Top 10 Horror Movies So Bad They Ruined the Franchise

Although the first movie didn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, the premise was scary enough that a part two came out just a year later. Through a nonsensical series of manipulations by the two killers, the survivors from the last movie are tricked into coming to a resort in the Bahamas during the off-season. There are a lot of interesting ideas here, including the addition of a second killer, but none of it’s handled well. Not even two fun performances from Brandy and Jack Black could save this one from itself. Jim Gillespie, the first movie’s director, said the sequel killed any potential for a franchise. A 2006 direct-to-DVD sequel, which almost totally ignores the first two movies, didn’t do much to disprove that.

The “Leprechaun” series strayed pretty far from its origins. By the time Warwick Davis’ title antagonist made it to this sixth entry in the series, it was a formula that was well played out. They had even sent him to space by then. Although 2000’s “Leprechaun in the Hood” had its fans, “Back 2 tha Hood” was too much even for those who enjoyed the previous entry. It pits the diminutive killer up against a group of drug dealers who have stolen his gold. There wouldn’t be another “Leprechaun” sequel for over a decade, and that one would be a total reboot.

Call the original “Sleepaway Camp” what you want, but you certainly can’t call it unimaginative. Its black humor, inventive methods of murder, and memorable twist ending didn’t leave a lot of new places for the sequels to go. With the fourth movie in the franchise, creator Robert Hiltzik tried to go back to basics. You’d think that so many cast members and the original writer-director returning would be a good sign. Unfortunately, “Return to Sleepaway Camp” was nothing to write home about. When it’s not a retread of the first movie, it’s a showcase for unconvincing effects and distractingly bad acting. The only “Sleepaway Camp” sequel since then was “Sleepaway Camp IV,” an aborted sequel from the early 90s that went unreleased until 2012.

Kim Henkel, co-screenwriter of the original “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” had his own ideas about where to take Leatherface and his family of cannibals. At first glance, “Return” is a retread of the first movie. Although it introduces some interesting themes of new age spirituality, fans rebelled over the emasculation of the lead killer, Leatherface. Some defenders praised its meta-commentary on horror as a genre, but it wasn’t nearly as well-done as the next year’s “Scream.” Despite early career performances from Renée Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey, the movie bombed at the box office. The next sequel would be an actual remake of the original, abandoning the existing storyline completely.

Adapted from a Japanese horror movie, “The Ring” introduced the evil Samara and the cursed VHS tape to American audiences. Star Naomi Watts returned in “The Ring Two,” which follows the investigative journalist from the first movie as she tries to once again save her son from the curse. Not even hiring Hideo Nakata, director of the Japanese original, could make it worthwhile. Trying to find scares in poorly animated deer and a convoluted plot, the movie made some money, but the reviews were pretty brutal. Another “Ring” movie wouldn’t be made until 2017, and it wouldn’t fare much better.

When 2004’s “Alien vs. Predator” was announced, “Aliens” writer-director James Cameron was as skeptical as anyone else. Like millions of fans, he was won over by the movie. The mash-up between the Xenomorph and the Predator wasn’t a masterpiece by any means, but it did well enough to warrant a sequel. When “Alien vs. Predator: Requiem” was released three years later, it effectively ended the crossover magic. “Requiem” took an already well-worn story and added bad cinematography, bad acting, and all-around bad ideas. Both series went their separate ways for their next installments, smartly ignoring the monsters’ duel.

The last movie in the “Poltergeist” trilogy brought the ghosts out of the suburbs and into a Chicago highrise. The idea is interesting, and there are decent stretches in the movie, but critics and audiences weren’t impressed. However, much of the movie’s problems were due to circumstances beyond the filmmakers’ control. Ending reshoots and the tragic death of lead actress Heather O’Rourke made finishing and marketing the movie a chore for everyone involved. As a result, the movie suffered from lackluster reviews and a disappointing box office intake. The “Poltergeist” series seemed to be done until the 2015 remake of the original movie.

Making the third movie without Michael Myers was basically sacrilege to some fans. Even worse than having him fight Busta Rhymes or giving him visions of his dead mother on a white horse, the series’ biggest mistake may have been the “curse of thorn.” After several rewrites and reshoots, “Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers,” completely demystified the masked killer, as it was revealed he was the vessel of a pagan cult focusing on this thorn curse. This revelation did not go over well. Not even a baby-faced, early-career Paul Rudd was a big enough draw. The “Halloween” series might have suffered the direct-to-video fate of other horror franchises if original star Jamie Lee Curtis hadn’t come back for “Halloween H20.”

The original “Exorcist” was a spine-tingling blockbuster, the likes of which Hollywood had never seen. Linda Blair returned alongside an all-star cast including Richard Burton, Louise Fletcher, and James Earl Jones. Not that any of them are at their best here. Despite some dazzling images and profoundly bizarre touches, “Exorcist II” didn’t just fail to live up to the original; for a long time, it was considered one of the worst movies ever made. While that may be an exaggeration, it’s still a huge letdown. Another “Exorcist” movie wouldn’t be made until 1990 by the original novelist, William Peter Blatty. Blatty didn’t even want to call his movie “Exorcist III,” fearing it would invite comparison to the disastrous second movie. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

The Fourth Entry Took Pinhead to Space… & Subsequent Entries Straight-to-DVD

Poor Critical Reception & Ownership Battles Stalled This Series Until a 2021 Reboot

Despite Sigourney Weaver, This Sequel Did Little to Revive a Fading Franchise

Considering the Rotten Effects, the Ghosts Should Have Stayed in Their Dimension

The Only Thing Scary About This Remake Was That There Were Plans for Sequels

The original “Jaws” is the story of man vs. nature. “Jaws: The Revenge” is the story of money vs. common sense. The Brody Family is once again up against a killer shark, and this time, Ellen Brody somehow becomes psychic and is convinced a shark is hunting her family specifically. From its ludicrous premise to its incompetent editing, “Jaws: The Revenge” hardly makes sense from shot to shot. The climax, where the shark actually roars before being impaled and then exploding, was clearly reshot without much attention to detail. What’s worse, it’s not even so bad, it’s good. It’s just bad. Diminishing returns and lingering embarrassment may just keep “Jaws 5” off the production schedule for good.