you’ve never seen it before) I strongly urge you to stick it on your Halloween watch list.
It’s a unique movie, scary and funny with odd plotlines it’s something you don’t see in movies today. That, along with how funny it genuinely is, is why a Monster House 2 could boast a massive success.
Jennifer’s Body
Already claimed as a camp-horror by Brig, Jennifer’s Body is brought up once again yet this time it is to discuss its possible future. A cult-classic for certain, the 2009 horror flopped when it was first released. Now, 15 years later, this film has its own fanbase and writer Diablo Cody is up for making a sequel.
How a sequel would work is a challenge, since Jennifer would need to return from the dead, and productions teams may not be keen to hop on board, even after the film became popular all these years later. A remake could be more interesting, addressing the main problems with the original and giving fans some new content at the same time.
Monsters vs Aliens
Another childhood classic for many is Monsters vs Aliens. While this isn’t a horror in any means, it’s a great film to watch at Halloween. Following a group of quirky “monsters” as they tackle an imminent alien attack, the comedy is entertaining for adults and children alike.
Sadly, it never performed well outside the United States and a sequel was shot down almost immediately. We have had short stories, a TV show (which was cancelled after one season) and a game from the franchise, but the idea of a sequel remains untouched.
Monsters vs Aliens 2 would spark an audience, I believe, even if people aren’t begging for a sequel. The childhood nostalgia many relate to this film could be enough to give a sequel the success it deserves.
NOPE
Jordan Peele, director of Get Out and Us, brought yet another modern horror to our screens in 2022 with NOPE. The film features a UFO, instead of a traditional ship with aliens on board, the UFO itself is a flying alien organism.
OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Em (Keke Palmer) try to figure out how the UFO (who they named Jean Jacket) works, and how it can be killed. Gut-churning scenes, including Gordy the ape’s attack on his human co-stars, and Jean Jacket’s digestion scene where it eats captured humans, will leave you feeling sick.
Like Peele’s other works, this is a unique take on horror, and more specifically aliens. While the film had a well-wrapped end, a sequel (or prequel) could be interesting. A NOPE trailer saw Michael Busch’s character, Nobody, yet this character was left out of the film. An editing choice or hints for a sequel? Peele is leaving fans to speculate.
Whatever he decides, either to create another standalone film or a sequel to NOPE, it’s promising that it won’t disappoint.
Featured Image Credit: TMDB
Fourth year student journalist studying Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Journalism Studies.
Words at Brig, The Daily Evergreen, Alloa Advertiser, Discovery Music Scotland, and The Mourning Paper.
