8 Horror Movie Sequels We Almost Got
Horror movie sequels that got cancelled - Alien: Awakening, Halloween Returns & more!
Horror movies exploit the humble sequel much more than any other genre, there's no disputing that. With some franchises racking up as many as 8 sequels in less than a decade, one would assume that getting a horror sequel made must be a pretty easy deal, right?
Well, not quite. Just like its bigger and more ambitious peers, the horror genre has to jump through all the same hoops to continue its stories. A script needs to be just perfect, funding must be secured, distribution may never be found... Making movies is stressful!
All this red tape means that a lot of pretty great movie concepts never make it to the screen... Some make it pretty damn close, though. Some horror sequels are even rolling the camera before an unforeseen obstacle puts a cog in the blood-soaked proceedings.
So, grab some popcorn and let's dream about 8 Horror Movie Sequels We Almost Got... Some of these entries might just surprise you!
8. Maniac 2: Mr. Robbie
1980's Maniac was no doubt a controversial movie with its graphic gore and grim depiction of mental disturbance. However, controversial films tend gather a cult following, and did you know that's why we almost got a sequel?
In 1986 star Joe Spinell decided to test the water and see if a Maniac sequel would fly. Together with director Buddy Giovinazzo he financed a short promotional film entitled Maniac 2: Mr. Robbie.
In this short, and in any resultant sequel, Spinell plays Mr. Robbie, a beloved children's television host that takes it upon himself to murder abusive parents. The property would've also acted as remake of the 1973 Grindhouse horror The Psychopath.
Whether or not Spinell was successful in obtaining a financial backer with the Mr. Robbie short remains unclear and no sequel materialized as Spinell tragically bled to death after a freak accident in 1989.
Still, the potential the short holds is undeniable and the idea of an anthology Maniac franchise starring Spinell sounds ever-so enticing, If one wishes to see what could have been, the short was released as part of the Maniac 30th Anniversary set.