10 Horror Movie Franchises That Should Have Stopped At One Film

Sometimes a classic should just be left untouched.

Psycho has a tumultuous relationship with sequels and remakes. The 90s Vince Vaughn remake was laughably bad, Bates Motel was an interesting twist on the lore and the cinematic sequels have been weird to say the least.

Released 20 years after the original, Psycho II picks up with Norman Bates being released from the mental institution he was incarcerated in, ultimately undermining the ending of the original. The latter sequels lose focus as well, opting to humanise Norman Bates. This in itself isn't a bad idea: Bates was depicted as a conflicted character within the original film.

There is one big issue with the Psycho franchise. The original is too good. Everything that follows will inevitably fail to live up to that film because it is so beloved and revolutionary. Every sequel will be held against that film and unfortunately, none of the sequels were directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

While not awful sequels, they are simply redundant, serving as a constant reminder that some films just don't need follow-ups.