Top 5 Horror Sequels We're Still Waiting To See

When looking through the history of cinema it seems that any horror film, even a bad one, is able to spawn sequels. In terms of quality, some films have been strengthened by sequels. Look at the Phantasm series for example. Others, however, have been embarrassed by sequels, the original Halloween being an unfortunate example.

Then there are those films that leave us wanting more, dreaming of a sequel that may never happen. So here's a list of the top five horror sequels that many, including myself, are dying to see.

Warning - the following contains spoilers for the franchises listed.

5. 'The Descent Part 3'

While the first film has been called by many as one of the greatest original horror films of the 2000s, The Descent Part 2 did not receive as much praise. The characters were generic and the plot was derivative of the original's. However, the sequel is not without merit. It showed more of the Crawlers' habitat, the way they lived, and presented more questions about their world.

The big question the second film posed was at the very end where Rios, the police deputy and only survivor, is knocked unconscious by Ed, an old local, and dragged over to a cave entrance. The film's final image is of a crawler leaping out at the screen.

Part 2 implies that the world above is not oblivious to the existence of the crawlers, a possibility that the original never explored.

Who is Ed? How does he know about the crawlers? Does the community know? Why did Ed make sure no one got out? Part 2 didn't do well at the box office or with the critics; hence a third film is unlikely. However, just because it can't get made doesn't mean it shouldn't get made as the potential is clearly there.

4. 'Wishmaster 5'

It would be great to see Andrew Divoff as the Djinn again, especially considering that the actor himself has expressed interest in making a fifth film.

The first Wishmaster (and the second to an extent) are fun, engaging, well-written and full of great gore effects. The third and fourth films however, feature cheap effects, unbearably dull characters and, worst of all, no Divoff. If a fifth instalment was made with the writing and effects of the first two (with Divoff!) it could redeem the franchise and end it on a high note.

3. 'Re-Animator 4'

A fourth Re-Animator film has been brought up numerous times but has never come to fruition. The most well-known unmade Re-Animator fourquel is House of Re-Animator, a project the late Stuart Gordon tried to get off the ground throughout the 2000s. The film would've reunited Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West and Bruce Abbott as Dan Cain as they'd be called into the White House to reanimate the president after dying of a heart attack. One contributing factor to the film's cancellation was its vicious satire of the George Bush administration.

While there is no reliable source to confirm this, producer Brian Yuzna was apparently working on a fourth film of his own at one point. His fourquel would've been called Island of Re-Animator, which would obviously take inspiration from H.G. Wells' The Island of Dr Moreau.

Even though the Re-Animator films have been relatively stand-alone, there is a story arc running through the series, albeit somewhat. All three films chronicle Herbert's obsessive effort to perfect his reagent and defeat death. Regardless of the unlikelihood of a fourth Re-Animator, it would be great to see Dan and Herbert on screen again as Gordon's project promised. A fourth film could show where their unstable relationship goes and, maybe, draw the series to some sort of conclusion.

2. '28 Months Later'

Like The Descent, the 28 series consists of two films. The first being lauded and the second not so much. Also like The Descent, 28's last instalment ends on a cliffhanger.

28 Weeks Later ends with a crowd of infected sprinting towards the Eiffel Tower, suggesting that the rage virus is still active and has breached Europe. 28 Weeks Later may have lacked the focus on character that 28 Days was praised for, but unlike 28 Days it had a bigger budget and was able to truly depict a zombie apocalypse on a large scale.

Screenwriter Alex Garland's recent comments about the possibility of a third 28 being made are not encouraging, but just like with a third Descent film, there's no reason why 28 Months Later shouldn't get made. If the third film escalated the scale and tension just like 28 Weeks did, the results could be incredible.

1. 'Candyman 4'

Candyman is a series with a lot of unfulfilled potential. The first two films created a character and a backstory that could've spawned an anthology of sequels, like Hellraiser and Paranormal Activity. The two films present an urban legend that has travelled throughout the United States and plagued countless lives. The premise is a goldmine of stories.

Unfortunately, the last we ever heard of the hook-wielding boogeyman was back in 1999 with the mediocre Candyman: Day of the Dead, a cheap straight-to-video sequel that was nothing but a hideous Frankenstein's monster of the first two.

A fourth film was apparently being prepared in the early 2000s. Some sources quoted the Candyman himself Tony Todd saying that the film would be set in an all-girls college in New England. That project never came to fruition. Apparently, the big obstacle preventing another film from being made is rights. Each film is owned by a different studio, hence no one owns the Candyman franchise as a whole. So whenever a Candyman project is proposed, numerous companies fight to get their hands on it.

It's 2018 now and so far there's been no sign of an upcoming Candyman. However, a few years ago director Bernard Rose did express interest in making a "proper sequel" to the original. At this point, the best way to revive the series is probably with a "soft reboot" in the words of RedLetterMedia. A fourth film, that reintroduces the character to new audiences but at the same time tells a new story, with Rose directing and Todd starring, could be what the franchise needs to return.

Do you think these sequels should be made? What other horror films or franchises do you think could do with more sequels?