Most of the time, when a slasher franchise hits a certain number of sequels, things begin to feel more like a tropey cash grab than a legitimate or fun continuation of the first film. The truth is, when something great is created, it’s difficult to follow up with something better. Only a handful of sequels in any genre are widely considered better than the original movie, and even then, there is still plenty of room for argument.
In the horror genre, it’s not unheard of for sequels to be better than their predecessors. Evil Dead 2, Final Destination 2, and Day of the Dead are all examples of horror favorites that exceeded the original film in almost every way (at least in my opinion). In the slasher subgenre, this happens less due to the sheer number of sequels that pop up in seemingly every slasher franchise. It often feels like the more movies there are and the longer the series goes on, the worse the franchise gets.
While every original slasher film has its loyalists, it’s sometimes inarguable that other directors and writers take the ideas to the next level, whether it be with the all-around story, the characters, or the special effects.
6Â Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987)
1980’s Prom Night was a relatively straightforward slasher film, and while the masked killer had a unique motive (one of the strengths mentioned in Scream), and the film boasts another great horror performance from Jamie Lee Curtis, it tends to get lost in the wave of more popular slashers from the time. In 1987, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II took the revenge motive and the prom setting, and added a fun, supernatural aspect to liven up the already overdone teen slasher storyline.
Related: ‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’ Review: A Competent Slasher That Takes Very Few Swings
Granted, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II was a much sillier film than the first and brought in a whole new story; it was also a lot more fun and a perfect fit for the late-‘80s paranormal vibe that was already present in other larger slasher franchises. The ghostly kills opened up the film to better scenarios and gore effects, and Paul Zaza, who had done the score for Prom Night and My Bloody Valentine, returned with even catchier tunes.
5Maniac Cop 2 (1990)
While I’m a firm believer that the first Maniac Cop film is one of horror’s most underrated slashers, I like the second film even more. The first one ends with the assumed death of the gigantic, undead Matt Cordell and the victory of Bruce Campbell’s Jack. Maniac Cop 2 starts off by throwing a wrench in everyone’s expectations, having Cordell return and slay Jack within the opening minutes.
Maniac Cop 2 could surpass the first movie on body count alone (he murders 19 cops in a single scene), but it also continues Cordell’s thirst for revenge and gives him some slight personality and chemistry with another character, while telling a more complex story than the first film. It’s a better film in all aspects, from great effects (and burn suits!) to a fantastic musical score.
4Terrifier 2 (2022)
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Although I don’t consider myself a fan of the Terrifier franchise, it’s inarguable that Terrifier 2 isn’t leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessors. Not only is David Howard Thornton’s portrayal of Art the Clown much creepier this time around, but the sequel brings in other memorable characters that would continue into the universe, including the franchise’s established final girl and fan favorite, Sienna Shaw (played by Laren LaVera).
It’s clear that Terrifier 2 had a much larger budget and used that to its advantage in the gore department. Don’t get me wrong, the first film still has the most graphic scene in the franchise, but Terrifier 2 went all out during the entirety of the film. It just felt like it stood on its own more as the true start of the franchise, whereas the first Terrifier film (along with All Hallows Eve) felt more like a short story.
3Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
I think everyone has their personal favorite Friday the 13th movie, and they aren’t all considered the best (my two favorites are Part 3-D and Jason Takes Manhattan). While the first film is a classic for a reason, and its unpredictable ending and great kills will always make it memorable, some people tend to think the franchise was better after Jason Voorhees showed up as the killer in Part 2. However, the series hits its best halfway through, with Tom McLoughlin’s Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives.
The sixth movie furthers the story of Tommy Jarvis, one of the most interesting characters in the series. It also cements Jason as a supernatural force, who fully rises from the grave right in front of our eyes to exact revenge on Tommy for the events of A New Beginning, culminating in an excellent showdown between the two. The film also has one of the best kills of the franchise, with Jason folding Sheriff Garris in half like a soft pretzel.
2A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
With all due respect to the late Wes Craven, Chuck Russell’s A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors is hands down the best film in the franchise. Don’t get me wrong, the first film is fantastic; it establishes a great villain, has memorable kills, and an awesome final girl… it doesn’t do anything wrong. The third film just does everything better. The dream sets are incredible, the kills are more creative, and it’s really the only film in the series that packs an emotional punch.
One of the greatest aspects of Dream Warriors is that the characters’ deaths are tailored around their individual stories, like Jennifer’s dream of being a movie star or Taryn’s issue with drugs. The film corrected the franchise from the direction it was heading after Freddy’s Revenge, and while we were all excited to see the return of the first film’s hero, I’m not sure anyone expected her to die at the hands of Freddy.
1Child’s Play 2 (1990)
I’m not sure if there is a bigger slasher upgrade over its predecessor than Child’s Play 2. Not only does the sequel continue Andy’s story and processing of the absurdity of the events of the first film, but his mother is institutionalized because of them. Chucky returns on a revenge tour and once again wants to inhabit Andy’s body for resurrection, and Brad Dourif’s second turn as the killer doll is somehow even more captivating and fun.
Related: 30 Years Later: ‘Child’s Play 2’ is Still a Top-Tier Horror Sequel
The puppetry and effects in Child’s Play 2 are on another level, and while cutaways and clever robotics made the doll lifelike in the first film, the details in Chucky’s face and movements in the sequel gave the character an additional level of personality. The sequel was more intense, had more creative kills, and had a fantastic creation of the Play Pals factory, which set the stage for an epic showdown between Chucky and Andy.
Since Child’s Play 2, the Chucky franchise has released six more movies and a TV series. While Don Mancini’s more serious Curse of Chucky and Cult of Chucky have good scores on Rotten Tomatoes, they lack the charm, fun, and impactful upgrade in effects that made Child’s Play 2 such an improvement.
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