20 Sequels That Brilliantly Fixed Past Mistakes

18. Terrifier 2 - The Improved Characterisation

The Terrifier films most definitely aren't for everyone, but nobody could ever claim that franchise creator Damian Leone doesn't care about his craft. He really has poured his heart and soul into these movies, producing them on shoestring budgets against financial odds and also listening to feedback in a way that any filmmaker should.

Specifically, 2016's Terrifier was (not unreasonably) criticized for its thin narrative and lack of characterisation, and so, when Leone was developing the second Terrifier, he absolutely took that feedback on board. The filmmaker buried himself in screenwriting guides and podcasts, and spent three months crafting a more detailed, character-driven screenplay than that of the first picture, while also putting considerable effort into creating a hero who'd be as iconic as Art the Clown. The result was Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera), who's become one of the most popular Final Girls of the 2020s. 

Thanks to his substantial efforts, Terrifier 2 is a rare slasher film where you do actually care about the characters, and even when the wanton sadism starts to become overwhelming, Sienna Shaw and Co. are there to keep viewers invested.