10 One-Off Horror Movie Villains Who MUST Return
Horror movie antagonists who deserve more than one shot to scare you!
Horror movie history is full of iconic villains who’ve been in the spotlight across multiple films.
Sure, not every entry in the A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Halloween, and Child’s Play sagas is golden, but their respective killers – Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Chucky – have still been entertaining audiences for numerous decades. Dozens of lower-profile antagonists have remained relevant through the spread of their franchises, too, including the titular terrors of the Leprechaun and Candyman series.
Unfortunately, there are just as many standout baddies who never got the chance to shine with at least one sequel. As such, they should get another shot to scare viewers both new and old while becoming even more iconic.
The 10 monsters on this list are especially deserving of being brought back because their designs, motivations, and on-screen vibes were so delightfully twisted, creative, and memorable. True, some of them technically appeared in subsequent reboots, fan films, and lost media. However, those don’t count since they’re not official canonical follow-ups. Likewise, some of them may’ve died at the conclusion of their stories, but if horror’s known for anything, it’s breaking the rules with retcons to keep the fun going.
So, let’s dive into 10 one-off horror movie villains who must return (with spoilers)!
10. Chop Top - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre is among the most influential and disturbing horror pictures of all time.
Knowing that he couldn’t catch lightning in a bottle twice – and wanting to try something drastically different – director Tobe Hooper decided to make the 1986 sequel significantly campier and stranger. The result is highly divisive, yet the one element that even the most impassioned naysayers seem to enjoy is Bill Moseley’s turn as Robert “Chop Top” Sawyer.
The twin brother of the Hitchhiker from the first film, the scene-stealing Chop Top is beloved for his poor hygiene and etiquette – he routinely eats dead skin from his scalp – plus his unpredictably sinister yet cartoonish behavior. He spends much of the runtime taunting lead protagonist Stretch, who ultimately forces Chop Top to fall from a tower to his death.
That said, 2000’s unreleased spin-off – All American Massacre, written and directed by Hooper’s son, William – brought Chop Top back as an incarcerated prisoner. Therefore, it’s already somewhat confirmed that Chop Top is alive within the TCM universe, and fans have been enjoying bootlegs of All American Massacre for 25 years.
So, there’s clearly a lot of potential to properly revive the fascinating psychopath in an official capacity, even if it means that another actor needs to take up the mantle from the 73-year-old Moseley.