Content Warning: This article contains discussions and references to violence.
Horror movies don't always have the most successful sequels or reboots. Whether the source material seems old and outdated or a change in production causes the movie to lose what made the original so special, rebooting or creating a sequel/spinoff of a well-loved horror movie can be an extremely risky endeavor. Since horror movies rely so much on surprising the audience, it can be extremely difficult to fool an audience twice with the same monster.
However, some movies have accomplished this difficult feat, allowing existing stories to evolve or simply updating older horror movies to fit a modern context. Although not all these sequels are as good as their predecessors, they are all well worth the watch for true horror fans.
Zombieland 2
With the genre going back as far as the 1930s, the zombie movie approach was long overdue for an overhaul, and Zombieland did exactly that in 2009. Feeling more like a satire of zombie movies than an actual horror film at times, Zombieland was able to achieve the feel of a classic zombie movie. Not only was it complete with gore and colorful characters, but it also achieves a level of wit and originality that the genre can often lack.
Although not as popular as the original, Zombieland 2 accomplishes more of the same, while still being self-aware in its own right. It doubles down on some of the sillier and more ridiculous concepts of the first movie and places pure entertainment value above all else.
Rec 2
Zombie movies can often be placed in their own genre of survival horror or often comedy horror (as in the jokes or the survival aspect come first to the plot, thus making the horror aspect secondary). Rec and Rec 2, do the exact opposite of this, creating a movie that is truly terrifying above all else.
Both movies in the series rely on the "found footage" style where the movie is shot as if one of the characters involved was holding a camera the whole time. This results in a very up close and personal movie that puts the audience in the shoes of the unlucky characters.
28 Weeks Later
Creating a sequel to a movie that reimagined what a zombie movie was and reimagined what was possible in independent filmmaking. Compared to 28 Days Later, the sequel feels much larger, with far more characters than the original.
The movie adds quite a bit of star power, with Jeremey Renner, Rose Bryne, and Idris Elba joining to help fight off the undead. The film continues the tradition started by the original opening, with a horrific and terrifying sequence that audiences will not soon forget.
Evil Dead 2
When it comes to Sam Raimi's cult classic, many fans consider the sequel to actually be better than the original movie. Blending horror and comedy in a way that no one had before, Evil Dead 2 is considered one of the all-time great horror films for good reason.
With enough fake blood to fill a swimming pool, Evil Dead 2 is a gory movie that will disgust, terrify and delight horror fans. Audiences will just have to be sure not to leave their mouth open when the eyeballs going flying.
Peninsula
The highly anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed Train to Busan fell a little bit short of the mark for many moviegoers. However, in defense of the movie's sequel, the bar may have simply been set too high.
Relying more on CGI than practical effects, Peninsula feels much more like a zombie action thriller akin to a bloody Fast and Furious movie as opposed to the horror story told in the original movie. Still, the movie deserves a lot of credit for the RC Car scene alone.
Land Of The Dead
From the brilliant mind of the zombie master himself, George Romero continued his "Of the Dead," franchise in 2005 with Land of the Dead. Taking place in Pittsburgh, the movie has everything audiences want out of a good zombie flick.
There are hordes of the undead, creative zombie-killing contraptions, and plenty of blood and guts. The film also features zombies that can communicate with each other, allowing them to be even more deadly as they coordinate attacks against the remaining survivors.
Day Of The Dead
Another George Romero zombie flick that is considered one of the greatest horror films of all time is Day of The Dead, which sees a group of survivors trapped in a missile silo while trying to survive the hordes of the undead. A colorful cast of characters makes this movie stand out amongst others in the genres, as the human quarreling takes center stage.
The movie is a masterclass in tension and chaos while still staying true to its zombie premise. The film is also responsible for one of the greatest lines in horror movie history: "I'm running this monkey show now, Frankenstein!"
Dead Snow 2: Red Vs. Dead
There are few things that will surprise audiences these days, but a zombie driving a tank might just do the trick. Taking place immediately after the first film, Dead Snow 2 might have outdone the first film in terms of sheer unpredictability.
Weapon-toting zombies, a zombie army, and a protagonist with an out-of-control zombie arm all work together to create the wildest ride audiences have ever seen in a zombie flick.
Dawn Of The Dead (2004)
Remaking one of the most well-received horror movies ever seems like a daunting task, but Zack Snyder did exactly that with his feature film debut. To be fair, he did have the help of James Gunn and George Romero to make it happen but regardless the result was a throwback to the zombie movies of old.
Featuring a similar plot with a group of survivors using a shopping mall as protection from hordes of the undead, the movie does a great job of capturing a feeling of despair and hopelessness, with a daring escape that is completely undone in a brutal end-credits sequence.
Return Of The Living Dead
Arguably the first true zombie-comedy movie, return of the living dead is the definition of a cult classic. With a whopping 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie is still just as fun to watch today as it was upon its release.
With one of the coolest soundtracks in horror movie history, talking zombies that allow for some truly memorable one-liners and maybe the greatest horror make-up ever, Return of The Living Dead is an utter delight.