Despite its cult classic status and positive critical reviews, 2012 horror/comedy The Cabin in the Woods probably won't ever get a sequel. In horror, as with most other movie genres, it can be pretty hard to come up with something truly original. Film as a medium has been around for over 100 years, and in that time, just about every conceivable premise has been tried at least once. That's what makes a film like The Cabin in the Woods so pleasantly surprising.

Directed by Drew Goddard (creator of Netflix's Daredevil series) and written by Goddard and geek culture icon Joss Whedon, The Cabin in the Woods was mostly marketed in a way that made it look like a standard horror scenario in which a group of young friends head to a remote location and encounter evil. However, some of the ads teased a surprising twist, and what viewers got more than lived up to that notion. It turned out the trope-filled frights faced by these characters were part of an annual ritual designed to appease the Ancient Ones with human sacrifices.

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While The Cabin in the Woods wasn't a big hit at the box office, it didn't lose money either, and found a devoted fanbase on home video. It wasn't long before those same fans started to wonder if they would ever get to see a sequel to the exceedingly clever, endlessly creative film. Unfortunately, The Cabin in the Woods 2 has yet to happen, and it looks like the chances of it ever happening are slim.

Why Cabin In The Woods 2 Didn’t Happen

The Cabin in the Woods ending

While sequels often aren't made due to lack of studio backing, or key cast members not wanting to return, in the case of The Cabin in the Woods 2, the reasons for not moving forward are of an artistic nature. As revealed by director Drew Goddard last year, the primary reason he and Joss Whedon haven't penned a sequel is that they feel the ending to the original film was perfect. For those in need of a refresher, The Cabin in the Woods ends with the ritual's organizer, played by Sigourney Weaver, explaining that Dana must kill fellow survivor Marty or the Ancient Ones will rise up and destroy humanity. She refuses, and the apocalypse begins via a giant hand emerging from the Earth.

Goddard and Whedon formulated multiple ideas for a Cabin in the Woods 2, but so far haven't been able to think of one that they feel wouldn't ruin the first film's memorable conclusion. It's hard to write around a Lovecraftian apocalypse after all. While Goddard doesn't rule out an idea worthy of making a sequel ever emerging, for now, he and Whedon have no plans to continue the story. Considering how many belated sequels end up disappointing fans, maybe The Cabin in the Woods 2 not happening is for the best.

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