10 Horror Movie Characters Who Died Off-Screen In The Sequel
7. Martin Brody - Jaws: The Revenge
Jaws' Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) is one of the most iconic horror movie protagonists of all time, and though it didn't prove nearly as successful as its predecessor, Jaws 2 saw Brody return to deal with another spate of shark attacks near Amity Island.
Brody made it to the end of Jaws 2 alive and well, but when Roy Scheider refused to return for Jaws 3-D, his character was simply kept off-screen while the story focused instead on his children.
When the fourth film, Jaws: The Revenge, entered development, Scheider stuck to his guns and again refused to participate, but this time the decision was made to kill Brody off.
After initially proposing that Brody be the vengeful shark's first victim, it was ultimately decided to have him die from a heart attack off-screen. This is revealed in a single line of dialogue by Brody's son Michael (Lance Guest), before his widow Ellen (Lorraine Gary) replies that it was actually "fear" that killed her late husband.
It's a resoundingly lame death for a beloved character any way you slice it, and honestly, having him become shark chow with a stand-in for Scheider might've actually been preferable. At least it would've made some impact.