8 Horror Movie Sequels Everyone Thought Would Suck But Didn't

2. Annabelle: Creation (2017)

Annabelle: Creation was a sequel to a spinoff of the Conjuring, which was kind of an offshoot of the Insidious series. The first Annabelle movie was as derivative as a horror film can get, using borrowed elements from other successful movies and doing them far lazier.

Annabelle herself was also fairly dull as far as killer doll characters go, getting by on her creepy looks and not doing a whole lot else for the majority of her big headlining debut.

This prequel seemed set to be another dull affair cynically cashing in on the Conjuring universe hype. However, with Lights Out director David F. Sandberg at the helm it surprised everyone and delivered arguably the best outing in series outside the Conjuring films themselves.

Excellent performances and impressive direction sell the hell out of a story that admittedly isn't terribly interesting. The atmosphere is thicker than molasses, with dark shadow heavy cinematography allowing the creepy vibe to really sink into your skin.

It's no exaggeration that every single aspect is improved from the first outing and actually feels like a meaningful addition to the world of The Conjuring. Annabelle: Creation got a good filmmaker, and great actors, to help elevate what could have been terrible to drop a satisfying spook-fest for fans to fear.

Considering the poor state every other film in the conjuring universe has released in, it makes this entry all more impressive.