10 Great Horror Movies That Started Out As Short Films
8. Trick 'R Treat
Michael Dougherty's Trick 'r Treat is a movie that succeeded despite all the odds.
This anthology collection, connected by a small demon named Sam who haunts those who break Halloween traditions, took two whole years after it was completed to actually be released on video.
Even when it was let out, it only played a small number of festival screenings. Thankfully, the quality of the piece and its stellar cast - which features Brian Cox, Anna Paquin, and Dylan Baker among others - led it to become a cult favourite.
The film owes its existence to an animated short called Season's Greetings, which Dougherty made in 1996. Sam is once again the main attraction, only this time he is the one in danger, as he is pursued by a mysterious stranger on Halloween evening.
Little Sam is now a beloved figure amongst Trick 'r Treat fans and even starred in his own series of comic books, which were released to tie in with another Dougherty movie, Krampus.
Horror fans desperate for more of Sam have been waiting for a long time, but thankfully it looks as if the project is moving ahead with Legendary Pictures, with Michael Dougherty having most recently provided an update on the script for Trick 'r Treat 2 at the end of 2023.