10 Horror Movies That Were Cancelled Because Of Other Movies

7. The Crooked Man Was Cancelled Because Of The Nun

Crooked Man
New Line Cinema

The Annabelle doll from The Conjuring became an instant horror icon, inspiring director James Wan and producer Peter Safran to forge a spin-off centred around the cursed figurine. When 2016's Annabelle earned over 40 times its budget, the pair agreed to turn The Conjuring into a cinematic universe.

The following year, Wan directed The Conjuring 2, which introduced the demonic nun, Valak. The film also briefly featured another unsettling entity called The Crooked Man, inspired by the English nursery rhyme. Though little was revealed about the creepy spectre, his distorted design struck a chord with audiences, prompting Safran to consider a standalone spin-off.

But during development, Safran noticed the fanbase was more intrigued by Valak. Sensing greater potential, Safran fast-tracked a project centred on her instead.

It proved to be the right call, since The Nun and The Nun II grossed over half a billion dollars. It's also refreshing to hear filmmakers can actually listen to the fans and take their suggestions on board.

Interest for the Crooked Man has since faded, so it's highly unlikely the spin-off will ever come to fruition.

 
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James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows