10 Horror Movie Sequels We Didn't Want (But Got Anyway)

10. The Gallows Act II (2019)

2015's The Gallows was rather poorly received found footage fare. Critics pointed out the tired gimmick and completely unoriginal plot as the film's weakest points. However, an inventive marketing campaign calling upon Leatherface and Jason Voorhees ensured the film made a $40 million profit on a $100,000 budget.

The Gallows Act II finally saw release in 2019 after three troubled years of production. Taking a more conventional horror film route, the picture does away with found footage and instead follows a young girl as she partakes in an internet challenge and summons a vengeful demon.

Unfortunately, given the tepid reception of the original and the long gap between the films, there was just no appetite for a sequel. The film was not well received by critics who lambasted its mundane plot, characters and compared it unfavourably to the already weak original. Despite Blumhouse's attempts at marketing the film with their standard "shot in secret" line, nothing could help The Gallows Act II attain even a sliver of the financial success of its predecessor. The property saw release to on demand platforms only in October of 2019 via Lionsgate after Universal refused to pick the film up for distribution and has languished there ever since.

The Gallows Act II may not have won over audiences or critics, but there is one rare badge of honour the movie can claim; it is one of the elite few with a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.