One can argue that horror movies are the most mainstream as they’ve been since the ’80s. The classic horror movie icons of decades past have inspired a new generation of filmmakers to showcase their macabre and twisted tales. There are plenty of original scary movies, both indie and big-budget, that prove the genre is going to stick around for a long time. Right now, it seems as if the newest fad is legacy sequels, movies that continue the story of classic horror films, oftentimes with one or more actor reprising their role. The obvious reason these types of scary movies are so popular right now is money, but there could be more interesting explanations.
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Nostalgia Is Profitable
Universal Pictures
The most obvious reason these movies are being made is that they are profitable right now. Take a look at the various eras of horror. More often than not, the movies of each period reflect the society of the time in some way. In the ’50s, monster movies and science-related horrors dominated. This is because of the public fear of nuclear warfare. In the ’70s and ’80s, serial killers were receiving more media coverage than ever before, so the slasher genre reigned supreme. Nowadays, there are two main types of scary movies reflecting society. Films such as Get Out reflect the racial and political issues plaguing the country.
The other is because those who grew up during the ’70s onward are growing nostalgic. There was once a time when horror legends such as Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger had new movies hitting the big screen constantly. This nostalgia is the driving force behind legacy sequels. Seeing not only these baddies return, but usually, some survivors returning in some capacity as well allows fans to relive the glory days of when a slasher icon got a new movie every year.
A film bearing the name Halloween or Texas Chainsaw Massacre will likely make some money based on brand recognition alone, and that is what studios are looking for. While these movies are, for the most part, pretty well received, the box office returns are what is fueling them from a studio standpoint. But what about from an audience standpoint? The reason these movies initially fizzled out is due mostly in part to audiences growing tired of seeing the same characters return without a tangible reason. Newer and more innovative movies were being released while franchises like A Nightmare on Elm Street were basically doing the same thing with each sequel. This leads to another reason legacy sequels are popular now: these classic franchises are forced to do new things.
Resurrection
Netflix
As stated before, new and innovative horror movies were the wooden stake to classic horror franchises. The issue is, nowadays, newer and even more innovative movies are being released that are elevating horror to heights it has never received. The classic franchise should have an even harder time keeping up, if not for the newer filmmakers taking the helms. The likes of David Gordon Green and Fede Alvarez grew up watching the franchises they have taken over, so the fresh perspective they offer has been boiling in them for years. For these movies to have even a small glimmer of hope in succeeding in today’s climate, they have no choice but to offer new elements. The tricky part is blending familiarity with original takes. Take Halloween, for instance.
2018’s Halloween was a nostalgic thrill ride that seemed like a basic sequel on the surface. Michael escapes and causes mayhem while Jamie Lee Curtis tries to stop him. There is the familiarity. The fresh take comes with the Strode family. Laurie and her PTSD was built on in 1998’s Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, but here it is done in a more tragic and interesting way. Laurie has ruined her life over the trauma she endured that fateful night in 1978. The film shows her desperate to fix her damaged psyche and reconnect with her daughter and granddaughter. This builds the stakes even higher when Michael escapes. The biggest alteration is retconning the fact Laurie and Michael are related. This change and the focus on the Strode women is what made the film stand out among the newer movies released at the time.
This take was so successful, it has even been copied. Netflix’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre seems to take several pages from the book 2018’s Halloween wrote. While this could be seen as lazy, all this actually means is Halloween opened the door wide open for franchises to return.Texas Chainsaw Massacre copying Halloween is just history repeating itself. If Friday the 13th hadn’t ripped off the original film, then the slasher craze would have never kicked off. Even the original John Carpenter classic Halloween owed much of its success to Leatherface’s first appearance four years prior.
Seeing a new take on tired franchises is a huge reason fans remain excited to see their favorite scary movies return, although there could be another subconscious reason they may not realize.
The Final Chapter
New Line Cinema
Most of the icons of days past never got a true ending. They may have been defeated, but they always came back. Franchises such as Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Halloween never really received satisfying conclusions. Studios kept releasing the movies until they stopped making money, and they were canceled with no fanfare, sometimes on a cliffhanger. These characters returning not only satisfy a nostalgic appetite, but they could also offer actual closed endings to these franchises.
Legacy sequels can do this better than rebooted sequels. A rebooted series would include new characters or at least alternate versions of known characters. Seeing these movies receive an ending wouldn’t do much, because people have no nostalgic attachment to them; the closure wouldn’t be as psychologically satisfying. However, a legacy sequel that directly follows the films audiences grew up with, featuring characters they have taken decades to know, is a different story. Seeing these scary movies offer a closed ending will scratch the itch of finding out once and for all what happens to the exact characters they know and love.
The Next Generation
Entertainment One / Umbrella
Just like with every horror fad, the gimmick of legacy sequels will not last forever. Eventually, the films will fail to make money or studios will run out of franchises to revive. While this will just make way for the next gimmick, cleansing the nostalgic minds of audiences could be just what horror needs. Being satisfied with seeing classic slashers return and getting closed endings will make audiences curious to see what is next. This is the perfect opportunity for new movies to dominate the box office. Why exactly was it that these franchises began in the first place, launching countless sequels and encouraging audiences to see the icons of the past return to theaters year after year? They were once new.
With the likes of Chucky, Leatherface, and hopefully someday soon Jason Voorhees returning for final stands, the glory days can truly return. That is to say, new and original scary movies will be released in theaters constantly, but will receive more attention once the clutter of franchises has been cleaned up. This could even pave the way for new icons to emerge and take the spot once occupied by Kruger, Myers, and Voorhees.
Some of the most popular horror movies in recent years were totally original. Hereditary, Midsommar, and It Follows are just a few examples of original horror movies that have enjoyed much-deserved success in the 2010s. If the legends of yesteryear are able to earn the endings they have desperately needed, then even more new movies will be able to emerge and take the spots once occupied by the greats. The thing is, the legacy sequels should have actual endings. For example, Michael Myers needs to die in Halloween Ends. No cliffhangers, no last-minute jump scares, just a definitive end.
Horror icons are just that, icons. Even if no new movies are ever released, the digitalization of everything and the great memories these movies once created means that they will never be forgotten. There are plenty of ways to introduce them to new generations, ensuring that even while original movies are released, these franchises will always be lurking in the public consciousness, even without a glut of unnecessary sequels to come.
