12 Killer Part 3 Horror Sequels We Love

Part III is undoubtedly the most important sequel in the Friday the 13th franchise. This is the film that gives Jason Voorhees (played here by Richard Brooker) his now iconic mask, which previously belonged to prankster and Jason victim Shelly Finkelstein (Larry Zerner). This is also the last time we see the killer as human, before waking in a morgue in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and transforming into the monstrous zombie figure over the course of future sequels.

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In addition to some truly great kills (Andy’s crotch chop!) and fan-favorite characters, there’s also plenty of cheese, thanks to the use of 3D technology.

After A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985) showed Freddy (Robert Englund) taking over a teenager’s body and appearing outside of a dream world, Dream Warriors gets things back on track. The film gives us a true feel for who Freddy is and will be for the following sequels with unforgettable one-liners and inventive kills.

It also features some of the best characters the franchise has to offer, incredible FX that continues to hold up, and a soundtrack featuring Dokken that many of us still rock out to today.

Following the massive success of 1973’s The Exorcist, Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) has gone down as one of the worst films ever made and an unworthy sequel. It wouldn’t be until 1990 that The Exorcist not only got a terrifying sequel but one worthy of the original.

The film has many chilling moments, strong performances by George C. Scott and Brad Dourif, as well as a blink-and-you-miss-it hospital hallway scene that is still one of the most terrifying moments in horror.

With two outrageously entertaining Evil Dead films already released, the third installment had some big Deadite-killing shoes to fill. While it is hard to say that Army of Darkness is the best in the trilogy– all three are just so good– the film is definitely a successful continuation.

Tipping the scale to “ultra zany,” our hero, Ash (Bruce Campbell), travels back to the Middle Ages. Plenty of shenanigans take place, including an epic scene featuring a giant skeleton army brought to life with stop-motion animation mixed with live-action puppets.

A perfect way to conclude a perfect trilogy.

The third film in the Dead series is a favorite among many Romero fans. Day of the Dead gives us top-notch Tom Savini special FX and one of the most lovable and memorable zombies in horror– Bub, played by Sherman Howard. It is definitely one of the darker entries in the series, which wouldn’t see another installment until 2004’s Land of the Dead.

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Day of the Dead had a 2008 remake from director Steve Miner (Friday the 13th Part 2 & Part 3, House) and writer Jeffrey Reddick (Final Destination franchise creator). However, the remake was not well-received and lacked the cult following of the original.

Known as the Halloween without Michael Myers, Halloween III: Season of the Witch was originally meant to continue a series of Halloween-themed anthology films since Michael Myers’ story had wrapped up. We all know how well that went over.

Regardless, Season of the Witch as a standalone horror film is packed with plenty of ’80s cheese, fun FX, witchcraft, iconic Halloween masks, and a catchy jingle that refuses to leave your brain. Oh, and Tom Atkins. What more could you possibly want?

Once again, writing duo James Wan and Leigh Whannell teamed up to bring audiences stomach-turning traps and unpredictable plot twists, ending with the deaths of two main characters. Of course, that doesn’t stop the franchise from moving forward, but it was a shocking conclusion nonetheless.

In addition to the gore and head games, Saw III hits on an emotional note while focusing on a grief-stricken father (Angus Macfadyen) and the father-daughter relationship between John (Tobin Bell) and his apprentice Amanda (Shawnee Smith).

Although the first two films in the Hellraiser series got (and continue to get) love from horror fans, they weren’t quite made for the masses. Clive Barker’s universe is a strange and often perverse one, and Hellraiser (1987) and Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) are shining examples. It was this third film in the franchise that gave the series more mainstream appeal while still catering to the fans who already embraced it.

Hell on Earth features a duel performance by Doug Bradley, freshly-made Cenobites, and all of the skin-stripping effects we’ve come to expect.

The Final Destination franchise may be formulaic, but that doesn’t stop the films from being tons of fun. Each features its own intense buildup and insane kills, with Final Destination 3 being no exception.

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Crazy roller coaster derailment? Check. Frying in a tanning bed? Check. Nail gun shooting through the head? Check. All of this, combined with an underrated performance by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and it’s impossible not to have a good time.

Jaws 3-D, or simply Jaws 3, is a major dose of cheese that does not come close to touching the original. It is, however, an entertaining popcorn flick to watch on a summer day.

The film follows Chief Brody’s adult sons (played by Dennis Quaid and John Putch) to Sea World in sunny Florida, where they once again encounter a bloodthirsty Great White. The film’s park setting allows for some fun encounters with the shark, including her taking down an underwater tunnel filled with park visitors, making an appearance at an underwater cafe, chasing water skiers as they perform for an audience, busting through an underwater control room, and more.

While there’s no doubt 1983’s Sleepaway Camp is a horror classic, Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers (1988) and Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland (1989) deserve some of that spotlight as well.

Replacing Felissa Rose as Angela is Pamela Springsteen (younger sister of Bruce), who continues hacking and slashing fellow campers. In contrast to Rose’s Angela being quiet and mysterious, Springsteen’s Angela is energetic and even cheerful, taking gleeful pride in slaughtering those she deems as sinners.

“Because you’re a cheerleader, a fornicator, a drug taker, a nasty snotty bigot, and besides that…you’re real nice.”

In this direct continuation of 1983’s Psycho II, the truth of Norman Bates’ twisted family history continues to unravel. Thought by local law enforcement to be cured of his madness, Norman and the Bates Motel again see bloodshed at the hands of “Mother.”

Although it would be near impossible to ever come close to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 original film, Anthony Perkins, who also directed the film, delivers a solid performance that ends on a chilling note.