10 Horror Movie Sequels MASSIVELY Better Than The Original
1. The Conjuring 2
Another possibly controversial pick here.
James Wan's The Conjuring was a perfect example of a well-crafted studio horror that managed to deliver the barmy thrills and jump scares mainstream audiences expect while also being technically impressive, well acted, and filled with likeable characters. It didn't reinvent the wheel, but it was rock solid.
But for The Conjuring 2, Wan took his $40 million budget - double that of the original - and created one of the most genuinely epic, super-sized horror sequels ever.
The 134-minute Conjuring 2 compellingly shifts the setting to London, ensuring the film has a totally different look to its predecessor, all while delivering a more heightened and elaborate bevy of thrills.
This sequel boasts some of the most ingeniously well thought-out set-pieces in any horror film produced by a major studio this decade - the Nun sequence is an all-timer - while daring to devote considerable amounts of time to its central characters, especially Ed and Lorraine Warren (an excellent Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga).
The Conjuring 2 could've easily just been more of the same, but Wan laudably dared to go further, and the results were absolute cinematic dynamite.