10 Reasons Horror Sequels Haven't Happened Yet

No movie genre loves sequels quite like horror - no, not even superhero flicks - because horror fans are an insatiable bunch and quite keen to see more of the thing they loved the first time around.

Considering that the vast majority of horror movies are produced for relatively low budgets, sequels are one hell of an appealing proposition for studios, being a massively low-risk investment and all.

So it's puzzling when some horror sequels spend years, even decades stalled in development, as fans wonder why they somehow haven't gone in front of cameras yet.

But as we surely all know by now, the world of filmmaking is an at times infuriatingly complex one, where films can be nixed for arcane business reasons no matter how much financial sense their existence might make.

And in the case of these 10 proposed horror sequels, it's been made quietly clear why they haven't happened yet, even if in some cases the answer won't provide much comfort to fans who've been waiting not-so-patiently.

While a few of these sequels could happen one day, the smart money says not to get your hopes up...

The James Gunn-produced Brightburn was a fascinatingly twisted riff on the Superman mythology, centered around a young extraterrestrial who harnesses his superpowers not for good but evil.

Though it received mixed reviews from critics, Brightburn still grossed $33.2 million against a tight $6 million budget, and considering it ended with one hell of an epic sequel tease, many naturally hoped that Brightburn 2 would eventually materialise.

While Gunn was initially positive about a sequel, word quickly went quiet on it, and it wasn't until 2024 that we received a substantial update from the man himself explaining the radio silence.

Beyond the fact that Gunn himself has been busy with numerous large-scale projects in recent years - not least his new Superman film - Gunn revealed on Threads in April 2024 that the film's rights are "all f**ked up."

Gunn stated that he only owns half the rights to Brightburn, implying that whoever owns the other half isn't exactly playing ball, before adding that Brightburn 2 was "unlikely" as a result.

Even though Brightburn production company The H Collective formally announced Brightburn 2 in late 2023, this sure sounds like a sequel that's destined to be stuck in the quagmire of development hell forever more.