10 Horror Movie Sequels That Started In Surprising Ways

1. Halloween: Resurrection

The Grudge 2 Karen Davis Kyako Sarah Michelle Gellar
Trancas International

In terms of shocking horror sequel opening, it doesn't get more jarring than seeing the greatest franchise protagonist in horror history being brutally killed off in the first few minutes. For the oft-lambasted Halloween: Resurrection, that's exactly what it ended up doing.

Picking things up after Laurie Strode had beheaded Michael Myers after the conclusion of Halloween H20, Resurrection finds Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie locked up in a mental institution. There, it's detailed how Michael had pulled a switcheroo in H20, putting his famed mask on a poor paramedic, who Strode then decapitated. Thus, Laurie was traumatised and left as an institutionalised mute.

Of course, Curtis' character was really playing possum here, for yes, while she was locked up, she was merely biding her time for Michael to come and find her. In typical Myers fashion, the Shape does indeed turn up at the facility housing Laurie, with a rooftop battle between the two actually seeing Strode get the better of her long-time rival.

When Laurie hesitates in killing her then-canon brother - for fear of it being another innocent under the mask - Michael seizes the moment to stab his sibling and throw her body to its death. And with that, Halloween: Resurrection peaked, as the film then descends into a farce that culminates with Busta Rhymes busting out some kung fu moves on Michael Myers.

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Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.