50 Worst Horror Movie Sequels
Oh! The horror!
Witchboard III: The Possession (1995)
The Horror: Jobless stockbroker Brian (David Nerman) finds the key to success in a Ouija board, but discovers it comes at a horrible price…
Why So Terrible? An overbearing blandness makes this third Witchboard instantly forgettable – though a few moments of atrocious acting may stick in the memory, no matter how hard you try to erase them.
Anaconda III (2008)
The Horror: David Hasselhoff is dispatched to deal with two deadly Anacondas that have broken free of a test facility…
Why So Terrible? If you promise us The Hoff, we want The Hoff. Sadly, the ex- Baywatch flexer barely features in the film, meaning we’re left with crappy CGI snakes as a rubbish consolation prize.
Seed of Chucky (2004)
The Horror: Plastic serial killers Chucky and Tiffany return, and Chucky still wants to find a new body to possess. Yes, five films in. Meanwhile, the duo's cross-dressing son Glen has his own concerns.
Why So Terrible? Bride Of Chucky was great because it combined knowing self-reference with full-blooded horror. Seed screws up that balance completely and – chronically – is as unfunny as a poo on a plate.
The Fly II (1989)
The Horror: Seth Brundle’s son, Martin (Eric Stoltz), searches for a cure for his mutated genes while evading the corporation who want to continue his pa’s twisted research.
Why So Terrible? Far fewer smarts evident in this gory follow-up, which is 10 times nastier than its predecessor and far more interested in bloody encounters than inviting its audience to think.
Lost Boys: The Tribe (2008)
The Horror: It took them long enough to make it, but this sequel to The Lost Boys can’t hope to hold a candle to that befanged classic. A giant-jawed Corey Feldman returns as Frog, who now works as a vampire hunter.
Why So Terrible? Really, it was doomed before it got started. A blatant attempt to cash in on the vampire craze, this first sequel is content to rehash the plot beats of the first film, which just makes us want to watch that instead.
Troll 2 (1990)
The Horror: While on holiday in a small town, a family discover that goblins have disguised themselves as humans and are planning a feast – of human flesh.
Why So Terrible? Legendary as one of the worst films ever made, Troll 2 has absolutely nothing going for it – terrible acting, a plot that makes no sense, special effects that aren’t so much special as ‘special’. It's a masterclass in how not to make a film.
A Return To Salem's Lot (1987)
The Horror: Anthropologist Joe (Michael Moriarty) heads to quiet town Salem’s Lot, and is recruited by the vampires there to write their bible for them.
Why So Terrible? Without a King novel to use as a blueprint, Return feels like a half-hearted reheat with nothing new to say.
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The Wicker Tree (2010)
The Horror: A pseudo-sequel to The Wicker Man directed by Man’s Robin Hardy. Tree follows two young missionaries who are invited to join the festivities in the Scottish village of Tressock. Should've stayed at home.
Why So Terrible? Hardy goes for tongue-in-cheek satire, but ends up with a defeatist mess of crude characterisation that boasts zero dramatic tension.
Fright Night Part 2 (1988)
The Horror: A tale of revenge, as Peter Vincent and Charley Brewster are targeted by vampire Jerry’s sister Regine (Julie Carmen).
Why So Terrible? Dreadful monster make-up, a villain who’s not a patch on the first film’s Jerry, and basically zero story to go on. Frightful stuff.
Jack Frost 2: Revenge Of The Mutant Killer Snowman (2000)
The Horror: Not a sequel to the Michael Keaton Christmas movie, but to B-grade slasher Jack Frost. This time, the Tiler family head to the tropics to escape their frosty stalker, but Jack’s figured out how to not melt in tropical heats…
Why So Terrible? Just because the makers of Jack Frost 2 know it’s an insult to everything that’s sacred doesn’t excuse its camp idiocy. We’d rather watch the Keaton flick…
Josh Winning has worn a lot of hats over the years. Contributing Editor at Total Film, writer for SFX, and senior film writer at the Radio Times. Josh has also penned a novel about mysteries and monsters, is the co-host of a movie podcast, and has a library of pretty phenomenal stories from visiting some of the biggest TV and film sets in the world. He would also like you to know that he "lives for cat videos..." Don't we all, Josh. Don't we all.